Edgar Snowden

Edgar Snowden Sr. (December 21, 1810 – September 24, 1875) was a Virginia politician who served as mayor of Alexandria D.C.[1] and represented Alexandria in the Virginia House of Delegates.[2]

Edgar Snowden
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Alexandria
In office
1846–1853
Mayor of Alexandria, D.C.
In office
1840-1843
Preceded byBernard Hooe, Jr.
Succeeded byRobert G. Violett
Personal details
BornDecember 21, 1810
DiedSeptember 24, 1875 (aged 64)
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
OccupationLawyer, publisher, politician

Early life and family

Edgar Snowden was born on December 21, 1810. Snowden attended law school and briefly worked as an attorney.[3] He married Louisa Grymes (1814 –1897) and they had eleven children, including Edgar Snowden Jr., a member of the Virginia Senate.[4][5][6]

Political career

Snowden was active in local politics in Alexandria, and served on the city's Common Council for five years. From 1840 to 1843, Snowden served as mayor of Alexandria.[7][8] During his time as mayor, he advocated for the retrocession of Alexandria to Virginia, which was approved in 1846.[9]

After the retrocession of the City of Alexandria and Alexandria County back to Virginia, Snowden served several terms as Alexandria's representative in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1846 to 1853. In 1850, Snowden was elected to serve as a representative to the Virginia Constitutional Convention.

Snowden was pro-slavery and threatened abolitionist publishers William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan with lynching should they visit Alexandria.[10][7]

In 1853, Snowden was the Whig party nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia's 7th congressional district, but was defeated by William "Extra-Billy" Smith.

In 1857, Snowden ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Virginia against incumbent Extra-Billy Smith.[11]

Publisher

After his father's Samuel Snowden's death, Snowden took over the role of publisher and editor of his newspaper, the Alexandria Gazette.[12][3] The newspaper served as the dominant newspaper in Alexandria during the period, and advanced the views of the Whig Party.[11] In addition to printing the Gazette, Snowden ran a printing office business.[13]

During the American Civil War, Snowden used his periodical, The Local News, to promote the cause of the Confederacy. As such, his newspaper became a target for attacks during the war.[14] His printing plant was seized by Union officers, property was demolished and looted, and the building was destroyed in a fire and later rebuilt. In 1864, Snowden was arrested by military authorities and detained for a brief period.[2][15]

Snowden's other business holdings included the Fauquier and Alexandria Turnpike Company and the Alexandria Canal.[16][17]

Death

Snowden died on September 24, 1875, at the age of 64.[18] He is buried at the Trinity United Methodist Church cemetery in Alexandria.

References
  1. The Reference Book of the United States. Blair and Rives, printers. 1841.
  2. "The Local News (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  3. Voges, Nettie Allen (1975). Old Alexandria: Where America's Past is Present. EPM Publications. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-914440-10-9.
  4. "Death of Mrs. Snowden". The Alexandria Gazette. April 26, 1897. p. 3.
  5. 1870 United States Federal Census
  6. Senate, Virginia General Assembly (November 16, 1870). "Journal of the Senate of Virginia". Commonwealth of Virginia – via Google Books.
  7. Finkelman, Paul; Kennon, Donald R. (May 3, 2011). In the Shadow of Freedom: The Politics of Slavery in the National Capital. Ohio University Press. ISBN 978-0-8214-1934-2.
  8. "Mayors and Postmasters of Alexandria, Virginia". Political Graveyard. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  9. "Cities of Virginia: Alexandria". Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  10. Morley, Jefferson (2012). Snow-storm in August : Washington City, Francis Scott Key, and the forgotten race riot of 1835 (1st ed.). New York: Nan A. Talese/Doubleday. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-385-53337-9. OCLC 757466911.
  11. "Alexandria Gazette". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  12. "US Newspaper Directory". Chronicling America. Washington DC: Library of Congress. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  13. "Collection: Alexandria Gazette Ledgers (MS026) | Alexandria Library". alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  14. "Snowden, Edgar, 1810-1875". snaccooperative.org. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  15. Dennis, Brady (April 7, 2011). "The federal occupation of Alexandria in the Civil War changed and spared city". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  16. "Company Papers". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  17. "Fauquier and Alexandria Turnpike Company records, 1812-1860". researchworks.oclc.org. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  18. "Edgar Snowden, Sr". npg.si.edu. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
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