SEARCHING FOR SNELL’S BRIDGE - Those persons who have lived in northeastern Laurens County know the name of Snell’s Bridge Road. Many might ask, “Where is Snell’s Bridge?” Snell’s Bridge is located in current day Johnson County on the Great or Big Ohoopee River. It is named for Christopher Snell, pioneer resident of the area. Christopher Snell, a South Carolinian of German descent came to this area in 1789 from Burke County, Georgia, settling along the waters of Williamson’s Swamp Creek in Washington County. Snell was estranged from his family in Orangburg, South Carolina after he sided with the colony of South Carolina during the American Revolution.
He married Arsenath or Ceneth Lamb, daughter of Abraham Lamb. Snell began acquiring lands along the Ohoopee River in Montgomery County which later became part of central Johnson County. In the early days of the settlement of this area, residents petitioned the Inferior Court for the right to establish bridges across rivers and large creeks. The bridges were usually named for their builder or the owner of the land where they were located.
Until the formation of Johnson County in 1857, the Ohoopee was the dividing line between Laurens and Emanuel Counties. The Snell’s Bridge Road begins a little over a mile beyond East Laurens High School on U.S. Highway 80 east. It travels in a northeasterly direction several miles into Johnson County. Just after entering Johnson County the original road turned right along a dirt road and headed in a more easterly direction toward Georgia Highway 15. It crossed Highway 15 at what is known as the Dude Sumner Place, just below Maple Springs Church, which was known in the early days as Snell’s Bridge Church. From the intersection the road continued east until striking the Ohoopee River. Just beyond the bridge the road intersects with the lower Wrightsville to Swainsboro Road, a road which was used by many early Laurens Countians to reach the Emanuel County capital.
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