Post by Eric Standridge on Oct 31, 2011 11:28:38 GMT -6
Andrew J. Snelson received his early education in the country schools of his native state, and at the age of eighteen began to teach school in Johnson county. He thus continued in the same county from 1880 to the fall of 1897, when he matriculated in the medical department of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. For some time he had been a close medical student, in the midst of his labors as a teacher, so that he was well qualified to begin the practice of medicine when he moved to Wister, Choctaw nation, before the end of 1897. But he did not engage in active professional work until 1899, and after practicing three years at Wister located at Oktaha, Oklahoma, then Indian Territory, where he remained until 1908.
While residing at Oktaha Dr. Snelson was elected by the Democracy of Muskogee county to the first legislature of the state of Oklahoma, being one of the most prominent members of the lower house during the session of 1907-8. The legislature formally convened on the 2nd of December, 1907, and the Doctor served energetically and efficiently as chairman of the committee on Manufactures and Commerce, and as a member of the committees on Charities and Corrections Pharmacy and House Expense and Accounts and of Investigations of the Judicial and Executive Departments of the state government. He was soon recognized as an aggressive, independent and brave member who liked nothing better than to come out into the open of debate, strike from the shoulder and engage in a lively, warm and manly contest. Notwithstanding his enthusiasm and force of argument several of the important bills which he introduced and advocated were blocked from passage—measures which were demanded by the public and became a law at the second session of the legislature. The Doctor voted for the prohibition bill as it stands, but supported it as a compromise, being then as now a firm believer in local option.
The Doctor's noteworthy service in Oklahoma's first legislature was not his first experience in public and official life. While still living in Arkansas he served as surveyor of Johnson county four years or two terms, being elected by the people. He was the first mayor of Wister, Oklahoma, in 1900, and in 1905 was at the head of the local government of Oktaha, Oklahoma. He located at Cheeotah in 1908, and since his return from the legislature has been actively engaged in professional practice. He takes an active part in school and church affairs, and is widely known as an enthusiastic fraternalist. He is a member of the Cheeotah lodge of Odd Fellows and of the encampment at 'Muskogee; belongs to the Knights of Pythias and is identified with the Cheeotah lodge of Masons No. 86 and also with the Royal Arch chapter. Both he and his family are members of the Presbyterian church, of which the Doctor is an elder and a trustee.
On February 25, 1885, Dr. A. J. Snelson and Miss Frankie Laster were united in matrimony at Harmony in Johnson county, Arkansas. Mrs. Snelson is a daughter of Robert F. and Margarette B. (Hyten) Laster. Her father was a farmer, and moved to Arkansas in the forties. He also joined the Confederate army at the beginning of the Civil war and was selected as first lieutenant, which place he filled with honor until his death, which occurred at the battle of Camden, Arkansas, while at the head of his command leading a charge. A very strange coincidence was that the Doctor's father and Mrs. Snelson's father were both killed in the same battle, but of this fact they knew nothing until after their marriage in 1885.
The two children born to Robert F. Laster and his wife were Laura A., who became the wife of Dr. J. M. McPherson. of Sasakwa. Oklahoma, and Frankie, Mrs. Snelson. Mrs. Laster married William Jones for her second husband, and their daughter Zora is now the wife of James Gains, of Oklahoma. To the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. Snelson nine children have been born, as follows: Arthur, deceased; A. L., a bookkeeper in a Checotah store; Robert M., Grover M., Fay, Lawrence, R, Page, Charley and Andrew P. Snelson.
While residing at Oktaha Dr. Snelson was elected by the Democracy of Muskogee county to the first legislature of the state of Oklahoma, being one of the most prominent members of the lower house during the session of 1907-8. The legislature formally convened on the 2nd of December, 1907, and the Doctor served energetically and efficiently as chairman of the committee on Manufactures and Commerce, and as a member of the committees on Charities and Corrections Pharmacy and House Expense and Accounts and of Investigations of the Judicial and Executive Departments of the state government. He was soon recognized as an aggressive, independent and brave member who liked nothing better than to come out into the open of debate, strike from the shoulder and engage in a lively, warm and manly contest. Notwithstanding his enthusiasm and force of argument several of the important bills which he introduced and advocated were blocked from passage—measures which were demanded by the public and became a law at the second session of the legislature. The Doctor voted for the prohibition bill as it stands, but supported it as a compromise, being then as now a firm believer in local option.
The Doctor's noteworthy service in Oklahoma's first legislature was not his first experience in public and official life. While still living in Arkansas he served as surveyor of Johnson county four years or two terms, being elected by the people. He was the first mayor of Wister, Oklahoma, in 1900, and in 1905 was at the head of the local government of Oktaha, Oklahoma. He located at Cheeotah in 1908, and since his return from the legislature has been actively engaged in professional practice. He takes an active part in school and church affairs, and is widely known as an enthusiastic fraternalist. He is a member of the Cheeotah lodge of Odd Fellows and of the encampment at 'Muskogee; belongs to the Knights of Pythias and is identified with the Cheeotah lodge of Masons No. 86 and also with the Royal Arch chapter. Both he and his family are members of the Presbyterian church, of which the Doctor is an elder and a trustee.
On February 25, 1885, Dr. A. J. Snelson and Miss Frankie Laster were united in matrimony at Harmony in Johnson county, Arkansas. Mrs. Snelson is a daughter of Robert F. and Margarette B. (Hyten) Laster. Her father was a farmer, and moved to Arkansas in the forties. He also joined the Confederate army at the beginning of the Civil war and was selected as first lieutenant, which place he filled with honor until his death, which occurred at the battle of Camden, Arkansas, while at the head of his command leading a charge. A very strange coincidence was that the Doctor's father and Mrs. Snelson's father were both killed in the same battle, but of this fact they knew nothing until after their marriage in 1885.
The two children born to Robert F. Laster and his wife were Laura A., who became the wife of Dr. J. M. McPherson. of Sasakwa. Oklahoma, and Frankie, Mrs. Snelson. Mrs. Laster married William Jones for her second husband, and their daughter Zora is now the wife of James Gains, of Oklahoma. To the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. Snelson nine children have been born, as follows: Arthur, deceased; A. L., a bookkeeper in a Checotah store; Robert M., Grover M., Fay, Lawrence, R, Page, Charley and Andrew P. Snelson.