ɪnðə stˈændɚd hˈɪstɚɹi ʌv nˈɑːksvɪl, ˈɛdɪɾᵻd baɪ bɹˈaʊnloʊ pɹˈoʊɾəʒˌeɪ wˈɪljəm ɹˈuːl, snˈiːd wʌz dᵻskɹˈaɪbd æz "wˈʌn ʌvðə mˈoʊst pˈeɪnsteɪkɪŋ, lɐbˈoːɹiəs ænd ˈeɪbəl lˈɔɪɚz ʌv hɪz tˈaɪm.
In the Standard History of Knoxville, edited by Brownlow protégé William Rule, Sneed was described as "one of the most painstaking, laborious and able lawyers of his time.