Dr. Thomas Snead Jr. was a court reporter for Angelina County, Texas. He recieved a degree from Lippert Court Reporting school in Plainview, Texas in 1964. He then sent out letters to judges in Texas looking for a job. Judge Pierce called from Nacogdoches and asked him to come take a test for him. Snead spent the night at the Hotel Fredonia and took his test the next morning in front of Judge Pierce, the District Clerk of the 145th District Court, and three lawyers. He passed and was hired. From August 1964-September 1969 he served the 145th Judicial District Court in Nacogdoches, Texas. The 159th Judicial Distric Court was created in Lufkin in September 1969 where Snead became the first official court reporter. He retired December 31, 1996.