Andrew Jackson "A.J." Snyder (December 22, 1824 – July 9, 1896) was considered Oakland's first real estate dealer and according to the San Francisco Call "one of the city's wealthy men." 1

Born in Johnston, Ohio in 1823, Snyder served in the Mexican War under General Zachary Taylor. 1 In 1849, A.J. Snyder relocated to California and in 1958 moved to Oakland.

"In 1867 he purchased a farm of fifty acres just out of Oakland, beyond what is now Golden Gate, and since then that has been his home. His real-estate business he continued until 1886, being alone excepting the last two years of that period, when the firm was A.J. Snyder & Son. This son, Sherman E., carried it on alone until he died, February 28, 1889, when his father resumed the business. Mr. Snyder built the Snyder block, 150 feet on South Ninth street; and he has also built many houses, for sale." 3

Piedmont Terrace By the Lake is listed as A.J. Snyder's ... not sure if it was his home or an area developed by him. Stated area as "generally bounded by Grand Ave., Santa Clara Ave., Jean St. and Mira Vista Ave, in Trestle Glen." 2

Synder died in his country home in Calistoga, succumbing to 'dropsy,' which today is called edema. He left his wife and seven children; among his children was an 'A.J. Jr.' which might explain the several internet listings for an 'A.J. Snyder' in Oakland regarding real estate around the turn of the century into the 1920s. At the time of his death Snyder was worth about $500,000 in bank stocks, real estate and money, still owning several Oakland business blocks.

Links and References

  1. A.J. Snyder Dies San Francisco Call Volume 80, Number 40 (10 July 1896) California Digital Newspaper Collection

  2. A.J. Snyder's Piedmont Terrace By the Lake, Oakland, California OCLC World Cat

  3. ANDREW JACKSON SNYDER "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 553-555, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892 [lots of biographical info. here]

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