James Ross Snowden

Snowden was born December 9, 1809, in Chester, Pennsylvania, to the Rev. Nathaniel Randolph Snowden and Sarah (Gustine). He was educated at Dickinson College, received a Master of Arts degree from Jefferson College in 1845 and an honorary doctor of law degree from Washington and Jefferson College in 1875. He studied law, settled in Franklin, Pennsylvania, and joined the Venango County Bar in 1828.

He was made deputy attorney general and was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for Venango and Clarion counties from 1838 to 1843 and for Venango, Jefferson and Clarion counties in 1844.{{cite web |title=James Ross Snowden |url=https://archives.house.state.pa.us/people/member-biography?ID=8432&body=H |website=www.archives.house.state.pa.us |publisher=Archives Pennsylvania House of Representatives |access-date=25 August 2022}} He served as speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1842 and again in 1844.{{cite web |title=View All Speakers |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/SpeakerBios/ViewAll.cfm |website=www.legis.state.pa.us |publisher=Pennsylvania House of Representatives |access-date=26 August 2022}}{{Cite DAB |last=Jackson |first=Joseph |title=Snowden, James Ross|year=1935}} As speaker, he signed legislation regarding state debt, regulation of insurance companies, setting election districts and establishing funding for the education of the poor. He was state treasurer from 1845 until 1847,{{Appletons'|wstitle=Snowden, James Ross|year=1889|inline=1}} and was also elected colonel in the state militia.

Snowden developed an interest in numismatics during his work at the United States Mint, and became a noted numismatist of his day. He contributed to such publications as Bouvier's Law Dictionary, as well as publishing several numismatic books of his own.{{cite book |last1=Blanchard |first1=Charles |title=The Progressive Men of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |date=1900 |publisher=A.W. Bowen & Co. |location=Logansport, Indiana |pages=587–589 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-lZKAAAAYAAJ |access-date=25 August 2022}} During his tenure as Mint director, he was noted for producing restrikes of older United States coins including the 1840s-1850s half cents, 1827 quarter, 1856 Flying Eagle cent and Gobrecht dollars of 1836-39, which he sold to collectors to finance the Mint's collection.{{cite journal |last1=Julian |first1=R. W. |title=James Ross Snowden and the Mint Collection |journal=Numismatic News |date=March 1, 2022 |volume=71 |issue=6 |pages=20–24}} He also oversaw the reconstruction of the Mint building and added fireproofing.{{cite book |last1=Nevin |first1=Alfred |title=Centennial Biography - Men of Mark of Cumberland Valley, PA. 1776-1876 |date=1876 |publisher=Fulton Publishing Company |location=Philadelphia |pages=356–358 |isbn=9780608336534 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MBcVAAAAYAAJ |access-date=25 August 2022}}

In 1850, he returned to the practice of law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and worked as a solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.{{cite book |last1=Failor |first1=Kenneth M. |last2=Hayden |first2=Eloenora |title=Medals of the United States Mint |date=1972 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |pages=140–141 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UQc0RImO3iUC |access-date=25 August 2022}}

In 1861, he became prothonotary of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

During the American Civil War, Snowden served as lieutenant colonel for the Philadelphia First Regiment of Home Guards but never saw active duty.

He died on March 21, 1878, in Hulmeville, Pennsylvania and was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=House Speaker Biographies - James Ross Snowden |url=https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/SpeakerBios/SpeakerBio.cfm?id=126 |website=www.legis.state.pa.us |publisher=Pennsylvania House of Representatives |access-date=25 August 2022}}

He married Susan Engle Patterson in 1848{{cite book |title=Memorial Biographies of the New England Historic Genealogical Society |date=1907 |publisher=New England Historic Genealogical Society |location=Boston |page=281 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJd4AAAAMAAJ |access-date=25 August 2022}} and together they had five children. His great-grandfather, Nathanael Fitz Randolph, served in the American Revolutionary War, known as "Fighting Nat," and was presented with a sword by the legislature of New Jersey. He also started the first subscription paper for Princeton College, and gave the ground upon which Nassau Hall, the first edifice of that college, was built. His father was curator of Dickinson College from 1794 until 1827. His nephew A. Loudon Snowden became superintendent of the Philadelphia office of the United States Mint.

• [https://www.google.com/books/edition/A%20Measure%20Proposed%20to%20Secure%20to%20the%20Peop/H2VBAAAAYAAJ A Measure Proposed to Secure to the People a Safe Treasury and a Sound Currency], Benjamin F. Mifflin, Philadelphia, 1857
• [https://www.google.com/books/edition/A%20Description%20of%20Ancient%20and%20Modern%20Coin/12gCAAAAYAAJ A Description of Ancient and Modern Coins in the Cabinet Collection at the Mint of the United States], J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1860
• [https://www.google.com/books/edition/A%20Description%20of%20the%20Medals%20of%20Washingto/DOkWAAAAYAAJ A Description of the Medals of Washington; of National and Miscellaneous Medals; and of Other Objects of Interest in the Museum of the Mint.], J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1861
• The Mint at Philadelphia (1861)
• [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The%20Coins%20of%20the%20Bible%20and%20Its%20Money%20Ter/anc9AAAAYAAJ The Coins of the Bible, and its Money Terms.], Presbyterian Board of Publication, Philadelphia, 1864
• [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The%20Cornplanter%20Memorial/EoKv3juT7okC The Cornplanter Memorial. An Historical Sketch of Gy-ant-wa-chia - the Cornplanter, and of the Six Nations of Indians.], Singerly & Myers, Harrisburg, 1867

He contributed articles on the coin of the United States to the National Almanac of 1873.

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Category:1809 births

Category:1878 deaths

Category:19th-century American male writers

Category:American numismatists

Category:Burials at Laurel Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia)

Category:Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Category:Dickinson College alumni

Category:Directors of the United States Mint

Category:Lincoln administration personnel

Category:Pennsylvania lawyers

Category:Pennsylvania prothonotaries

Category:Politicians from Chester, Pennsylvania

Category:Pierce administration personnel

Category:Speakers of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Category:State treasurers of Pennsylvania

Category:Washington & Jefferson College alumni

Category:19th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly