George Washington Smith
Blue Ridge, Collin County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(1796?-1876?) Born in Wilson county, Tennessee, George Washington Smith came to Texas in 1834 with his wife Elizabeth Briggs. He fought in the Texas War for Independence (1835-36) as a private in Capt. Clendennin's Company, 1st regiment artillery. In the Mexican War (1846-48), he served as a sergeant in company, K, 1st regiment of the Texas Rangers, under Col. John Coffee (Jack) Hays. The Smith family settled in Collin county in 1852. When Smith died about 1876, he was buried near the entrance of the present Blue Ridge Cemetery. Later his grave was moved to the grounds cemetery (1.25 miles northwest). (1979)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
George Washington Smith left Tennessee for Texas in 1834, arriving on the eve of revolution. He served as an artillery private in the Texas War for Independence and later as a Texas Ranger sergeant in the Mexican War under the famed Col. John Coffee "Jack" Hays. He settled his family in Collin County in 1852 and was buried near Blue Ridge after his death around 1876.
Why it matters
Smith's life traces the arc of a generation of Anglo settlers who fought Texas into existence and then put down roots on its frontier.
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Related people
- · George Washington Smith
- · John Coffee Hays
Related events
- · Texas War for Independence
- · Mexican War
Themes & tags
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