Smith

George Washington Smith

   George Washington Smith was born @1796 in Wilson County, Tennessee. He was a son of George Smith of Wilson County and a grandson of William Smith. His mother was Elizabeth Barksdale. Her father was Capt. Dudley Barksdale, a Revolutionary War soldier from Halifax Co., VA.
He married Elizabeth Briggs in 1817. She was a native of North Carolina, born in 1800 and a daughter of Thomas Briggs and a Cherokee Indian mother. They had 4 daughters: Mary, b.1818; Jerusha, b. 1825; Martha Jane, b. 1827; and Hester Ann. 
    Smith obtained a head right land grant certificate for Red River County in 1834 for one league (4428 acres) and one labor (177 acres) of land.
   Smith submitted a Declaration to obtain Bounty land September 12, 1848 for service in the Texas Rangers as a Sergeant in Preston Witt's Regiment commanded by John C. Hays. He enrolled June 7, 1847 at Bonham, Texas, for one year.
  One the 7th day of August 1848 Smith was elected Constable Parish #3 Fannin County by a vote of 9 to 0.
  George Washington Smith died after 1870 and his wife a few years after him. They are all buried in the Old Grounds Cemetery north of Blue Ridge.  

Texas State Historical Marker for
George Washington Smith

"George Washington Smith
1796? - 1876?
A Native of Tennessee, George Washington Smith migrated to Texas in 1834 with his wife Elizabeth Briggs and their four daughters. He was a soldier in the Texas War for Independence (1835-36) and in the Mexican War (1846-48). In 1852 the Smith family settled in Collin County. Their home became a community gathering spot and served as a polling place for several elections. 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.)"

This marker is located at the Blue Ridge Cemetery in Collin County. His name is among those listed on the San Jacinto Monument.

Some sources say that G. W. Smith fought in the Indian Wars with Andrew Jackson and was in the Battle of New Orleans before he was 20 years old. He was an expert in scouting. He went into the Battle of San Antonio with Ben Milam and family tradition says that he was the first man to step to Milam's side when he called for volunteers to go with him into battle. He fought under Johnson and was in the Battle of San Jacinto. He was captured after the Battle of Mier and was imprisoned. After he escaped, he made his way back to Collin County. 
  Smith was buried near the Blue Ridge Cemetery but he was later moved to the (Old) Grounds Cemetery about a mile north because it was closer to his farm and because, at that time,  it had better maintenance.

Daughter Mary Smith was born in Kentucky in 1818. She married first William J. Hart. Children: Nancy who married Wylie Langham; George R., John T., William J. Hart Jr. She married a second time to Jack J. Smith. One son, Ruben.
Daughter Jerusha was born in 1825 in Alabama. Her first husband lived only a few months. She married a second time to James Hanson. Children: Mary Jane who was born in Alabama in 1840 and James N. Hanson Jr. who was born in 1845 in Missouri. Mary Jane married Isaac Dotson and James N. married Elizabeth Dotson, sister of Isaac. Jerusha's third husband was Hezekiah Worden. Children were: Parilee who married Newt Vernon and lived in Rockwall, Fox Worden and Hezekiah Worden Jr. 
Daughter Mary Jane married Richard Cantrell but was left a widow soon after coming to Texas. Children: Jame R. Cantrell who was born in Missouri in 1845, George W. Cantrell who was born in Texas in 1846, and Mary E who was born in 1850 in Texas. 
Daughter Hesster Ann was married to Williams Worden Jr. kn 1849. Children: Alonzzo born in 1853, Charles Todd born in 1855, Missouri born 1856. Williams Worden was always connectd with the sherif's offfice while he lived in Collin County.