e of the Snyders. Dr. John M. Snyder died at the
age of 36, in the enjoyment of a fine reputation in his profession, of
an unusual accident.

The story is told by Dr. Samuel Busey, in his _Personal Reminiscences_:

Dr. Snyder had bought a farm called "Greenwood" a little way out of
town toward Tenallytown, and one afternoon at Dr. Busey's home,
"Belvoir," now the Beauvoir School, was telling Dr. Busey how he was
enjoying pruning the old oak trees on his place of dead wood. Dr.
Busey warned him that he was engaging in a dangerous amusement and
related the story of how a hired man of his, doing such a job, had
had a bad fall, but, fortunately, without injury.

Two or three days later, Dr. Busey was summoned to "Greenwood,"
where he found Dr. Snyder dying from just such an accident. The
branch of the tree he had been sawing off was hanging by a
splintered sliver, too weak to support its weight and, in swinging
to the ground, had knocked away the ladder on which Dr. Snyder was
standing.

His wife was Sophy Tayloe, a member of the well-known family of the
Octagon House in Washington, and beautiful old Mount Airy in Virginia.
As a widow in her old age, she had a steady admirer, a general, who came
every afternoon at the same time in his Victoria, and took her to drive.
I can see her now, a small, slight figure in her cape, and little black
bonnet tied under her chin, and holding one of those quaint little
ruffled sunshades to keep the sun out of her eyes.

She had one daughter, Miss Annie, who had the loveliest rosy cheeks (no
rouge in those days), who never married. One son, Bladen, was an artist,
and he used to be a familiar sight with his camp-stool and easel on the
streets, painting.

Georgetown was not so "arty" in Bladen Snyder's day, unfortunately, so
he was considered very "odd."

The other son, Dr. Arthur Snyder, was a fine surgeon, and an ardent
horseman.

Not long ago I was being shown photographs of belles and beaux of the
eighties and nineties in Georgetown. Among them were several pictures of
the crews of the Columbia Boat Club, and one of the "four" was young Dr.
Snyder, whose home this was.

There were two boat clubs in those days which were great rivals. The
Columbia was at the foot of High Street (Wisconsin Avenue) and the
Potomac was at the foot of Congress (31st) Street. I have more
recollections of the latter, especially the dances held there