James Snowden

• General Notes
  • Generation No. 2
    
    2. JAMES5 SNOWDEN (JOHN4, JOHN3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born March 18, 1710/11 in Philadelphia Pa., and died Aft. 1746 in Philadelphia Pa.. He married KATHRINE NORTH July 10, 1731 in 1st Presbyterian Church Philadelphia Pa., daughter of CALEB NORTH and JANE ECKERLY. She was born March 18, 1709/10, and died Aft. 1746.
    
    Notes for JAMES SNOWDEN:
    The North American, Philadelphia, Sunday, July 14, 1912
    Old Philadelphia Families
    by Frank Willing Leach
    
    This is part 3 (information on James Snowden b. 1711)
    
    The eldest of the four, James Snowden the first child by the first wife, was born March 18, 1711, and married, September 10 1730, Katherine North, daughter of Caleb North, by whom he had at least eight children-there may have been others-as follows; John, Ann, James, Elizabeth, William, a second William, Samuel and Joseph.
    Of the eight John Snowden, the eldest, born January 4, 1732/33, was a lieutenant in the Continental Army. No further knowledge concerning him is in the possession of the present writer.
    The elder of the two sisters Ann Snowden, born in 1734, married, July 16, 1768, Laughlin McNeil. Among their descendants may be mentioned Charles M. Lea, Devon; Arthur Henry Lea, 2004 Walnut Street, and George Henry Lea, 345 South 19th street, also, Mrs. Thomas C. Harris nee Jaudon 2304 De Lancey Street.
    The second William Snowden-the first died in infancy-born June 19, 1741, also served in the revolution in the Naval branch of the service, he having been a sea-captain-a popular avocation, at that time, with the sons of men of wealth and position. He was captured by the British and was cofined in the famous, not to say infamous, "Sugar House" prison, New York, where like some other American prisoners, he died of the cruel treatment he received from his captors. According to tradition, he was killed by ground glass placed in his food. Like most traditions this is probably not correct, though the barbarities practiced upon the American captives in New York were almost as brutal as that which is said to have terminated the life of William Snowden.
    The latter married, December 31, 1767, Ann Maugridge, and had a number of children, one of whom, John Maugridge Snowden, born January 13, 1776, became a man of considerable distinction. First learning the printer's trade whith the celebrated Matthew Carey, he removed to Chambersburg, where he established a newspaper. In 1798 he founded The Farmer's Register, at Greensburg, the second paper in Western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Gazette having been the first. In 1811 he removed to the last mentioned city, and purchased The Commonwealth, the name of which he changed to The Mercury. He also published a number of valuable works and had a large bookstore. "By reason of the press, his bookstore, his energy, and social position,"says a writer " he became widely known as one of the leading citizens of the State."
    He became a director of the Bank of Pittsburgh: was mayor of the city 1825, '26 '27; served as recorder of Deeds and in 1830 was appointed Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, which latter position he held for six years.
    The previously quoted author thus comments:
    
    His intelligence, business habits, varied experience, and broad common sense eminently fitted him for the position. He exhibited also remarkable knowledge of the law. On more than on occasion, he differed with the President Judge as to the law, and so expressed himself to the jury, as he had an undoubted right to do. He had the entire respect and confidence of the bar. The counsel concerned in one of the most difficult and important ever tried in this county agreed that it should be tried before him as Associate Judge. During the progress of the trail a member of the bar remarked to Mr. Walter Forward, "Strange sight to see an Associate Judge trying such an important case!" "Ah!" replied Mr. Forward, "that layman knows twice as much law, and has three times as much sense, as some President Law Judges."
    
    Judge Snowden married, November 24, 1801, Elizabeth Moor, daughter of Judge John and Elizabeth (nee Parr) Moor. She was born February 6, 1782, and died December 2, 1860. Her husband died at his residence, Elm Cottage, South Avenue, Allegheny City, April 2, 1845. They were parents of twelve children, all now deceased. Among their grandchildren are the following: James Oliver Snowden, Omaha Neb.; Francis Laird Snowden, 5215 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh; Miss Caroline Snowden, 6324 Marchland Street Pittsburgh; Mrs. George Frederick Denniston, 4711 Maripoe Avenue, Pittsburgh; Mrs. Morrison Foster, Bellevue Apartments, Bellevue; Mrs. Azel Backus, 39 South Washington Street, Rochester, New York; Mrs. Tasswill Edmund Harrison, and Miss Harriet K. Ogden, 270 St. James Place, Brooklyn, New York; Miss Emma K. M. Ogden, Detroit, Becker County, Minn.; Misses Mary and Elizabeth M. Robb, Hotel Dorset, Pittsburgh; Mrs. David Borland, Westminster Place, Shady Side, Pittsburgh; William O. Snowden, Beaver; John M. Snowden, Milwaukee, Wis.; the Misses Alice and Selma Snowden, 244 Highland Avenue, E. E. Pittsburgh, ect.
    
    DESCENDANTS OF JUDGE SNOWDEN
    
    There are numerous surviving great-grandchildren of Judge Snowden. among others: Ogden Russell, Miss Caroline O'Falion Russell and James McPherson Russell, Highfield Road and Reyton Lane, Pittsburgh; John Maugridge Snowden Allison, 424 Shady Avenue. Pittsburgh; Mrs. W. W. Titus and Mrs. Charles Richardson, Sewickley; Alexander Graff Borland and the Misses Borland, Westminister Place, Shady Side, Pittsburgh; Joseph H. Borland, 139 Camp Avenue, Braddock, ect.
    Returning to the immediate family of James Snowden, eldest son of the second John Snowden, mention should be made of another son, Samuel Snowden, born in 1743, who, like his two elder brothers, served in the Revolution, as Master of the armed sloop, General Gates, and the brigantine-of-war, General Montgomery. He lost his life in action. He married at Christ Church, October 12, 1771, Hannah Gum.
    Still another son, the Youngest, was Joseph Snowden, who survived the War, and remained an honored citizen of Philadelphia for many years. He was born in 1749 and married July 8, 1776, Rebecca Sibbald, daughter of John and Rebecca (nee Thornhill) Sibbald, who was born June 2, 1754, and died October 18, 1832. The death of her husband occurred twenty years previously-October 28, 1812.
    Joseph Snowden was prominent in business, in politics, in social life and in religious affairs. By action of the Congress, August 8, 1778, he was designated one of the signers of the Continental Currency, recently authorized in 17??, according to Scharf and Westcott's History of Philadelphia, he was chairman of a committee of citizens, who memorialized Congress to exempt apprentices and minors from military duty in the United States Militia. From 1800? to 1809? he was a vestryman of Christ Church. Both he and his wife, and several children as well, were buried at St. Peters Church, originally under the jurisdiction of Christ Church Vestry.
    Among their children was Joseph Samuel Snowden, who was born March 14, 1792, and died July 17, 1849. He was elected a member of the famous "State in Schuylkill," October 4, 1826. He was twice married and left issue.
    
    
    
    
          
    Children of JAMES SNOWDEN and KATHRINE NORTH are:
           i.       WILLIAM6 SNOWDEN, b. June 19, 1741, Philadelphia Pa.?; d. Aft. 1776, Sugarhouse Prison, N.Y.; m. ANN NANCY MAUGRIDGE, December 31, 1767, Philadelphia, Pa.; b. November 23, 1743, Philadelphia, Pa.; d. Bef. April 05, 1831, Philadelphia, Pa..