Henry Smith (Texas Governor)

Infobox Person
name = Henry Smith


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = May 20, 1788
birth_place = Kentucky
death_date = March 4, 1851
death_place = Los Angeles Country, California
parents = James and Magdalen (Woods) Smith
education =
occupation =
spouse = Harriet, Elizabeth, and Sarah Gillett
children = William Watt, John Gillette, James Evans, Harriet G., Jane, Sarah, Emily, Sophronia, Elizabeth

Henry Smith (May 20, 1788 – March 4, 1851) was first American-born Governor of the Mexican territory of Texas and briefly presided over the revolution there.*cite book
author=John Henry Brown
title= [http://books.google.com/books?id=XcQEAAAAYAAJ&dq=texas+governor+henry+smith&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=afaKM9tdrj&sig=thYctqfjSW2vo6SeMZxtrKbxa-E#PPA1,M1] Life and Times of Henry Smith: The First American Governor of Texas
publisher=A. D. Aldridge & Co.
year=1887] .

Early life

Smith was born the tenth and last child of James and Magdalen (Woods) Smith of Kentucky.cite web
url=http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/fsm23.html
title=Handbook of Texas Online: Henry Smith
author=Ralph W. Steen
date=
accessdate=October 05|accessyear=2007
publisher=] At the age of 21, he became a merchant in Nashville, Tennessee and married. Moving from place to place, he was ultimately attracted by land grants offered by the Mexican government and took his family to Brazoria County, Texas in 1827. There he worked his lands, taught school, and did some surveying.

Becoming involved in politics, Smith was wounded in the 1832 Battle of Velasco. Elected alcalde of Brazoria in 1833, he was soon chosen a delegate to the Convention of 1833. In 1834, he was appointed by the Mexican governor as political chief of the department of the Brazos.

Texas Independence

Around 1835, Smith became a leader of party favoring independence for Texas, called the War, or Independence Party. This party met with the Peace Party at a convention in 1836 called the Consultation. There, these two parties debated whether to declare immediate independence from Mexico, or not. While urging an immediate declaration of independence, he helped prepare the organic law that served as the constitution of a provisional government. Smith was named governor of the provisional government but soon was locked in struggles with rivals both political and personal. He dissolved the provisional government's council which retaliated by impeaching him. Smith refused to relinquish the governorship to James W. Robinsoncite web
url=http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/RR/fro37.html
title=Handbook of Texas Online: James W. Robinson|author=L. W. Kemp
date=|accessdate=October 05|accessyear=2007
publisher=] but the matter was rendered moot by the Convention of 1836.

Smith served as secretary of the treasury during the first Sam Houston administration. Later he promoted development along the Texas Gulf Coast and in 1840 was elected to Congress. Retiring after on term he sought no other public office. He joined the California Gold Rush in 1849, found no gold, and died in a mining camp.

Personal life

Smith married Harriet Gillette in 1815; they had three sons: William Watt, and the twins John Gillette and James Evans. They moved to Missouri where Harriet died in 1820.

In 1822, Smith married Harriet's sister, Elizabeth; they had five daughters: Harriet G., Jane, Sarah, Emily and Sophronia. They moved to Texas in 1827, where Elizabeth died of cholera in 1833.

In 1839, Smith married Elizabeth's twin Sarah. They had one daughter Elizabeth. Sarah died in Liberty, Texas in 1863.

References

External links

*worldcat id|lccn-n93-13690