293
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1835
1 Jamcs Prentiss Letters, The University of Texas Library. 2 James Smith (September 10, 1792-December 25, 1855) was born in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, and was there reared and educated. At the outbreak of the War of 1812 he enlisted in the army and as a lieutenant under General Andrew Jackson distinguished himself for bravery in the battle of New Orleans. He was married in his native community to Miss Hannah Parker, and three· years later removed to Lincoln County, Tennessee, where he became a prominent planter and was made head of the viligance committee for the protection of the settlers from the Indians and lawless characters of that frontier community. Records show that he was equal to every emergency, and that protection was given to the people. Smith came to Texas in 1834 in advance of his wife and children, who followed in 1835, reaching Texas on January 1, 1836. He settled in Nacog- doches County (now Rusk) which county was divided, in 1846, into Smith, Cherokee, Kaurman, Dallas and other counties. He received a headright of a league and a labor of land (about 4,605 acres) in what is now Rusk County where the town of Henderson is located; in fact, he donated the land for that townsite. When the Texas i-evolution broke out he returned to Tennessee, and early in 1836, raised a company of seventy-five volunteers from Tennessee and Alabama. He equipped these mn with clothes, mounts, arms, ammunition, and paid their transportation to Texas, out of his own funds; and in September, 1836, when these soldiers being discharged, were retuming to Nacogdoches in a destitute condition, he supplied their needs. His military service did not end with the Texas revolution, for in 1837, 1838, 1839, 1841, and 1844, we find him taking active part in campaigns against the Indians or in helping to quell the disorder caused by the Regulator- Moderator War. General Smith was in every sense one of the strong men of early Texas, and enjoyed the close friendship and confidence of such men as Thomas J. Rusk, Sam Houston, J. Pinckney Henderson, and other leaders of that day. After the annexation of Texas to the United States, he ceased to take an active part in politics. He spent his time in attending to his large farm interests, and in the mercantile enterprises at the town of Henderson. He died on his farm near Henderson, and was buried with military honors, General Rusk delivering the funeral oration. See Z. T. Fulmore, The Histo1·y and Geogra.phy of Texas as Told fa County Names, 90-92. Johnson-Barker, Texcis ancl Texans, V, 2349.
To JOHN A. WHARTON 1
Nacogdoches, 14th Apl, 1835 My dear Friend, Last night I had the pleasure of passing with your brother/ and his company. They came to our Town at an early hour of the day, arranged some business, and went out E:ight miles last night- I accompanied, and remained with thEm, until this morning; when we parted, for various routs and pur- suits-I to my law business and they to the more animating pur- suits of speculation. From your brother, I learned the news of the Colony, and of its politicks, for really, I was ignorant of thEm, as no one sends
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