McManamon Family Tree

Per notes June 1991, taken by Jean and Joan (twins): As soon as JacobSnyder, Mary's husband, went to work, Mary would go up to bed until hegot home, even when the chidren wer little. Once someone got her to ridestreet cars. She rode them for awhile, then went back to staying in thehouse. Jean and Joan feel that she was agorphobic, meaning fear ofleaving the house.

Jake thinks his parents were married at St. Columba Cathedral,Youngstown, Ohio. Per letter from Ag Gillespie Johnson, "Jake and MarySnyder got married St. Columbus, I'm sure." Mamie would not let Jacob outof her sight. He had dated her sister, Helen, before marrying her, andMary was always suspicious and jealous of her, accusing Helen of flirtingwith her husband, per Aggie.

Grammie was 98# when she married. Her husband claimed it was his weiniesand sauerkraut that put all her weight on. Jacob had her in the hospitalseveral times to loose weight but to no avail. She wore 4 1/2 EEE shoe,was 4 1/2 feet tall. In the end she weighted in the 300# range. She hadarthritis. Jake always remembers her as being heavy. The doctors said shecould gain weight on water. Jean remembers Grammie walking around thehouse in bare feet, wearing a size 52 dress. She did not wear underpantsbecause she could not walk upstairs to the bathroom but instead, used thevery small porch off the kitchen to just stand and urinate on the boardswhich filtered down and outside on the ground. For BM's there was a pottychair.

Grammie always used a cane per Jean's memory, leaning heavily to theright then the left, barely lifing her feet off the floor. Once shesetteled into her chair or recliner, she would yell for Bill or Dorothyto bring things to her. She used her cane's curved end to hook people'sarms as they went by. She never left the house for the last 25-30 years,not even stepping onto the porch. Jean believes she was agorophobic,afraid of leaving the house. Grammie would want the windows and blindsclosed so the neighbors could not see her. She was afraid someone wouldbe on the porch looking at her.

The neighborhood declined to very poor with mostly blacks towards theend, and was dangerous. Grammie kept her purse with her at all times,either stuffing if beside her on the chair, or sleeping with it under herpillow. She was afraid someone would steal her social security checks andmoney. Perhaps this habit stemmed from her husband's drinking days.

When Jake was a kid, Grammie would bake bread and apple pies. She nevermade any "Irish stuff". They always had meat, potatoes (Grammiepronounced it badadoes), and gravy with a side dish of peas or corn.

When Bridget Dugan, Mary's mother died, Helen and Robert Gillespie tookthe boys and Mary and Jacob took the girls.

One time Grammie was given a 5 brothers cigarette by her husband becauseshe wanted to smoke. She tried the cigarette, coughed and never triedagain.

Per Jake, during the Depression, her husband Jacob, would get odd jobspainting farms, schools and other buildings. Sometimes Mary would go withJake and Jacob, then sit in a chair and tell them what to do, giveorders. One time Grace and Jacob washed the kitchen down. Mary watchedbecause she was heavy. They asked her how she like it. She said, "Well,you got the worst of it." She was never one to give praise.

The house was always filthy, with some attempts by Bill to vacuum andwash the floors. Bill was not always neat and clean either. Jean and Joanremember going into the kitchen cupboards and seeing cockroaches. Once,when the twins were around 6-7 years old, the relatives tried to usedhousehold insecticide to eliminate the roach problem. We came down to thekitchen which was alive, every cupboard wall and floor surface crawlingwith crackling cockroaches. Edward, Bill and other relatives werespraying and stepping on the roaches. The scene was frightening. Somehowthe roaches got cleaned up and life returned to minimal running roachglimpses skidding around cups in cupboards and roach parties on the floorat night, skittering and dissappating like smoke as soon as the lightcame on. In the same cupboards there were some blue glass plates andvases that belonged to Grammies mother.

Joan and Jean remember Grammie as being nice and kind to us as children.She would sit in a chair in the living room facing the door. When we were3-4 years old we would climb up on the arm of the chair, get on Grammiesshoulder then slide down her generous breasts and abdomen to the floor.We would squeal with laughter and Grammie seemed to enjoy this also.Theresa Gillespie Wasychylycn remembers being scared of Grammie.

Per Jean, Grammie would sit in a wide upholstered chair, feet crossed atthe ankles, a glass of beer steadied on the chair arm by her right hand.Her toenails were long and difficult to cut. Dorothy would visit just totrim them because Grammie could never bend over to do them herself.Grammie had a dark "mustache" that she felt ashamed of, so Dorothy wouldtake Nair and remove it for her. Even though Grammie claimed to haverheumatoid arthritis (?like her mother), she did not have the typical redswollen joint deformaties. Later she switched from using a cane to awalker. She needed Bill's strong arm to pull her up from her chair.

Mary was nasty with Dorothy. She would yell and not let anyone in thehouse. She liked no one in the house. Jake said his parents got alongwell, only argued once in awhile. Bill remembered them fighting andarguing a lot. One time Jacob and Mary were in bed and Mary (Grammie) waskicking Jacob in the face, per Bill.

The only celebrations Jake remembers as a kid is at Christmas with a treeand presents. After her husband, Jacob died, Joan and I remember goingto Youngstown for St. Patrick's Day. The relatives brought a big hydraneaplant. Grammie had a ribbon tied to her head, they sang Irish songs and amap of Ireland was taped to the sliding doors between the front room andthe parlor. Everyone was happy and drunk.

Regarding Mary's pregnancy with Bill: Per Jake, she probably knew she waspregnant but did not tell anyone. All the relatives thought Mary had atumor. When she went into labor, Jacob got Helen, Grammie's sister,because he always got Helen for things because she was close. Then thedoctor came to the house. Per Bill, 1985, he feels the family wasdrinking and playing poker when Mary went into labor. Everyone thoughtshe had a stomach ache. Bill felt his true mother was Helen because of anotation on his birth certificate. He feels he was taken in by Mary andJacob.

Bill was 15 years younger than Jake--a change of life baby. Dorothy was 2years younger than Jake. Jake babysat and took the kids everywhere; Jaketold us he liked doing babysitting for the family. There was a 2 yearolder brother who died as an infant. Then came Jake, Dorothy, and 2 yearslater a baby girl who also died as an infant. Jake doesn't remember howold the infants were at death or cause of death.

Per Ag Gillespie Johnson, Mary and Jacob would go for Sunday drives andhave some beers. They usually came in arguing. Dorothy had made threepies one day. Mary threw every one of those pies at her husband. Mary hada bad temper. Ag and Dorothy would take off for the cellar only coming upwhen it was quiet to see the damage.

Grammie seemed backward or more alone. She would sit there until someonetalked to her. She stayed to her own family, per Jake. When Jean was innursing school, she brought a boyfriend over to visit her favorite uncleBill and grandmother, who she was proud of. Bill told Jean years later,that Grammie was sick vomiting and throwing emotional tantrums that astranger would have ever seen her. Bill said he suffered for days becauseof the verbal abuse and yelling from Grammie and had told me never tobring anyone over again.

Grammie used a cane all the time Jean can remember because she had"rheumatism". She walked ponderously slow with a waddling gait. When shewas mad at someone, and they walked by her chair, she would hook themwith the curved part of her cane and yell. Later she used a walker, thenneeded Billy with his strong arm to pull her out of her chair. Per AgGillespie Johnson, 4/6/96, Mary had a bad stiff back and couldn't bend.

Jean has notations of Grammie visiting Cleveland sometimes from a Fridayto a Tuesday during 1958. I vaguely remember her visits. Another notationshe visited Monday and left on a Friday. I don't know who drove her,since she never drove. Did she take a bus or train?

4/11/96 per phone conversation with Elevyn Davis Lundblad: Mary loved toread the newspaper society pages and could quote what went on and whatprominent people were up to. Mary was always heavy and suffered fromarthritis.

During Jean and Joan's time in St. Alexis nursing school, with ourparents moved to California, we would come to Youngstown on someweekends. The nursing dorm was a lonely place with Joan and Jean and arare other classmate the only ones present in the empty dorm. Bill wasalways delighted to have us visit and would take us shopping to buy foodswe wanted him to fix. Grammie seemed to enjoy our company also.

Per Jake, towards the end of Grammies life, Jake would buy apple, raisinor pumpkin pies from A & P Market. Grammie would think she was somethingto have that.

When Grammie became seriously ill with stomach pains, she refused to goto the hospital. Bill and Jake decided to take her to St. ElizabethHospital because there were nuns and Grammie liked the nuns since gradeschool. When Grammie passed out, they called the ambulance. That is howthey got her to the hospital. She woke up and yelled at Billie for takingher there but is was Jake's idea. Jake thought that was funny that Billgot all the yelling. Jean remembers that Dorothy flew out to be with hermother, especially since she was delerious and combative and tried to getout of bed. The family could not afford private sitters to watch her sotook turns staying at her bedside. Dorothy told Jean that Grammie did notknow her a lot of the time. Grammie had her stomach operated on, half thestomach was removed due to gangrene. Per Jake, a big stomach vein orartery was ?fossilized in her lower abdomen. She died after being in thehospital 1-2 or more weeks.

When Grammie died, the family paid St. Patricks priest so she could havea Mass at St. Columba. Grammie is buried side by side with Jacob atCalvary cemetery. Per Jake, when Grammie died, he and Dorothy wnated toquit claim the house on Myrtle and give it to Bill. Jake said my father,Edward, argued about getting something out of the property but eventuallygave in.

Per a note from Evelyn Lundblad who visited Ireland in 1990. STACK; Thissurname was found in Ireland, exclusively in Munster until recent yearsand within province over half of these of the name were in County Kerryand most of the remainder in about equal numbers in Cork County (ourdecendents), Limerick-Ireland. Their ancestors were settlers from Englandwho came to Wester Munster as long ago as the 15th century.

Family name DUGGAN; Family crest Galway, County Ulster-Donegal from thebook of family names, per Evelyn's 1990 Ireland trip.

Per Josie Traficant DiCicco Snyder Bucik,(Jake's ex-wife), 11/2/96; Mary"was a drunkard". Josie never realized and thought Mary was sick. Many times Mary would be leaning overand weaving on her chair. Josie yelled when Mary almost fell out of thechair. Jakie explained that his mother was drunk. Mary was nasty to Josiecalling her "a damn black Dago". Jacob Snyder (Mary's husband) would tellJosie he loved her. Mary would make Jacob get up off the floor when hehelped Josie do crossword puzzels. Per Josie, Jacob was afraid of Maryalthough when Mary, Jacob and Billie lived downstairs at Jake and Josie'shouse, Mary came upstairs cussing Josie and Jacob proceeded to starthitting Mary until Josie stopped him and told him Mary needed pity. "Billwanted out of the house because Mary was like a demon and hated everyoneshe looked at. She did not want Dorothy or Bill to date anyone." Billnever married because Mary would not allow him to and he felt responsibleto care for her after Jacob's death.

Mary never left the house because "she was self conscious, fat and hadpoor vision". Josie paid an optomotrist to go to Mary's house and fit herfor glasses. She instructed the optomotrist not to listen to Mary'sprotests but to keep on trying to get in and Mary would give him a hardtime. Josie already paid extra money for the house visit. Finally Marylet him in. He was able to correct her bad eye, sending off for a speciallens. Mary came up the stairs looking for Josie and asked her for some ofthe french fries Josie was eating. Josie offered her all of her iires.Mary was grateful and apologized to Josie for being mean to her and said,"How can you be so nice to me when I am so mean to you". She askedforgiveness and Josie told her God had to forgive her.

Mary Stack Snyder per Josie: Jake was strong except when he was aroundhis mother. She would not allow anything. Bill the baby was obedient.

11/6/1999 per phone interview with Ag Gillespie Nemeth Johnson: Sheremembers Mary and Jacob taking the "Sharon Line" to visit Joseph Snyderwith his wife Anna. When Mary got "so heavy" Ag supposes Mary did notwant to visit anyone. Ag thinks Mary was the cause of Jacob and Mary notvisiting anyone, she would not let Jacob visit. "Dorothy's mom was allthe time not talking (to relatives) and getting mad."

VISITS TO CLEVELAND interview with Agnes Gillespie, September 2000, byJoan Lee and Jean Cooke

Joan--I know she (Mary Stack Snyder) went to Cleveland once. Ag-They used to go up to Cleveland all the time to visit Jeannette. Mymother and father, Mary and Jake, every other weekend it seemed they wereup in Cleveland. Then Jeannette and Roy would be down to our house. Iremember that.

SNYDER FAMILY interview with Josie Traficant DiCicco Snyder Bucik, Sept.2000, by Joan and Jean

General: What did they (Jacob and Mary, Dorothy and Jake Snyder) do forentertainment? Did they go to each other's house? Josie---Yeah and drank. They drank. I used to get drunk too when I wentthere. They'd say, drink, drink, drink. So it didn't take much to get medrunk. I wasn't used to drinkin' like they were. And then yourgrandmother would say. I used to sing for?My Wild Irish Rose and allthose Irish songs. She always wanted me to sing when she was drinkin'. Iused to (have a very nice voice). I had a stroke and I lost my voice. Ican't believe I can't sing anymore

JACOB SNYDER- OUR GRANDFATHER

Did you ever hear about the "Fighting Snyder's of Myrtle Ave. that Jaketold us about? Josie---No.

When you met the father for the first time. Josie---He was nice. He was really nice.

Jean-Billie had told me he worked in the steel mills the same place withhis dad and his dad would take his pay. Josie--Oh, his dad was real good. I loved his dad. I surely loved hisdad; he was so good to me. He was the greatest guy. You know, now, he wasnot allowed to be friendly when his wife was there. So when she movedwent into the kitchen, he said, now if I don't talk to you or anything,that don't mean I don't like you. I really like you but I am not allowedto talk to you.

Jean- She was jealous of Helen too, her sister. Josie-Yeah too, when she (Grammie) went somewhere, he would always tellme how much he liked me.

Joan- so tell me more about Jakie's dad. Josie- He was the greatest guy in the world. When he had cancer she hada note saying what he had and that they sent for Billie. She put it wherehe could see it. And she would watch every day and finally he saw it andhe read it. She says, "You should have seen the look on his face. Heknows he's going to die."

MARY (MAMIE) STACK SNYDER (GRANDMOTHER)

Josie--I'll never forget when he (Jake) took me home to meet his parentsand she was drunk. I didn't know it. And she was just in a chair and justsittin' in a chair and just ( Josie laughs). I say, "Your mother's sick."He says, "No she isn't sick." Then I says, "Then what's the matter withher?" He says, " nothin'." And here I found out she was drunk.

Joan- Mary did that (remark to some comment.) She was mean. Josie---Oh she was miserable, though may she rest in peace. She was sorotten. She was blind you now. She was blind and I am glad?. trailed off.I went to an eye doctor and convinced him to go to her house. You everhear of anything like that? He went to her house and he got glasses. Hehad to send away for prescription. And when she put them on she said tome, the first nice thing she said to me, well I can really see. She said,sit on my lap. I sat on her lap. I was always good to her. She couldn'thelp it.

Jean-Do you think she was mental or something? Josie-No, she was just naturally mean. She drank; they called her"Double Header Mamie." Yeah, she drank boy.

Jean- her husband drank too? Josie-Yeah, but not as much as her. He had to watch her. Jean-- That'sinteresting. Josie-He had to watch her because she was so fast that she couldn't walkgood, she would wobble.

Joan-Why did all those guys (husband, sons) listen to her? Josie- she was really persuasive. Yeah, she layed the law down. She wasmean to me too. She lived in my house and she, she hated me. I couldn'tshow her anything, if Jake bought me anything and I couldn't show it tooher. If they were eaten something. They lived downstairs and I'd go downand she would hide anything. If I cooked something, I'd take some down toher. I'd take them a taste of it. And she didn't allow. When any of thenephews would come there, her brother-in-laws would come there, she'dsay, "Don't go upstairs and see her. She's a "Black Hand" (mafia). She'sfrom the Black Hands. Don't go see her, but they used to come upstairsand see me and say, "We don't give a damn what she says, we like youregardless of what she says." Joan-She was living in what house? Josie-On Mable Street. We had a kitchen. The downstairs was beautiful.She lived down there and I lived upstairs. They moved down there. Shewanted to move there. Jacob, Mary and Billie. And she was always cussin'me out and everything and she hated me. So my father taught us to respectthe dog for the owner. So one time when she came upstairs she was,whenever she came up she had to take anything down. I had to carry itdown for her so she wouldn't fall. And she says, "What are you doing?",and I was eaten French fries. She says, "What are you doing" cause shewouldn't say anything if my husband was there. My husband was in theother room. Josie says, "Do you want some". She said, "No". She says, "How could youtreat me so nice when I treat you so mean?" I said, well, because myfather taught us to treat the dog for the owner and I am married to yourson. Joan-Did she say anything when you said that? Josie-No she didn't say anything.

Josie- Oh but when she would get drunk, her bedroom was upstairs, andshe would say, "You son of a bitch.". Her husband, my father-in-law wouldsay, "Don't call her that, don't ever call her that." He'd hit her; shewould still call me son of a bitch. How long did they live with you on Mable Street? Josie-Oh, about a year and a half. Then they bought a house on IdahoRoad. Somehow or other, that just came to me.

When did they buy that house on (534) Myrtle Ave.? Josie-Oh, they lived there when I met Jake. So, why did they move in with you? Josie-I don't know why they moved in. I don't remember why. But she saidshe was going to move in with us. It was her idea. I was good to her, Icouldn't be mean to her. I wasn't brought up that way. I had respect forher because she was Jake's mother. Joan---I heard they had lots of fights where she would kick him and hewould hit her? Josie- He never picked on her, she always picked on him so he had todefend himself. He was a great guy.

Do you remember if they said where in Germany they were from? Josie- No. Who came from Germany, she didn't. Where in Ireland did theycome from? Josie-I don't know.

I wonder how Mary got that? Josie-she was so mean and hateful. She used to call me a Black Hand, sonof a bitch. When he (Jacob) would tell her not to call her that, I wouldsay, "Please don't hit her, please don't hit her." I don't want him tohit her but he couldn't stand it. He let her have it.

2/2002 taped interview with Evelyn Davis Lundblad, Betty Davis Stroberg,Pat Stroberg Serio Betty- That's when we went to that Nelson Ledges. Dorothy, me, Frankie(Bowser) and Earl would go all through the caves. Oh, we had fun. Evelyn-And me. A lot of time Mary and Jake would come. But Jake, he's aprince. Wasn't he a nice man? Evelyn- Jake Snyder was a jewel. Oh, my God. Mary got a jewel. And yourgrandmother Mary was smart. Your grandmother Mary Stack was smart. Sheread the social pages; she kept track of all your cousins that ownedbeauty shops, the Collins. Yeah, they owned beauty shops. She saved allnewspapers of 'em. Because in her older days she got arthritis like Ionly she was heavy and could not get out of a chair. Evelyn-The only time I seen Billy is when I come the three months? I seenBilly and Jake, in fact I was with your mother when her mother (MaryStack Snyder) died. I come to Youngstown with Kate and Mary was in thehospital. What did she have?cancer of the uterus. She was bleeding. Thenurse come to me and says, "You know your mother is bleeding." I says,"She is not my mother. Billy and Jake here, these are her sons. She's myaunt." I was with Mary then in the hospital. I asked her what she wouldlike. She says, "Coffee." She loved coffee. I'll get her a coffee. Butthen they talked to Billy and Jake and they found out she had cancer.