Melvin Claude Snyder (October 29, 1898 – August 5, 1972) was an American attorney and Republican politician who served as a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

. He was a member of the Eightieth Congress. Born in Albright,

Preston County, West Virginia Preston County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census, the population was 34,216. Its county seat is Kingwood, West Virginia, Kingwood. The county was fo ...

, Snyder attended the public schools. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

and served as a private in 1918. In 1923 he graduated from the

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Ins ...

Law School at

Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Monongahela River in North Central West Virginia and is the home of West Virginia University. The population was 30,347 at the 2 ...

and was admitted to the bar the same year. He began his legal practice in

Kingwood, West Virginia Kingwood is a city in Preston County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 2,980 at the 2020 census. The city sits within the Allegheny Mountains above the Cheat River valley. It hosts the annual Preston County ...

. He became the mayor of Kingwood in 1926. He served as prosecuting attorney for Preston County from 1929 to 1944. He returned to the

and served from January 6, 1941, until his discharge as a

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

on January 30, 1946. He then served as the director of Surplus Property for Division of Territories and Island Possessions,

Department of Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal lands and natural resources. It also administers programs relating t ...

. In 1946 he was elected to the House as a Republican. His subsequent election campaigns were unsuccessful in 1948 and 1950. After leaving the House, he served as a judge, eighteenth judicial

circuit court Circuit courts are court systems in several common law jurisdictions. It may refer to: * Courts that literally sit 'on circuit', i.e., judges move around a region or country to different towns or cities where they will hear cases; * Courts that s ...

, West Virginia from January 1, 1953, to October 1, 1971. He was a member of the West Virginia Judicial Council and was a president of the West Virginia Judicial Association. He died in Kingwood on August 5, 1972, and was buried in Maplewood Cemetery.

External links

West Virginia & Regional History Center The West Virginia & Regional History Center (WVRHC), is the largest archival collection housing documents and manuscripts involving West Virginia and the surrounding central Appalachian region. Because of name changes over the years, it is someti ...

Melvin C. Snyder, Congressman, Papers

Sources

1898 births 1972 deaths Military personnel from West Virginia United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army personnel of World War II County prosecuting attorneys in West Virginia Lawyers from Kingwood, West Virginia United States Army officers United States Army soldiers United States Department of the Interior officials West Virginia circuit court judges West Virginia lawyers West Virginia University College of Law alumni Mayors of places in West Virginia Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from West Virginia 20th-century West Virginia state court judges 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century West Virginia politicians 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives Politicians from Kingwood, West Virginia Civil servants from Kingwood, West Virginia {{US-Congress-stub

See also

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Sources