Posted 2:00 am Sunday, July 10, 2011
Smith County Rededicates Monument Honoring Namesake
By MELISSA CROWE
Staff Writer
A 75-year-old county monument was dusted off and restored to the public eye Saturday morning.
The monument honors Gen. James Smith, the county’s namesake.
Staff Writer
A 75-year-old county monument was dusted off and restored to the public eye Saturday morning.
The monument honors Gen. James Smith, the county’s namesake.
Descendants of Gen. Smith, including his great-great-great-great grandson, Steve Smith, unveiled the marker just west of town on Texas Highway 64.
“I wish my grandparents were here to see this …” Smith, a former councilman, said. “It’s an honor to be a descendent of his.”
The pink granite monument was a gift of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1936. When road construction and development on Texas 64 picked up a few years ago, the monument was moved and eventually put in storage.
“I wish my grandparents were here to see this …” Smith, a former councilman, said. “It’s an honor to be a descendent of his.”
The pink granite monument was a gift of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1936. When road construction and development on Texas 64 picked up a few years ago, the monument was moved and eventually put in storage.
Smith said his father, Don, called Judge Joel Baker about getting it reinstalled.
While Smith County has more than 100 historical markers, local organizations and Gen. Smith’s descendants worked diligently to bring the marker back.
With the help of the Smith County Historical Society, Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 joined forces to write letters and help advance the process of getting the marker out of storage.
“This beautiful marker heralded the entrance to the county,” Baker said at the ceremony. “I believe Gen. Smith would be proud of what our county has become.”
While Smith County has more than 100 historical markers, local organizations and Gen. Smith’s descendants worked diligently to bring the marker back.
With the help of the Smith County Historical Society, Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 joined forces to write letters and help advance the process of getting the marker out of storage.
“This beautiful marker heralded the entrance to the county,” Baker said at the ceremony. “I believe Gen. Smith would be proud of what our county has become.”
Mayor Barbara Bass also spoke at the ceremony and declared July 9 Gen. James Smith Day in the city.
“One thing about Tyler is we love our history,” she said. “To be here today to rededicate this marker is something we should be proud of.”
Smith said the general would be “very proud of his descendants” for carrying on his frontiersman spirit and go-get-’em attitude.
“One thing about Tyler is we love our history,” she said. “To be here today to rededicate this marker is something we should be proud of.”
Smith said the general would be “very proud of his descendants” for carrying on his frontiersman spirit and go-get-’em attitude.
Gen. Smith was a soldier, planter and politician from Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
According to family history, when he was about 20 years old, he volunteered in the War of 1812 and fought in the Creek Indian wars and served as a lieutenant under Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.
After the war, Smith returned to South Carolina, married and started a family. He, his wife and 11 children relocated to Lincoln County, Tennessee, where he led a vigilance committee against the Native Americans and was a colonel with Sam Houston in the 1835 Tennessee militia, according to family history.
Smith settled in Nacogdoches in March 1835 and established a plantation. Soon after, Gen. Houston introduced Smith to a business in New York.
That fall, Smith told Houston he would ship 100 “first-rate rifles” to Natchitoches, La., and would bring well-equipped troops to Texas from Tennessee to fight against Mexico.
Smith arrived with his troops, and in April, he entered the service of the revolutionary army as captain of cavalry on the Nacogdoches Mounted Volunteers.
He helped win a victory at San Jacinto, and in May 1836, he was appointed inspector general with the rank of Colonel by Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, according to family history.
Smith served with Rusk from headquarters at Victoria until September of that year, when he was appointed by Sam Houston to raise companies to build forts and protect settlers west of Nacogdoches.
In 1837 and 1838, when relationships with Native Americans were rocky, Smith’s Nacogdoches plantation became a refuge for harried settlers from surrounding counties.
Smith commanded the Second Battalion of Rusk’s regiments in July 1839 at the Battle of the Neches, which saw Chief Bowl’s death.
The next spring, Smith was elected a brigadier general and took command of the Third Brigade on the northwest frontier with Mexico, where he remained until August 1844, when Houston ordered him to command the troops detached to suppress the Regulator-Moderator War in Shelby County, according to family history.
Smith represented Rusk County in the Texas House of Representatives from Feb. 16, 1846, to Dec. 13, 1847.
Smith County organized and named in his honor in April 1846. The city of Henderson, named for his friend James P. Henderson, was built on land given to Smith for his services to the Republic of Texas.
Smith died December 25, 1855 and was buried with military honors in a brick vault in Smith Park at Henderson.
Smith County was formed from Nacogdoches County, created April 11, 1846, and organized July 13, 1846.
According to family history, when he was about 20 years old, he volunteered in the War of 1812 and fought in the Creek Indian wars and served as a lieutenant under Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.
After the war, Smith returned to South Carolina, married and started a family. He, his wife and 11 children relocated to Lincoln County, Tennessee, where he led a vigilance committee against the Native Americans and was a colonel with Sam Houston in the 1835 Tennessee militia, according to family history.
Smith settled in Nacogdoches in March 1835 and established a plantation. Soon after, Gen. Houston introduced Smith to a business in New York.
That fall, Smith told Houston he would ship 100 “first-rate rifles” to Natchitoches, La., and would bring well-equipped troops to Texas from Tennessee to fight against Mexico.
Smith arrived with his troops, and in April, he entered the service of the revolutionary army as captain of cavalry on the Nacogdoches Mounted Volunteers.
He helped win a victory at San Jacinto, and in May 1836, he was appointed inspector general with the rank of Colonel by Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, according to family history.
Smith served with Rusk from headquarters at Victoria until September of that year, when he was appointed by Sam Houston to raise companies to build forts and protect settlers west of Nacogdoches.
In 1837 and 1838, when relationships with Native Americans were rocky, Smith’s Nacogdoches plantation became a refuge for harried settlers from surrounding counties.
Smith commanded the Second Battalion of Rusk’s regiments in July 1839 at the Battle of the Neches, which saw Chief Bowl’s death.
The next spring, Smith was elected a brigadier general and took command of the Third Brigade on the northwest frontier with Mexico, where he remained until August 1844, when Houston ordered him to command the troops detached to suppress the Regulator-Moderator War in Shelby County, according to family history.
Smith represented Rusk County in the Texas House of Representatives from Feb. 16, 1846, to Dec. 13, 1847.
Smith County organized and named in his honor in April 1846. The city of Henderson, named for his friend James P. Henderson, was built on land given to Smith for his services to the Republic of Texas.
Smith died December 25, 1855 and was buried with military honors in a brick vault in Smith Park at Henderson.
Smith County was formed from Nacogdoches County, created April 11, 1846, and organized July 13, 1846.
