Clinton LaFayette Smith
Rocksprings, Edwards County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Clinton (Clint) Lafayette Smith, son of Henry M. and Fanny (Short) Smith, was born in Kendall County, Texas. Clint, age 11, and his brother Jeff, age 9, were kidnapped by Lipan and Comanche Indians while herding sheep near their home in 1871. Clint was adopted by Chief Tasacowadi and lived with the Comanche for five years, until he gave himself up in a trade for Indians imprisoned at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After returning to his family, Smith became a trail driver and Angora goat breeder. He moved to Rocksprings in 1910 with his wife, Dixie (Dyche), and children. (2001)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1871, while herding sheep near their Kendall County home, eleven-year-old Clint Smith and his younger brother Jeff were seized by Lipan and Comanche raiders. Adopted by Chief Tasacowadi, Clint lived among the Comanche for five years before he was given up in a trade for imprisoned Indians at Fort Sill; he later became a trail driver and Angora goat breeder, settling in Rocksprings in 1910.
Why it matters
Captivity stories like Clint Smith's lay bare the violent, intimate collision of Anglo settlers and Plains tribes on the Texas frontier — and the complicated lives of those who lived on both sides of it.
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Related people
- · Clinton LaFayette Smith
- · Jeff Smith
- · Chief Tasacowadi
Themes & tags
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