Family Histories of Coleman
County, Texas
THE ROBERT L. SNODGRASS FAMILY
by Jim Snodgrass
From
A History of Coleman County and Its People, 1985
edited
by Judia and Ralph Terry, and Vena Bob Gates - used by permission
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elisha Snodgrass, Robert Lee’s father, was born in Sparta, Tennessee,
September 23, 1853, the second son born to Walter Johnson Snodgrass and
Patience Florilla Cameron. Elisha married Mary Elizabeth Bradley,
March 11, 1875, and in about 1895 they moved to Coleman County and brought
six children with them. Elisha purchased a 230-acre farm located
on Hords Creek and situated about four miles east of Coleman. He
worked the farm there until he died May 1, 1919. His widow, Mary
Elizabeth, continued to live on the family farm until she passed away December
13, 1926, both buried in Coleman. Robert Lee Snodgrass was the oldest
of the six children. He worked on the farm until he married Mary
Lee McCutchon, the daughter of Augustus Harry McCutchon and Josephine Forsyth,
December 4, 1904. “Bob” was a pretty fair country fiddler and Mary
Lee accompanied him on the piano in the early days before the arrival of
children. They experienced a lot of lean years during their marriage;
however, they managed to put eight children through Coleman High School
and one grandson. Robert Snodgrass died March 14, 1963, Mary Lee,
June 8, 1974, both buried in Coleman.
A brief biography of the Snodgrass children follows:
(1) Ruby May, born January 20, 1906, graduated from Coleman
High School in 1925, attended a business college in Houston, worked as
a stenographer/secretary for several years in San Angelo, where she met
and married Surce J. Taylor, April 8, 1939. They had one son, Robert
Noel, born in Midland. Ruby died February 10, 1976 (and in accordance
with her request to be buried in west Texas under a mesquite tree), was
buried in Coleman.
(2) Robert Augustus (Gus), December 22, 1906, graduated from Coleman
High School in 1927 where he excelled as a football player and as a sprinter.
On the basis of his athletic ability, Gus received a scholarship to Daniel
Baker College, Brownwood. He graduated from Daniel Baker in 1932,
entered the coaching field, obtained a Master’s Degree from Hardin Simmons
University, and after a long and successful coaching career he retired
in 1971. He married Louise Sullivan in 1937 and they had one daughter,
Linda Louise. Louise Snodgrass died January 1, 1971. Gus married
second Sylvia Richey in Brownwood in 1972. He was inducted into the
Texas High School Coaches’ Association Hall of Honor in July, 1983, in
recognition of his successful seasons as the track coach at Brownwood High
School. He and his wife reside in Brownwood.
(3) Mary Elizabeth, March 27, 1907, graduated from Coleman High School
in 1927, married Theodore Willard Pratt, September 3, 1927. A son,
Robert Daniel, was born August 14, 1928. The marriage was not successful
and Elizabeth entered training to be a nurse at Shannon West Texas Memorial
Hospital in 1928 and received her R.N. Degree in 1931. She married
second Cecil Landers in San Angelo about 1951. Elizabeth retired
from nursing in 1971 and died February 12, 1980, buried in Coleman.
(4) Nelle Jane, August 10, 1910, graduated from Coleman High School
in 1929, received an R.N. Degree from Shannon Memorial Hospital in 1932.
She married James Bryan Davidson in 1935 and they had one son, James Bryan,
Jr. Nelle worked as a nurse and an anesthetist in San Angelo until
she passed away August 17, 1947, buried in San Angelo.
(5) Joseph (Jack) Elisha, October 4, 1912, graduated from Coleman High
School in 1931. Jack was an excellent athlete and received a full
athletic scholarship from Daniel Baker College, Brownwood. While
attending Daniel Baker he was selected one year as the “best athlete” in
Daniel Baker and in his senior year he was the “highest scoring” halfback
in the Texas Conference. He graduated from Daniel Baker in 1935 and entered
the teaching/coaching profession. Jack died with cancer, October
23, 1941, just a few days after reaching the age of 29, buried in Coleman.
(6) Flora Isabel, August 8, 1914, graduated from Coleman High School
in 1932 and won recognition as an outstanding girl athlete. She married
F. H. Hunt on Christmas Day, 1937, but after many years the marriage was
dissolved. Flo worked many years as a clerk/secretary in Corpus Christi.
She married second Jim Crook and after he died she moved to San Angelo
and worked at the Shannon Memorial Hospital until retirement in 1979.
She still lives in San Angelo.
(7) James (Jim) Pope, August 15, 1916, went to school at Bowen, Lone
Star, South Ward and Coleman High School. He lettered in football,
basketball and track. After graduation he was given a scholarship
to Daniel Baker College and graduated with a B.S. Degree in 1939.
Jim entered the coaching/teaching field at Olden, in 1939, switched to
the Texas Highway Patrol in 1941, then enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Private,
retired from the United States Air Force in 1966 in the grade of Lieutenant
Colonel, served as City Manager in Coleman for five years (1966-1971),
City Manger of Yoakum for five years, returned to Coleman in 1976.
He married Charlene Butler in Olden, December 18, 1942, and they raised
three sons, Jack Dennis, James Butler, and Robert David. They reside
in Coleman.
(8) McCutchon, was the eighth to graduate from Coleman High School.
Mac lettered in football and track and was the fourth Snodgrass to attend
Daniel Baker College on an athletic scholarship. World War II interrupted
his college education but after a tour in the United States Marine Corps
where he attained the rank of Major, Mac returned to school at Southwestern
University, Georgetown, and graduated with a B.A. Degree. He also
obtained a Master’s Degree from Hardin Simmons University. Mac has
been a teacher and administrator in the San Angelo schools for the past
34 years. He and Sybil Durham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Durham,
were married in Coleman August 31, 1947 (see Christian-Walker-Rich).
They have two daughters: Carolee Britton of Shreveport, Louisiana and Nancy
Jim of San Angelo. Blair Britton is their only grandchild at present.
In addition to Robert Lee, Elisha and Mary Elizabeth Snodgrass brought
four other children (all born in Sparta, Tennessee) to Coleman County in
1895. They were as follows:
(1) Sarah Avo, February 28, 1879, married Noah Alexander Ratcliff
in Coleman, September 26, 1909. Her family moved to Tyler, where
they raised five children. She died many years ago and is buried
near Whitehouse.
(2) Elizabeth Ann, January 13, 1888, married Robert McDaniel Moneyhun
in Coleman, March 19, 1911. They raised three children: Donald Aston,
Lois (see Jonathan R. West) and Robert McDaniel III (see Fred Sackett).
(3) Florilla Pearl, April 13, 1891, married Will Gordon, April 15, 1917,
and he passed away October 3, 1917, less than six months after they were
married. There were no children and Flo Gordon never remarried (see
Gordon family). She was killed in a freak automobile accident in
Whitehouse, June 21, 1965, while visiting with her sister Avo’s children.
Flo is buried in Coleman.
(4) David Newton, February 19, 1893, married Josie Vesti Moneyhun in
Coleman, October 3, 1916. “Dave” lived on the Snodgrass farm until
about 1932 and then moved to Odessa where the climate was better for his
asthma. Their three children, Grace Vesti, Elisha, and Peggy Marie,
moved with them and still live in west Texas. Both Dave and Josie
have expired and are buried in Odessa.
One of Elisha’s brothers, David Crockett Snodgrass, also moved to Coleman
in the late 1890’s. He and his wife, Sarah A. Gilliland, settled
in the Glen Cove area. They had six children: William M., Walter
J., Elisha N., Elmira, Henry Clay and George, who died at a very young
age. David Crockett and Sarah are buried at Glen Cove as are Henry
Clay and his wife, Eliza E. (Perry).
(Images to be added)
Robert L. and Mary Lee (McCutchon) Snodgrass
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