Famous Families and A Secret Affair

On July 27, 1900, Mary Kittera Snyder left this earth at the age of 84 in her North Market Street home. She passed away just before her recently constructed church, the All Saints Episcopal Church, was dedicated to her. Her death was devastating to the citizens of Selinsgrove, as she left an everlasting mark on the central Pennsylvania borough.

Mary Kittera Snyder was not someone who climbed to the top of the social ladder on her own. She was the granddaughter of Simon Snyder, the third governor of Pennsylvania and namesake of Snyder County, and the daughter of congressman and War of 1812 veteran Captain John Snyder. With this status, she remained an active contributor to the community throughout her prolonged life. Mary also had prominent family members on her mother’s side. Some include her grandfather, John Wilkes Kittera, and Uncle Thomas Kittera, both state and federal lawmakers. With this reputable ancestry, Mary stood atop the social ladder.

Born in 1816 in Selinsgrove, Mary later moved to Philadelphia with her Uncle Thomas after her mother’s death. She resided in the Kittera Mansion on Walnut Street, right across from Independence Sqaure, and received the utmost education at Professor Picot’s French School, the most prestigious women’s seminary for girls (Selinsgrove Time Tribune, 2 August 1900). This was where Mary first dipped her toes into the world of religion, a passion that continued until her death. However, her education was cut short when Uncle Thomas, who had promised to travel abroad with Mary and her sister, passed away. This led to a monotonous life of church work in the City of Brotherly Love until 1861, when she returned to her hometown to inherit a local farm from her father.

In 1869, Mary became the borough postmistress, a position appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant himself (Selinsgrove Time Tribune, 2 August 1900). In 1878, at the age of 62, she resigned from her position, and continued to work with the Selinsgrove community, specifically church work, until her death.

Mary also kept some major secrets. The Kittera side of the family had connections to powerful political figures, including fifteenth president and Pennsylvania native James Buchanan. Buchanan, a valued friend of Uncle Thomas, encountered the 14-year-old Mary and the two later began to have a secret affair when Mary was 17 (Klein, 205). Buchanan even intended to marry her (Lancaster New Era, 24 March 1941). This classified information about Kittera Snyder and Buchanan was found in a series of letters written between the pair, where Mary was referred to as Buchanan’s “intended” (Balcerski, 64). The letters were discovered in Sunbury and were given to the staff of Wheatland, James Buchanan house, by Agnes Selin Schoch of Selinsgrove.

Ranging from being a prominent member of both the Snyder and Kittera families and having an affair with James Buchanan, the life of Mary Kittera Snyder was truly a unique one. Her legacy continues to live in the simplest of places, such as the All Saints Episcopal Church. Without her work in the community, Selinsgrove would not be the borough it is today.

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