Henry Smith

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)

Henry Smith is a historical marker in Austin, Travis County, dedicated in 1983. It is one of 320 historical markers documented in Travis County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 591 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 30.2724, -97.7417 near Austin. The nearest cataloged historic site is Governor Elisha Marshall Pease (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Governor Andrew Jackson Hamilton, Governor James Edward Ferguson_Governor Miriam A. Ferguson, and African Americans in the Texas Revolution.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015055. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.