William Berry Smith

William B Smith (WBS) was born about 1792 in North Carolina, the eldest of seven children of Alexander Smith. Two of his siblings, James M and Sarah Crawford, were also early Texas settlers. William was a blacksmith and gunsmith. His grandson describes him as able to hold an anvil at arm's length. In about 1826, he married Mary Ann Ashmore of SOuth Carolina. In 1826, the Smiths moved to Mississippi via Alabama, where their eldest son was born. In 1834, the Smith family moved to Texas, settling in Milam County near Walker Springs. 

 

Fights with Native Americans involving the Smiths are described in several publications. In 1836, they are among several attacked by Indians. Mary Ann is described as heroically running to the wagons to retrieve ammunition during the attack. In 1838, William is one of the few survivors in a group of surveyors attacked in Navarro County by about 300 Indians. Ultimately, the Indian attacks were so severe that the Smiths moved to Washington County between Chappel Hill and Independence. The Smiths were friends of Sam Houston, David Gouverneur Burnet, Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Sterling Robertson, and Deaf Smith. William B Smith served in the Texas Revolution. He was issued a certificate on 1 Feb 1838 by Board of Land Commissioners, Washington County entitling him to a league and labor of land for being in the Republic at its inception. The land was granted 3 Oct 1849.

History of Bell County, by George W Tyler, "The Second Runaway" "Troubles with Indians"

History of Texas Baptists. Death 1 Jan 1877 per memorial plaque but in fact death was after 1 Jan 1877, when WBS signed deeds to two of his children, and probably 11 Jun 1877, as per J. M. Carroll, History of Texas Baptists (Dallas Baptists Standard Publishing, 1923), 73.

Deeds: Bosque County, Texas, Deeds, S:160, from WBS to son Henry Patrick Smith 1 Jan 1877 and S:160-162, from WBS to son Ransom L Smith, 1 Jan 1877.

Salado, Texas: Its History and People, by Felda Davis Shanklin.

Baylor at Independence, Murray, p129.

Pioneer Women in Texas, by Anne Doom Pickrell (Austin: E L Steck Co, 1929), 323.

History of Bell County Texas, by Bertha Atkinson, p 32 and 35.

Bounty land File 2[2?]3 ,Texas C, Bounty Warrant, 1280 acres, William B Smith, Reg No9 66178, Rondean.