John T. Smith
Crockett, Houston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(March 5, 1815 -- February 16, 1874) New York-born John Titus Smith moved to Texas from Georgia in 1849. He settled on a cotton plantation at McKenzie's Bend on the Trinity River and operated the steamboat "Ida Reese". Smith served as Chief Justice (County Judge) of Houston County, 1854-60. He fought in the Confederate Army in the Civil War (1861-1865) and served several terms in the Texas State Legislature. he married Elizabeth Greene Gaines (1819-1860). They had 11 children, six of whom lived to adulthood. Recorded - 1985
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
New York-born John Titus Smith came to Texas from Georgia in 1849 and settled on a cotton plantation at McKenzie's Bend on the Trinity River, where he operated the steamboat Ida Reese. He served as chief justice of Houston County in the 1850s and later in the state legislature, and fought in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He and his wife Elizabeth raised a large family before his death in 1874.
Why it matters
Smith's life spans the commerce, politics, and conflict that defined a leading citizen of antebellum and Civil War-era Texas.
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Related people
- · John Titus Smith
- · Elizabeth Greene Gaines
Themes & tags
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