He spent more than forty years at the University of Kansas, first as a professor of natural history and then as chancellor.

He was interested in several fields of science including botany, ornithology and geology but his primary focus was entomology.

Snow attended Fitchburg High School in preparation for Williams College, where he graduated in 1862, standing first in his class.

After teaching one year as principal of the Fitchburg high school he entered the Andover Theological Seminary, completing its course of study in 1866.

He was a member of the college fraternity Delta Upsilon, and of the honorary societies Sigma Xi and Phi Beta Kappa at KU.

"He served two seasons with the Christian commission at the front of the Union army, being present at Lee's surrender."

He made frequent contributions to the university bulletins and reports and to the Kansas Academy of Science, of which he was a founder and president.

In 1886 the legislature appropriated $50,000 for the erection of a new building designed by John G. Haskell which was named Snow Hall of Natural History in his honor.