Noah Smithwick (January 01, 1808October 21, 1899) was a colonist who lived in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

from 1827 and until the Civil War began. A gunsmith and blacksmith, he fought in the Texas Revolution and served as a Texas Ranger. Late in life he dictated his recollections of this early Texas period to his daughter, relaying colorful and humorous accounts, which included legendary Texans

Stephen F. Austin Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...

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William B. Travis William Barret "Buck" Travis (August 1, 1809 – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army. He died at the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Tr ...

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, and

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...

, who he knew personally. Smithwick was born and educated in North Carolina. He worked as blacksmith in Kentucky and in 1827 went to Texas and settled in

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. He applied for land in Stephen F. Austin's colony but never located it. In 1830 he helped a friend accused of murder escape. For this Smithwick was banished from Texas. After staying in East Texas and

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, he returned to Texas in 1835 at the beginning of the Texas Revolution and took part in the Battle of Concepcion. In 1836 he joined a ranger company to defend the Bastrop area from Indians, then went to San Jacinto arriving after the battle. He married Thurza N. Blakey in 1839 and settled in Webber's Prairie in

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. In 1850 he moved to Brushy Creek in Williamson County. In 1849 Smithwick went to

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in Burnet County and served as the fort's first armorer. In 1853 he bought and ran a nearby saw and grist mill. In 1857 he bought a mill and established Smithwick Mills and a post office of that name was established. When Texas voted for secession, Smithwick was opposed. After receiving threats for his Unionist views in 1861, he moved to what is now

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. In his later years he lost his eyesight. Before his death in

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, he dictated accounts of Texas experiences to his daughter, Anna (Nanna) Smithwick Donaldson, which she published. The book, 'The Evolution of a State, or, Recollections of Old Texas Days' has been referenced in numerous books about Texas history.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smithwick, Noah 1808 births 1899 deaths People of Texas in the American Civil War People of the Texas Revolution People from Austin County, Texas People from North Carolina Texas Ranger Division Blacksmiths People from the Republic of Texas