Major Thomas Snowden, who lived in Montpelier, fought in the Revolutionary War under the command of General George Washington. The major was also involved in preliminary committee work which prepared the way for the Constitutional Convention.

On several occasions during his travels from Mount Vernon to Annapolis, George Washington stayed overnight at Montpelier (one of the second floor rooms is referred to as the Washington bedroom). The home, which was located on the rambling old Post Road, was about a day's coach drive from either location. In particular, Washington stayed at Montpelier on his travels to and from the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It is recorded that George Washington lent one of his Hessian woodcutters (one of his indentured servants to whom he had provided, via contract, the means for travel from Europe to America) to Major Thomas to work on the interior of the house and further requested cuttings from the beautiful Montpelier boxwood to add to his gardens at Mount Vernon. In 1786 George Washington bought I ton of iron from the Patuxent Iron Works, owned by Major Thomas Snowden.