Erastus "Deaf" Smith--a Texas Hero

By Celia Yeary

The History Channel's portrayal of the Texas Revolution titled TEXAS RISING, does have many errors or misconceptions, but still, it's entertaining. The characters interest me more, though, than the actual inconsistences of the battles, skirmishes or landscape.
One particular character worthy of praise is the character Deaf Smith. His real name was Erastus "Deaf" Smith. This man was truly a hero, although very quiet. Since he was deaf, he didn't speak very much.

ERASTUS "DEAF" SMITH

Some called him Johnny-on-the-Spot.

Erastus Smith was born in Dutchess County, New York in 1787. In 1798, his family moved near Natchez, Mississippi. In 1821, at age 34, he moved on to Texas for health reasons. His health apparently recovered except for a partial loss of hearing, hence the nickname "Deaf" Smith, pronounced "Deef Smith."

PRESENT DAY
PRESIDIO SAN ANTONIO de BEXAR
A FORT ON THE BANKS OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER

In 1822, he married a Tejana, Guadalupe Ruiz Duran, a widow with three children. The couple also had four children together. Smith settled his family in Presidio San Antonio de Bexar where he became accepted as a member of the Tejano (Latino-Texan) community.

Smith, also known as "El Sordo," (the deaf man) appeared in many areas of Mexican Texas and was in most significant actions related to development of the region both under Mexico and during evolution of independence. At San Antonio de Bexar, he introduced a fine stock of Muley cattle from Louisiana to the Texas area, where the Longhorn breed was previously popular.

SAN JACINTO MONUMENT
IN HOUSTON, TEXAS
SITE OF THE LAST BATTLE
FOR INDEPENDENCE FROM
MEXICO, LED BY SAM HOUSTON

Erastus “Deaf” Smith, became an ace scout, soldier, spy, and hero of the Texas Revolution. He also commanded Sam Houston’s scouts at the Battle of San Jacinto. As a scout, he set up the Battle of Concepcion and the Grass Fight, and he brought the Widow Dickenson and her baby back to safety from the fallen Alamo. When Sam Houston wanted Vince’s Bridge destroyed, so that neither his Texans nor Santa Anna’s troops could escape the field of San Jacinto, he called on Deaf Smith. Smith also briefly captained a company of Texas Rangers after the War.

Erastus Smith died in November of 1837, when the Republic of Texas was barely a year old. Sadly, he lost his eyesight, too, before he died. Smith became a folk hero in Texas.

Deaf Smith County borders New Mexico in the far-flung Panhandle of Texas. The county is one of about fifty descendant counties from Bexar County in South Texas (San Antonio.)

 

TEXAS RISING:
ERASTUS "DEAF" SMITH
PLAYED BY ACTOR
JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN



SPECIAL NOTE: 

February 19 is Texas Statehood Day. On this day in 1846, the Lone Star Flag came down, and the government passed to the new state of Texas.

DEAF SMITH COUNTY CORN SALAD (from the County Fair)

In a saucepan, combine: ¾ cup vinegar, ¾ cup corn oil, ¾ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil—set aside to cool.

Prepare: 1 cup chopped green pepper, 1 cup chopped celery, ½ cup chopped green onions and tops. Place in a mixing bowl.

Drain: one 16-ounce can shoepeg corn, one 8-ounce can LaSeur peas, one 2-ounce jar diced pimentos.

Lightly mix the chopped and the drained vegetables. Pour the vinegar and oil mixture over vegetables and mix. Refrigerate several hours. The salad stays crisp for days.

(Disclaimer: Recipe from “Tastes and Tales of Texas,” but the same recipe can be found in numerous other cookbooks, and written on 3x5 recipe cards in many kitchens.)   
 

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/celiayeary
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Sources:
History Channel "Texas Rising" site
Wikipedia
Handbook of Texas On-Line
Wikimedia
Note: Original Post from February 2012-revised and re-edited