Saturday, June 24, 2017

Robert Bogardus Snowden


ROBERT BOGARDUS SNOWDEN, financier, Memphis, Tenn., son of John Bayard Snowden, one of the early settlers and the leading dry goods merchant of Nashville, was born in New York city, May 24, 1836, at the home of his grandfather, Gen. Robert Bogardus. He is a descendant of Everardus Bogardus, the Dominie, who married Anneke Jans, and, through his grandmother, Susan Bayard Breese, is of the kin of Judge Sidney Breese, of Illinois Admiral Breese of the Navy, and Samuel Finley Breese Morse, inventor of the telegraph. The subject of this sketch graduated from a Western military institute in 1855, and engaged in the wholesale grocery business in New Orleans with the firm of Dyas & Co. In 1856, he joined the local vigilance committee, and took part in the scrimmage with the “thugs” at Jackson square. In 1858, Mr. Snowden went into business in Nashville, under the name of R. B. Snowden & Co., and, in 1861, was commissioned Adjutant of the 1st Tenn. Vols., and served with distinction until the end of the Civil War. After service in Virginia, he went through the Kentucky campaign as Adjutant General on Gen. Bushrod R. Johnson's staff, and, in the battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn., won promotion to the command of the 25th Tenn., as Lieutenant Colonel, by desperate, gallant and persistent fighting, this being followed with promotion to the rank of Colonel and being one of the few occasions in which a staff officer was advanced over officers of the line. After further active and gallant services in Tennessee and Virginia, during which he often commanded his brigade, Colonel Snowden was surrendered with Lee at Appomattox. After the War, he engaged in business in New York city as an importer, under the style of Snowden & Riva. In 1870, he removed to Memphis, and has since been occupied with land, real estate, banking, turnpike, insurance, street railroad and other enterprises. He is president of The George Peabody Real Estate & Improvement Co. Colonel Snowden commanded the Interstate encampment in Memphis in May, 1895, and was made a Major General of militia. In 1868, he married Miss Annie Overton, daughter of Robert C. Brinkley and granddaughter of John Overton, the original proprietor and founder of Memphis.

SOURCE: Henry Hall, Editor, America's Successful Men of Affairs: The United States at Large, Volume 2, p. 736-7

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