DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it — and friend, this one's worth every word. Now, Comanche County, South Leon River, somewhere close to where you're rolling right now, there's a tract of land that once belonged to a man who lived about nine lives packed into one. His name was Ashbel Smith, and the story starts about as far from Texas as you can get.
Born in Connecticut, in 1805. Graduated from Yale at nineteen years old. Then he crossed an ocean and studied medicine in France — and while he was there, he managed to befriend the Revolutionary War hero Lafayette and a fellow named Samuel F.
B. Morse, the inventor. That's the kind of social calendar that makes you wonder what the man was doing wrong on his slow days.
He came back, practiced as a doctor in North Carolina, started getting interested in politics and government, and then — 1837 — he came to Texas. And Texas, as Texas tends to do, had plans for him. He was made Surgeon-General of the army.
And for that service, in 1839, he received a headright — that's the settler's land bounty — plus army pay, and what he got was a tract right here in what is now Comanche County, on the South Leon River, near this very site. But Texas wasn't done putting him to work. In 1842, he was sent to England and France as Texas charge d'affaires.
The Republic of Texas had its own foreign diplomacy, and Ashbel Smith was the man carrying the flag. Then he came home and served in the cabinet of President Anson Jones — as the last Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas. The last one.
Because after that, there wasn't a Republic anymore. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army in the Mexican War.
Then as a member of the Texas Legislature, 1855 to 1857, he worked on behalf of schools and railroads. And then the Civil War came. Smith commanded the 2nd Texas Infantry.
He won citations for bravery. He built defenses and helped save the Texas coast from Federal invasion. And in 1865, at the end of it all, he served as one of the commissioners empowered to negotiate peace terms for Texas.
That same year, he was elected to the Legislature — and then again in 1877. And if you thought the man was finally winding down, he had one more act. He served as the first chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas, where he set the ideals of scholarship for an institution that would outlast everything else he ever built.
Ashbel Smith died in 1886. Connecticut boy. Yale graduate.
Friend of Lafayette. Surgeon-General, diplomat, Secretary of State, soldier, legislator, and the first steward of a university. He's been gone a long while now — but that tract on the South Leon River still remembers his name.
What the marker says
(1805-1886) Born in Connecticut. Graduated at 19 from Yale. Studied medicine in France, where friends were Revolutionary War hero Lafayette and inventor Samuel F. B. Morse. As a North Carolina doctor he later took interest in politics and government. Came to Texas 1837. Was made Surgeon-General of army. As headright (settler's land bounty) and pay for army service, obtained in 1839 Comanche County tract on South Leon River, near this site. Was sent to England and France, 1842, as Texas charge d'affaires. In cabinet of President Anson Jones, was last Secretary of State of Republic of Texas. Served in U.S. Army in Mexican War. As member of Texas Legislature, 1855-1857, worked in behalf of schools and railroads. Won Civil War citations for bravery. Commanded 2nd Texas Infantry. Built defenses and helped to save Texas coast from Federal invasion. In 1865, at the end of the war, served as one of commissioners empowered to negotiate peace terms for Texas. Was elected to Legislature in 1865 and in 1877. Serving as first chairman of Board of Regents of University of Texas, set ideals of scholarship. (1965)