Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-06

Biographical sketch From =
North CarOlina Paper.

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all parts Of Tennessee, and wherever
this popular and gifted man is known:
Among all the Carolina men Who
have become distinguished in other
States, there is not one more deserving
Of mention than Judge Jno. l.. 7,
Sneed, new living near Memphis,
Tenn. A prominent Tennesseean says
Of him that there is no Office Of honor
in the gift Of the State of Tennessee
which he cannot have for the asking"
He was born in Raleigh, N. O., Nay
IL, 1922, in the house Of his grand.
father, Hon. John Louis Taylor, at
one time Chief Justice OF North CIR.
olina, after whom Judge Sneed is
named. He is descended from noble
stock, such names as Hon. Matthew
Rowan and Judge CASTOR appearing
among those OF his maternal conneo
tons. His fathers ancestors came
from Derbyshire, England, frs,
settled in Virginia and o after
removed to Granville county, N. O.,
where they we're highly esteemed as
excellent citizens and prosperous bust
ness men. Major Junius Sneed, the
father Of the subject Of our sketch,
wa for a long time Cashier Of the
State Bank of Salisbury. Judge
Sneed's mother died when be was
quite a child, and he was taken in
charge and educated by kis uncle, the
late Stephen X. Sneed, then living 10
Granville county, N. O., but who soon
afterwards removed to West Tennes.
see. Here young Sneed, after receiv-
ing an academic education, began the
study OF law in the office of Hon. v. D.
Barry. In 1913 he settled in Mem
phis for the practice Of his profession,
and two years later he was elected to
the General Assembly Of Tennessee
by the people OF Shelby county. In
1861 he was a Captain Of Volun
teers 10 the Mexican war, and served
with distinction. Immediately after
the close Of the war he was Adarried to
Miss Mary Ashe Shepherd, formerly
Of Orange county, N. Ca daughter
OF Col. William Shepherd, and grand.
niece of the late Judge John Hay
wood. Mrs Sneed is related to the
Ashes Of North Oirolina, In 1851
Judge Sneed was elected BY the Legis.
lature Attorney General Of the Mem.
phis Judicial district, which he re
signed three years later to become A
candidate for the position of Attorney
General Of the State Of Tennessee, to
which office be was elected by q large
majority. The five volumes Of Sneed's
Reports attest the fact that he held
the office for five years. We next
mad him a candidate for Congress or
the Wing ticket, but it was q futile
racc from the start, for the Demoeratic
party was overwhelmingly in che ma.
j0rity in his district He made a good
run, however aud though beaten. his
opponents majority was comparatively
quite small. When the war came on
he wa found right where he belonged
-on the Southern side. He was aps
pointed with Cheatham, Zollicofer
and others a Brigadier General Of the
Provisional Army Of Tennessee, and
organized a splendid brigade; but
Notwithstanding that the Governor.
members Of the General Assembly Of
Tennessee, and officers Of the brigade.
made It Q personal request Of Presi,
dent Davis to continue him in the
command, he was not given a com,
mission.
Nothing daunted, and determined
TO serve his country regardless Of favo-
rlteism or neglect. be entered General
Johnston's army as a private, aud was
with him near Yicksburg when he was
contemplating tins rescue Of Pember-
tons army, then besieged by Grant.
when he received a dispatch summon.
ing him to Georgia, having been ap
pointed by Governor Harris a commi.-
sloner to settle the affairs Of Tennessee
with the Oonfederacy, and also 10 set
tie the accounts OF the Paymaster
General and Quartermaster General
o. tho Provisional Army Of Tennessee.
lie was engaged 10 this work when
the war closed, and be then went hack
TO Memphis and began AGAIN the prae.
tice Of law. His people, however, had
tried him and finding him faithful
they were not willing that he
should remain a priyate either, for the
records show that in 1870 he was
again elected 10 Office and this time IN
the high and honorable one Of Judge
Of the supreme Court, a position
which he held eight years. He after~
ward accepted the position Of Judge
OF the Court Of Arbitration te5-
dered him by Governor Marks. This
was a'oourt erected to aid the Su-
preme Court in working of It's inn
mense docket In 1880 he was made
eIector for the State at large on the
Hancock ticket, and last year he was
elected a Vice President Of the Amer
iean Bar Association at SARATOGA In
1858 he was appointed one of the
judges Of the Court Of Referees
tribunal created for the same purpose
as the Court Of Arbitration. This
position ne now holds, with his seat Of
Judgment at Knoxville
IL will be seen that judge Spced
was the recipient Of almost confirm.
Gus honors at the hands Of his neonlo
and yet, strange to say. he uever ve,
sought political advancement. In bis
case It is literally true that the Office
sought the man, and not the man the
once. de is q very attractive and Of
iectlve speaker, and can sway crowd
ss the Whirlwlnd does a feather. All,
large, portly, handsome man, he has
distinguished appearance. and would
be readily marked 10 a crowd. ia Il
one Of the jolliest and ~oleverest man
socially; can tell yarn most egectivaiv
and has the largest and best a%ssort.
ment OF them OF any man in Tennessee
or North Carolina either. exoent
Senator "Zeb" He Is deservedIv
popular with ali classes. Perbsna ~
most beautiful feature Of the JpdSe's
character is his devotins 10 home
ties, He has no chi .en, but not.
w~lthstandlng that fact he claims N
nave the happiest home in TENNESSEE
The writer once had the pleasure Of
reading a letter the Judge had writ
zen, IN which he had occasion 10 refer
70 ms wife: The sentiment expressed
ls SO beautiful aud touching that / feel
that l must give il to the readers Of
your paper as an example Of liietime
love seldom seen in this day Of selfish