Merced Sun Star
Thursday, April 18, 1939
Rad's Ramblings
(Corwin Radcliffe)
OLD SNELLING CEMETERY
We spoke here the other day about visiting the old Snelling cemetery, the one
on the bluff as you turn off the Snelling-LaGrange highway. This burying
ground is the one used by the Snelling family in whose honor the town was
named. There are a number of sinks or depressions where they say Chinese were
buried, allowed to rest a few years and then transported to China. There used
to be many Chinese in the Merced river bottom. They tilled the ground, raised
corn and worked in the Merced Falls Woolen mills which was burned down in the
early nineties.
Only two sections in the old cemetery are left to show the occupants of this
city of the dead which was used until the cemetery was located nearer town,
adjoining the present grammar school. One is a marble monument erected to the
memory of C. Ann Duckwell, born in 1838 and died in 1859. The monument is a
modern one evidently built less than 20 years ago. It stands out in a field
with no curbing or fence around it. Will Ferrel says the Duckwell family lived
in Snelling in the early days. They came from Tuolumne county, over beyond
Groveland where there is an eminence named Duckwell Mountain.
A short distance from the Duckwell monument is the monument and plot of the
Snelling family although we found only three Snelling's there. The oldest, B.
Snelling, native of Virginia, died in 1853 at the age of 66. William Snelling
37 years old died in 1858. Blab T. Snelling, 10 years old died in 1853.
BLUDWORTH WAS 99
This seems to be all the Snellings you find in the old cemetery. But there are
several other names on the monument. There is Charles F. Bludworth, native of
Louisiana, who died December 7, 1869. The engraving in the marble shaft shows
that he was 99 years old. Bludworth was the first sheriff of the county which
was organized in 1855, and he became a large property owner. They say the old
townsite of Snelling was owned at one time by Bludworth. Frances Bludworth,
widow of Charles F. Bludworth, died in 1876 at the age of 35. She had became
the wife of William N. Neil, the prominent stockman who originally owned the
R. Shaffer ranch.
Resting under headstones in the Snelling plot, although not on the face of
the shaft, are Mary Elizabeth, daughter of D. A. Jamison, who died in 1864 at
the age of 10. Another is Sarah White, 35, who passed in 1852. Also Thomas B.
Hill, who died in 1859 at 68, and Dr. J. W. Gooding who died in 1859 at 35.
In gathering material for this old cemetery ramble we are indebted to William
J. Ferrel, William Means and Jack Canavero.
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<List of people buried in the cemetery>
C. Ann Duckwell, born in 1838 and died in 1859
B. Snelling, native of Virginia, died in 1853 at the age of 66.
William Snelling 37 years old died in 1858
Blab T. Snelling, 10 years old died in 1853.
Charles F. Bludworth, native of Louisiana, who died December 7, 1869
Mary Elizabeth, daughter of D. A. Jamison, who died in 1864 at the age of 10
Sarah White, 35, who passed in 1852
Thomas B. Hill, who died in 1859 at 68
Dr. J. W. Gooding who died in 1859 at 35
Transcribed by Alma Stone
