Placer
County
Biographies
EDMUND C. SNOWDEN
This highly respected retired
businessman of Auburn, California, Edmund Christopher Snowden, is a native of
England, but has been a resident of this country since his boyhood and is
thoroughly identified with its interests, having fought for the preservation of
the Union during the days of civil strife and having enjoyed a long and
prosperous business career. The
following sketch of his life is of interest in this connection.
Edmund Christopher Snowden was born
in England in 1838, and there spent the first fourteen years of his life. Then he accompanied his relatives to this
country. They located on a farm in the
state of New York. After leaving the
farm he tried several branches of business, after which he took up the study of
medicine and was preparing himself for a professional life when the Civil War
broke out. In the meantime he had taken
up his abode in Texas, but on the opening of hostilities he went north to
Illinois. There in 1861 in answer to
President Lincoln’s call for one hundred thousand volunteers for three years’
service in the suppression of the rebellion, he enlisted and went to the front
as a member of Company E Twenty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was with his command in Missouri,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama and participated in nearly
all the actions in which it was engaged.
At Belmont he was wounded, a ball passing through his hand. At the expiration of three years, he
re-enlisted, becoming a member of the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Illinois
Volunteer Infantry, with which he remained until the close of the war, when he was
honorably discharged.
After the War, Mr. Snowden resided
for some time in Iowa. From there he
removed to Concordia, Kansas, and engaged in the drug business, and was thus
occupied at that place until 1874, the year he came to California. His first location in this state was in Santa
Cruz County, where he opened a drug store.
He remained there, however, only a short time, coming thence to
Auburn. Here he engaged in the drug
business and was very successful. Having
for his motto “Live and let live,” he conducted his store on a liberal basis,
and soon acquired a large trade. From
time to time he made investments in property, acquiring both city and farm
realty. His residence is modern and
attractive, is located on top of a hill, and commands a pleasing view of the
town.
Mr. Snowden has been twice
married. In 1871 he wedded a Mrs. Jackson,
with whom he lived most happily until her death in 1889. She left no children. On the 13th of May, 1891, he
married Miss Bertha E. Meyer, and the following year on the queen’s birthday, a
little daughter was born whom they named Frances Victoria, and who is now the
sunshine of their home.
Mr. Snowden has all his life
harmonized with the Republican Party, not however, being active as a
politician. For a number of years he has
served the town of Auburn as a trustee.
He is identified with the Masonic fraternity.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 475-476. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.