Famous Natives and
Residents of Snow Hill
The Town of Snow
Hill has to its credit several well-known natives and residents that
made life-time contributions that won them a place in recorded
history.
Probably the most
famous was William Julius Johnson - aka "Judy" Johnson, who was the
first African American to be admitted to Baseball's Hall of Fame.
Though Johnson did
not remain in Snow Hill, he was born in the area and members of his
family still reside in Snow Hill and Worcester County.
Read more about Judy Johnson.
Other Famous Natives and
Residents of Snow Hill
Francis Makemie:
(1658 - 1708) Born in County
Donegal, Ireland, became a clergyman and considered to be the
founder of Presbyterianism in America. He was ordained in
Scotland in 1682 and sent as a missionary to America arriving in
Maryland in 1683. Makemie founded the first Presbyterian
community in the Town of Snow Hill. The Makemie Memorial
Presbyterian Church in Snow Hill, rests on the site of the original
communities worship area. Makemie also built a church in
Rehobeth, MD (Somerset County) which still stands today as the
oldest Presbyterian Church in America. Makemie eventually went
to the Eastern Shore of Virginia and founded a community there,
where he died in 1708.
Ephraim King Wilson:
(1771 - 1834)
Congressional Representative for the State of Maryland, he was born
near Snow Hill on September 15, 1771. Graduated from Princeton
College in 1790, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1792.
He opened a practice in Snow Hill and was elected to the Twentieth
Congress and reelected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-first Congress.
He resumed his law practice in Snow Hill after a failed nomination
to the Twenty-second Congress and continued his practice until his
death in Snow Hill on January 2, 1834. He is buried in the
churchyard of Makemie Memorial Presbyterian Church. (He was
also the father of Ephraim King Wilson II)
John Rankin Franklin:
(1820- 1878) Congressional
Representative for the State of Maryland . Born in Worcester
County, graduated from Jefferson College in 1836. He then
studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1841 and opened practice in
Snow Hill, Md. he was a member of the State house of delegates
1840-1843, and served as speaker one term, then was president of the
State board of public works in 1851. He was elected as a Whig
to the Thirty-third Congress (March 4, 1853-March 3, 1855); again a
member of the State house of delegates in 1859. Franklin was a
judge of the first judicial circuit of Maryland from 1867 until his
death in Snow Hill on January 11, 1878. He is buried in the
churchyard of Makemie Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Ephraim King Wilson II:
(1821 - 1891) Son of Ephraim
King Wilson I. He was a Congressional Representative and a
Senator from Maryland. Born in Snow Hill on December 22, 1821,
he attended Union Academy at Snow Hill and Washington Academy in
Princess Anne, MD. He graduated from Jefferson College in 1840
and taught school for six years. He studied law and was
admitted to the bar in 1848 and began a practice in Snow Hill.
He was a member of the State house of delegates in 1847 and
presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1852. Because
of ill health he abandoned his law practice in 1867 and retired to
his farm. In 1868 he was the examiner and treasurer of the school
board of Worcester County and was elected as a Democrat to the
Forty-third Congress in 1873. He declined to be a candidate
for re-nomination in 1874. He was a judge of the first
judicial circuit of Maryland from 1878-1884 and elected as a
Democrat in 1884 to the United States Senate serving from
March 4, 1885 until his death in February 24, 1891. He was also the
adoptive father of future Governor of Maryland, John Walter Smith.
He is buried in the churchyard of Makemie Presbyterian Church in
Snow Hill.
George W. Purnell:
(1841 - 1899) Lawyer
and soldier of the Civil War, Purnell left his class at Princeton
University at age 20 when the Civil War broke out. He joined
the Confederate Army and was quickly promoted to Adjutant under
General Lee. He fought with the South for 3 years until he was
taken prisoner. After Lee's surrender, Purnell refused to take
the oath of allegiance to the Union and was held a prisoner until
June of 1865 when he was released by pardon. Returning to his
native home in Snow Hill after the war, Purnell became a lawyer of
note. He died in May of 1899 at the age of 58 years and
is buried in the churchyard of All Hallow's Episcopal Church in Snow
Hill.
Julia A. Purnell:
(1843-1943) Born in Snow Hill as
Julia Anne Lecompte, Julia Purnell married a storekeeper and had two
sons. At 85 years of age she took a fall and became confined to a
wheelchair. It was during her confinement that she began
creating needlework pictures of Snow Hill and Worcester County
historical buildings. She became well-known both locally and
nationally for her fine craftsmanship in needlework. In 1942
Julia and her son, William founded the Julia A. Purnell Museum in
Snow Hill, which housed many of Julia's needlework pieces, the tools
she used and bits of memorabilia she had collected throughout her
life. She died in 1943 two months after her 100th birthday.
Her son William continued her legacy by advancing the museum, which
thrives today as the Julia A. Purnell Museum. It is located on
Market Street in Snow Hill and houses artifacts that interpret the
history of the town from early civilization to the present day.
Governor John Walter Smith:
(1845 - 1925) Congressional
Representative and Senator from Maryland, he was born in Snow Hill
February 5 1845 and was the adoptive son of
Ephraim King Wilson II - also of Snow Hill. Governor Smith attended private schools and the Union
Academy in Snow Hill. Later he engaged in the lumber business
in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. John Walter Smith
was the president of the First National Bank of Snow Hill and
director in many business and financial institutions. He was
elected to the State senate in 1889, 1893, and 1897. He served
as president in 1894 and was then elected as a Democrat to the
Fifty-six Congress serving from March 4, 1899 until his resignation
on January 12, 1900 when he was elected and served one term as
Governor of the State of Maryland. He served as a Democrat to
the United States Senate from 1908 to 1921. Governor Smith was
a shrewd businessman and wealthy landowner with several farms
throughout the Eastern Shore. He built a stately home on
Church Street in Snow Hill - now often referred to as "The
Governor's Mansion". Governor Smith retired to private life
and died on April 19, 1925. He is buried in the churchyard of
Makemie Presbyterian Church in Snow Hill.
|
