Catherine Erwin Snoddy

An early biography, written by Sid S. Johnson, states: “...Col. T.B. Erwin and Col. L. B. Snoddy blazed the first road to Garden Valley.”
It was near there that Thomas eventually built up a large plantation along Rabbit Creek.
Lewis Bonaparte Snoddy, as well as Thomas, had been in the Georgia militia, and for the rest of their lives both were referred to as “Colonel.” L.B. Snoddy married Thomas’ eldest daughter Catherine about 1849 in Georgia. They had two children; both born in Smith County, Texas. Thomas S. Snoddy was born in 1851, and Sarah Jane Snoddy in 1855.

In the early days many areas of the South were plagued with “Swamp Fever,” later to be known as Typhoid Fever. In the late summer of 1857 there was a deadly outbreak of the disease in Smith County, and L.B. Snoddy and Catherine were both stricken with the disease; Lewis died August 4, 1857, and Catherine was taken a few days later on September 18, 1857. Augustus O. Erwin was appointed administrator of the Snoddy estate, however he died one year later before the estate had been fully execuated. Thomas and Elizabeth were then appointed administrators of the Snoddy estate, as well as legal guardians of their two grandchildren.

Abstracts of the 1857 Smith County, Texas probate records: LEWIS B. SNODDY, Dec’d. Augustus O. Erwin pet. as adm. 9/27/ 1857. Snoddy d. 8/4/1857 leaving widow and two minor children under 14. Appr.: H. Yarborough, W.E. Garrett: sep. 11 slaves $5700, com. 320 acres Horatio Nelson Sur. $1600, 5 mules $575, 36 cattle $288, 94 hogs $ 416.(And then about a month later) CATHERINE C. SNODDY, dec’d. A. O. Erwin appt. adm. 10/26/1857. Appr.: H. Yarborough, W.E. Garrett. Inv.: sep. 2 slaves, $2500, horse $125, furniture $100 Although the dates and causes are not known, both grandchildren are presumed to have died before 1865.

The 1860 Smith County Census show Thomas S. and Sarah Jane Snoddy living with T.B and Elizabeth .