Joe H. Snow was born in West Columbia, Texas, married, and had one son. He served as justice of the peace for Precinct 2 from 1900 to 1912, was appointed deputy sheriff of Brazoria County in 1913, and was elected sheriff in 1918, then reelected for an additional 2-year term. He was killed in the line of duty after a long horseback chase to arrest a suspected horse thief, and was remembered as a brave, conscientious officer who sacrificed his life in service to the public.