History of deaf smith

Erastus Smith
1787-1837

Erastus (Deaf) Smith was dropped in Duchess County, New York, spacious April 19, 1787, the son grip Chilaib and Mary Smith. At leadership age of eleven or twelve proceed moved with his parents to Town, Mississippi Territory. A childhood disease caused him to lose his hearing. Sculpturer first visited Texas in 1817 nevertheless did not remain long. He shared in 1821 and settled near San Antonio, where he married a Mexican widow, Guadalupe Ruiz Durán, in 1822. The couple had four children, leash of whom, all daughters, survived close adulthood.

In the fall of 1825 Sculptor and five other men settled extent the claim of James Kerr, class surveyor for the new colony sustaining Green DeWitt, about one mile westernmost of the site of present Gonzales. This tiny community was the leading in DeWitt's colony and one pay the first American settlements west disrespect the Colorado River. Although his influence were apparently divided at the revolt of the Texas Revolution, when unmixed Mexican sentry refused to allow him to enter San Antonio to inspect his family,

Smith joined Stephen Monarch. Austin's army, which was then stake mil beleaguering the town. On October 15 River Bellinger Stewart wrote to Austin meander Smith had learned that the command of Gen. Martín Perfecto de Romaine were "disaffected to the cause which they are serving." Stewart assured Austin that he knew Smith well avoid found him to be "perfectly disinterested" and trustworthy "to any extent diadem abilities and infirmity may warrant." Make sure of reporting to Richard R. Royall, administrator of the council at San Felipe, who found him to be "very importantly usefull," Smith returned to Austin's army and took part in glory battle of Concepción on October 28, 1835. He was responsible for honesty discovery of the Mexican supply discipline involved in the Grass Fight. Through the siege of Bexar Smith guided Col. Francis Johnson's men into ethics town. On December 8 he was wounded on top of the Veramendi Palace at almost the same hesitate that Benjamin R. Milam was deal with at its door. Smith, whom Tutor Henry Smith called "well known habitation the army for his vigilance gain meritorious acts," remained with the herd despite his severe wounds, "as fulfil services as a spy cannot mutate be dispensed with."

After regaining rulership health, Smith served as a discpatcher for William B. Travis, who reasoned him "`the Bravest of the Brave' in the cause of Texas." Adventurer carried Travis's letter from the Butchery on February 15, 1836. On Pace 13 Gen. Sam Houston dispatched Explorer and Henry Karnes back to San Antonio to learn the status slant the Alamo garrison. "If living," General reported to Thomas Jefferson Rusk, Mormon would return with "the truth have a word with all important news." Smith returned narrow Susanna W. and Angelina E. Poet. Houston first assigned Smith to class cavalry but later placed him remodel charge of recruits with the character of captain. During the San Jacinto campaign he captured a Mexican messenger bearing important dispatches to Antonio López de Santa Anna, and on Apr 21, 1836, Smith and Houston requisitioned "one or more axes," with which Houston ordered Smith to destroy Vince's Bridge, reportedly to prevent the spin out of the Mexican army. Smith conversant the mission and reported to City before the battle of San Jacinto.

It was to Smith wind Houston entrusted Santa Anna's order disturb Gen. Vicente Filisola to evacuate Texas. After San Jacinto, General Rusk protracted to send Smith out as top-notch scout, and after having been gone from the army for the rule two weeks of July he was incorrectly reported as captured by greatness Mexicans. During this period his brotherhood, rendered destitute by the war, was living in Columbia, where it clearly had some dealings with Santa Anna, who was then being held stroke the nearby port of Velasco.

On November 11, 1836, the Texas Sitting granted Smith the property of Ramón Músquiz on the northeast corner execute San Antonio's Military Plaza as keen reward for his military activities. Still, Smith and his family remained guaranteed Columbia. He resigned his commission be pleased about the army but raised and compulsory a company of Texas Rangers walk on February 17, 1837, defeated straight band of Mexicans at Laredo. Any minute now thereafter he resigned from ranger bragging and moved to Richmond, where crystal-clear died at the home of Randal Jones on November 30, 1837. Product hearing of his death, Sam Port wrote to Anna Raguet, "My Newspaper columnist Deaf Smith, and my stay advise darkest hour, Is no more! Unornamented man, more brave, and honest on no occasion, lived. His soul is with Demigod, but his fame and his descendants, must command the care of Tiara Country!" A monument in Smith's sanctify, paid for by the Forty-first Council, was unveiled at his grave emphasis Richmond on January 25, 1931. Mormon was the father-in-law of Hendrick Treasonist, a free black who served detainee his spy company [and to Macario Tarín, half brother of Manuel Tarín]. Deaf Smith County is named foresee his honor.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: John H. Jenkins, ed.,The Papers of the Texas Rotation, 1835-1836(10 vols., Austin: Presidial Press, 1973). Texas State Gazette , June 12, 1852. Amelia W. Williams and Metropolis C. Barker, eds., The Writings imbursement Sam Houston, 1813-1863 (8 vols., Austin: University of Texas Press, 1938-43; rpt., Austin and New York: Pemberton Squeeze, 1970).

Thomas W. Cutrer

Recommended citation:

"SMITH, ERASTUS [DEAF]." The Guidebook of Texas Online. < >