Formed from Nacogdoches County
Created April 11, 1846, organized
July 13, 1846, named in honor of
General James Smith
pioneer soldier and stateman,
friend of General Sam Houston,
Thomas J. Rusk and J. Pinckney
Henderson
Born . . . — — Map (db m91277) HM
Soon after its establishment in 1846, Smith County became an important legal center in East Texas. The first legal proceeding to take place in the county was a district court session held in an abandoned one-room log cabin in Tyler in December 1846. . . . — — Map (db m91381) HM
Louisiana native John Creighton Buchanan moved to East Texas and established a legal practice in Quitman. He became the first Wood County Attorney in 1876, the year before he married Sarah Rosalie "Rosa" Patten (1855-1941). He represented Rains, . . . — — Map (db m139070) HM
Begun by Gallatin Smith, as "Bonnie Castle." Bought, 1866, by Dr. S.A. Goodman. Enlarged by his son, Major W.J. Goodman, surgeon in 13th Texas Infantry, C.S.A.
Remodeled in 1920's by Mrs. Sallie Goodman LeGrand, the Major's last survivor. . . . — — Map (db m91359) HM
(south face)
School named for Texas Confederate
Colonel Richard B. Hubbard
1832-1901
Georgia-born, came to Texas 1853. Tyler lawyer, politician. State legislator. Raised 5th Tex. Inf. Bn., merged 1862 in Hubbard's Regt., 22nd . . . — — Map (db m91592) HM
In 1887 Horace and Mary (Grinnan) Chilton acquired land in the Yarbrough addition and soon after started construction on a house for their family. The design, by an unknown architect, is reportedly modeled after Mary’s childhood home in Virginia. . . . — — Map (db m91799) HM
On this hill, as he wished for burial in sight of courthouse is grave of General James Smith, co-founder of Henderson. A South Carolina native he fought for the U.S. in War of 1812. Moved to Texas 1835. Returned to U.S. to raise troops for Texas War . . . — — Map (db m268614) HM
Elisha Everett Lott moved to Harrison County, Texas in 1840. Elected to the Republic of Texas Congress in 1842, he helped open this area of Texas for settlement. He moved here in 1845, and in 1846 was instrumental in the organization of Smith County . . . — — Map (db m33412) HM
(east face)
Smith County
C.S.A.
Major center of Confederate activity during Civil War. Many distinguished men and military units served south. The largest ordnance plant west of the Mississippi River manufactured "Tyler . . . — — Map (db m91380) HM
Henry M. Morgan was born in Smith County, Texas. Mr. Morgan furthered his education at East Texas Academy, later named Butler College. He received a LLB degree from Summerville Law College, Dallas, Texas,and also studied at Wiley College.
Mr. . . . — — Map (db m91378) HM
A man whose public service was of highest order. Born on a farm near this site in Van Zandt County. Educated at Cumberland University (Tennessee) and Tyler Commercial College, was County Attorney and County Judge of Smith County. As chairman of . . . — — Map (db m84511) HM
Born in New York City to German immigrants Nicholas and Margaretta Heiner, Eugene Thomas Heiner apprenticed himself to a Chicago architect when he was thirteen years old and later completed his training in Berlin, Germany. Heiner became a draftsman . . . — — Map (db m122983) HM
Prominent Hunt County pioneer (1807-1865) Came to Texas 1840. Granted a 640-acre headright by Republic of Texas. Served as commissioner to organize county and locate county seat. First postmaster of Hooker's Mill settlement where he owned area's . . . — — Map (db m280289) HM
(east face)
School named for Texas Confederate
Colonel Thomas R. Bonner
1836-1891
Born in Mississippi. Came to Texas 1849. In Texas militia at start of Civil War. Elected captain Co. C, 18th Tex. Infantry, C.S.A., 1862. . . . — — Map (db m91433) HM
In 1894, C.L. and Noah Adair opened the Adair Normal School to provide a University-level education, but the school closed in 1896. In 1899, a charter was filed with the Secretary of State's office for Tyler Commercial College. The college used a . . . — — Map (db m91469) HM
George H. Yarbrough (1826-99) came to Tyler from Alabama in 1854, and entered into partnership with Col. Alfred Ferguson in a general mercantile enterprise. About 1859, Yarbrough built this hand-made brick structure, the first 3-story edifice in . . . — — Map (db m91333) HM
Alabama native Edward Thomas Broughton, Jr. (b. 1834) came to Jasper, Texas, with his family in 1847. Broughton married Mary Elizabeth Douglas in 1856. He studied law in Smith County and was admitted to the bar in 1857. By 1860 the Broughtons were . . . — — Map (db m96380) HM
John Henninger Reagan was born in 1818 to Timothy Richard and Elizabeth Reagan in Sevier County, Tennessee. He worked at his father's tannery and on the family farm, attending school sporadically, until leaving the state in 1838.
Reagan came in . . . — — Map (db m54002) HM
Oregon native Fred Zimmerman, Sr. (1885-1954) came to the Texas Panhandle in 1916. He acquired a number of farm properties in the area and began a thirty-eight-year career of farming and ranching in Floyd and Deaf Smith counties. In 1930 Zimmerman . . . — — Map (db m104631) HM
A native of Georgia, Thomas Hunt Hall came to Texas in 1854 and settled in Smith County. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he became a Methodist minister. He enlisted in the Confederate Army at the outbreak of the Civil War . . . — — Map (db m269213) HM
Born near Elkhart in Anderson County, Alton W. Birdwell was reared in the Piney Woods of East Texas. His early education was provided through home schooling; he earned money for later study by hand-molding clay bricks and hewing railroad ties. . . . — — Map (db m221341) HM
War of 1812 veteran John Dewberry came to Texas in 1835 and was listed as a resident of Tyler by 1845. A successful businessman and cotton farmer, he served on the commission to locate county boundaries and a county seat after the creation of Smith . . . — — Map (db m91520) HM
Members of the Peter Shamburger family came to this area of Texas from Mississippi in 1847. Peter and his family lived near Starrville. His son, Mathew, married Julia Ann Shockley in 1849 and settled in the Fruit community (later renamed Pine . . . — — Map (db m92264) HM
A combination of sandy soil, year-round rainfall, and a long growing season make the Tyler area ideal for rose propagation. First known commercial production began here in the 1870s when industry pioneers such as G.A. McKee and Mathew Shamburger . . . — — Map (db m91974) HM
Georgia native Richard Bennett Hubbard came to Texas in 1853 and set up a law practice in Tyler with B. T. Selman, later a state senator. Politically active, Hubbard became a leading spokesman for the Democratic Party. His early career in government . . . — — Map (db m91545) HM
(front)
School named for Texas Confederate
Colonel Bryan Marsh
1833-1901
Alabama native, came to Tyler, 1854. 1861 was captain Co. C, 17th Texas Cavalry. In 1863 Confederate campaigns to prevent split of South along . . . — — Map (db m91362) HM
This building was one of seven division headquarters on the 3 million-acre XIT, the largest ranch under fence in the United States. The limestone structure in Deaf Smith County was home for the manager, a place for cowboys to eat, a . . . — — Map (db m191380) HM
Came to Texas, 1833. Became a
soldier in the Texas army, 1836.
Was commissioned Lieutenant of
Rangers by Sam Houston, President
of Texas.
Fought for Texas during the
Vasquez and Woll invasions. Had
horse shot from under him in . . . — — Map (db m88745) HM
Jesse S. and Mary Ann Thomas brought their family to Texas from Georgia in 1858, settling first in Rusk and Smith counties. They relocated to this area in 1873 and purchased land along Richland Creek. In 1883 they deeded three acres of land for a . . . — — Map (db m289839) HM
William Rosenthal came to the U.S. from Poland in 1873. He eventually made his way to Greenville, where he opened a furniture store in the early 1920's.
William Rosenberg, born in Germany, owned a wholesale liquor business in Greenville but . . . — — Map (db m282812) HM
In June 1863, CS General Richard Taylor commenced a campaign in South Louisiana that resulted in the capture of a number of Union troops in the Morgan City area. The enlisted men were paroled, but the officers were detained and sent to Shreveport. . . . — — Map (db m60181) HM
Migrating in 1840 from Alabama to Texas, James Calhoun Hill led the first permanent settlers into this vicinity. He served on the commission that ran boundaries of Smith County and platted the county seat in 1846. Prospering as a surveyor and . . . — — Map (db m92016) HM
First church in Smith County. Organized 1848 by the Revs. Sam Box and Alexander Douglas. Had all-faiths services at first in log cabin on Courthouse Square, later in Adams blacksmith shop, south of Square. In 1852 built across street from this site, . . . — — Map (db m91304) HM
Georgia native Dr. Zachariah Ellison (1804-1863) and his wife, Emily (1812-
1879), came to Texas in the 1830s, eventually acquiring 2,500 acres in
northwest Smith County. James K. Beene settled nearby and
established the Flora community and post . . . — — Map (db m296304) HM
Starrville was originally part of the I.W. Hall survey and, by 1849, the town had become a stop on the Dallas-Shreveport road. In 1852, reverend Joshua Starr bought the land and began selling town lots. During the summer of 1862, Starrville was the . . . — — Map (db m92267) HM
Providence Community comprised mostly of small family
farms, is located in the far northeast section of Van Zandt
County straddling the Smith County line. Since 1845,
colonization of the area was encouraged with land
grants, and many immigrants . . . — — Map (db m237026) HM
Born in Tyler, Gary was responsible for organizing the Smith County Rifles. He was also a soldier, public servant, diplomat to Egypt and minister to Switzerland. — — Map (db m105735) HM
Here at Doaksville, June 23, 1865, Brigadier General Stand Watie, Cherokee Indian, was the last Confederate General to surrender. — — Map (db m151958) HM
During World War II, the Frost Lumber Co. (Nacogdoches) and the Angelina Lumber Co. (Lufkin) requested that the War Manpower Commission (WMC) establish Camp Chireno as a "permanent" branch of Camp Fannin (Smith County). The WMC leased private land . . . — — Map (db m289581) HM
Houston architect Eugene T. Heiner and builder Henry Kane designed and built this structure in 1880-81 to serve as Smith County's fourth jail. An 1894 second-story addition doubled the jail's cell space. The building was replaced by a new jail in . . . — — Map (db m290734) HM
Born in Talladega, Alabama, in April 1842, Thomas Oscar (T.O.)
Moore was a civic leader in Comanche. After Moore's father's
business failed in 1854, the family moved to Texas, settling in
Hays County in 1855. By the fall of 1857, the family had . . . — — Map (db m220770) HM
Pioneer farmer and rancher William Pendergrass (1818-98) and his wife, Emaline (1819 -1907), moved from Tennessee to Smith County, Texas, in 1849. They first came to Comanche County in 1859, then settled here permanently after a brief return to . . . — — Map (db m162139) HM
Palo Duro Baptist Church has its origins in Union School, which was built by settlers around 1893. Area residents held a non-denominational Sunday school in the facility. In 1901, Baptists living in the Palo Duro community, named for the creek that . . . — — Map (db m91731) HM
James Madison Shelby (1814-1889), a native of North Carolina, moved with his large family from Alabama to Texas in the 1870s. They first lived in Smith County, then moved to southeastern Henderson County. There they established a Presbyterian church . . . — — Map (db m247185) HM
The family of Thomas and Frances Maria Drake Flewellen came to Texas from Georgia and Arkansas in the 1850s. In 1859, Thomas Flewellen purchased 1,426 acres of rich farmland on which he established his home and a large farm. When Frances Maria died . . . — — Map (db m91833) HM
At a time of low crop production and depressed farm economy, Smith County became the birthplace of the County Agricultural Agent concept. This occurred in an historic meeting Nov. 12, 1906, in an opera house near this site. Present were Dr. . . . — — Map (db m91382) HM
The Civil War experiences of Granville, an important Cumberland River port in the nineteenth century, were similar to many rural Upper Cumberland communities. When Tennessee seceded in 1861, most residents backed the Confederacy.
Granville was . . . — — Map (db m82194) HM
Through the joint efforts of Dr. Booker T. Washington, President of Tuskegee University, and Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish American philanthropist, more than 200 schools and related buildings were constructed in rural, Black communities in East . . . — — Map (db m243515) HM
Harris Creek Baptist Church organized in Oct. 1849, with 15 charter members and elder William H. Ray elected as pastor. Ray, who organized the First Baptist Church of Tyler the previous year, preached at Harris Creek for two years before resigning . . . — — Map (db m88746) HM
