DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Matt and Rebecca Smith House in Lampasas County. Now settle in, because this one's got layers. You've got a lawman, a hotel keeper, a socially connected woman, and a Queen Anne cottage that's been standing since about 1902 — and that's just the start of it.
John Madison Smith — went by Matt, which tells you something about a man right there — was born in 1858, and while he was still just a young boy, his family put down roots in Burnet County, Texas. The land had a hold on him from early on. By 1891, Matt had found himself a partner worth keeping: he wed Rebecca Wells, and whatever plans they had for a quiet life, well, Lampasas had other ideas.
See, before they ever made it to Lampasas, Matt was already pinned up with a badge, working as a deputy sheriff. Then in 1896, the two of them made the move to Lampasas together, and they didn't come empty-handed — they came ready to work. The Smiths took on the Lampasas Hotel.
A hotel, a restaurant, and a saloon, all under one roof, all under their watch. You want to talk about a full plate, that right there is a full plate. And while Matt kept right on working as a deputy sheriff — because apparently running a hotel wasn't quite enough to keep a man occupied — he also served as a deputy U.S.
Marshal. Two badges, a hotel, a restaurant, and a saloon. Rebecca, meanwhile, wasn't sitting idle.
She was active socially and served on the Oak Hill Cemetery committee, which in a Texas town of that era was no small responsibility. Rebecca lived until 1945, Matt until 1936. All those years, and the house they built around 1902 is still here to tell the tale.
A Queen Anne cottage with scrolled brackets, a hipped roof, and cross gables — the kind of design details that say these two weren't just passing through. They built something meant to last. And it did.
What the marker says
John Madison "Matt" and Rebecca Wells Smith built this Queen Anne cottage circa 1902. Matt (1858-1936) moved to Burnet County, Texas as a young boy, and in 1891, he wed Rebecca (d. 1945). He served as a deputy sheriff before the couple moved to Lampasas in 1896. Here, they operated the Lampasas Hotel, a restaurant and saloon. Matt continued to work as a deputy sheriff and also as a deputy U.S. Marshal, and Rebecca was active socially and served on the Oak Hill Cemetery committee. Design features on the house include scrolled brackets and a hipped roof with cross gables. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2006