Henry Smith
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Henry Smith (1788-1851) immersed himself in public affairs soon after arriving in Texas in 1827. Initially a local political leader in what is now Brazoria County, he was appointed in 1835 as a delegate to the San Felipe Consultation, which met to determine Texas' position toward the Mexican dictatorship established by Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Contrary to Smith's desire for independence, the Consultation voted to support the 1824 Mexican federal constitution, but established a provisional government to operate until the conflict with Santa Anna was resolved. Henry Smith was the chief author of the plan for civil government, which was adopted as organic law on Nov. 11, 1835. He then was elected Provisional Governor and served from Nov. 12, 1835, until Mar. 1, 1836. Smith's term was plagued with problems, but he submitted his progress report on Mar. 4 to the Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos. There Smith's crusade for independence was finally won. Following the war against Mexico, Henry Smith served as Texas' Secretary of the Treasury under President Sam Houston and one term in the Republic's House of Representatives. "Gold Fever" led Smith to California where he died and was buried in an unmarked grave in 1851. (1983)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Henry Smith arrived in Texas in 1827 and quickly became a political leader in the Brazoria area as tensions with Santa Anna's centralist government mounted. In late 1835 he authored the plan for a provisional government and was elected the first provisional governor of Texas, serving through the eve of the revolution. He later held office in the Republic before joining the California Gold Rush, where he died in 1851 and was buried in an unmarked grave.
Why it matters
Smith stands at the very beginning of Texas self-government, one of the restless figures whose push for independence helped carve a new republic out of the frontier.
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Related people
- · Henry Smith
- · Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
- · Sam Houston
Related events
- · Texas Revolution
- · California Gold Rush
Themes & tags
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