SNELSON, James W., b 1834; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/snelsonjw.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 11, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- James W. Snelson In the life of James W. Snelson, of Delta county, who owns and operates an excellent little farm of eighteen acres located seven miles from Delta at the village of Cory, there have been many reverses and difficulties, but he has risen superior to them all and attained to substantial comfort in a worldly way and secured a firm hold on the regard and good will of his fellow men. He was born in eastern Tennessee on June 13, 1834, and is the son of Thomas and Cynthia (Parker) Snelson, the father a native of Tennessee and the mother of Kentucky. The parents were farmers and moved to Arkansas when their son James was a small boy. There they continued their farming operations on land which they bought, until the death of the father, the mother also dying in Arkansas in 1863. The son James aided his mother in managing the home farm after the death of the father, remaining with her until 1859. He then began farming for himself in Arkansas, where he remained so occupied until 1884, when he came to Colorado and settled where he now lives, buying a claim which another man had already located. This comprised one hundred and sixty acres and he at once went to work to improve it and make it habitable and productive. Among the first things he did was to plant a number of choice fruit trees to start an orchard, intending to add to the acreage so set aside as time passed. The grasshoppers destroyed his trees then and also those of several subsequent plantings, but in spite of this disaster he now has an orchard of six acres which is in good order and yields abundant harvests, the average annual revenue for several years being three hundred dollars. At first he devoted the greater part of the ranch to alfalfa, and for a number of years was extensively engaged in raising hay and general farm products. But from time to time he has sold portions of his land until he now has only eighteen acres, which is all he cares to farm and makes him a comfortable home and profitable occupation. The post office of Cory is on land that originally belonged to his place and there are many village homes on the tract. His sales have been in small parcels and the prices received have been good, averaging fifty dollars an acre. In 1890 he bought a tract of one hundred and forty acres nearer the river, which he sold at a good profit after improving it with a comfortable dwelling and other suitable buildings. Since settling in this neighborhood Mr. Snelson has had considerable sickness in his family, loss of stock and other adversities, but he has prospered and kept abreast with the times, getting his little place into excellent condition and prudently investing the fruits of his labor for future use. On October 10, 1859, he was married to Miss Margaret Black, a native of North Carolina, and the daughter of Jesse R. and Elizabeth (Burlson) Black, natives and farmers of that state who moved to Arkansas in 1849, and there passed the remainder of their days, the father dying in June and the mother in July, 1862. Five of their twelve children are living. Mr. and Mrs. Snelson have had thirteen children, Thomas R., George W., John F., Mary E., James J., Cynthia A., William W., Olive O., Columbus A., Hulda A., Leonidas J., Walcie E. and Eli N. Nine of them are living. Mr. Snelson was a soldier in the Civil war, followed the fortunes of his section to the field and serving three years in the Confederate army. He enlisted in 1861 in Company A, of Shaler's Arkansas regiment, and served to near the close of 1864. During this time he passed one month in the hospital. Fraternally he is a Freemason and politically a Socialist. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.