|
[ Back to Biographies ]
From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or dispute any historical facts in the article.
Past History and Present Stage of Development of Texas
Published by The Forrister History Company
Regan Printing House, Chicago, Ill.
I. G. Forrister, Publisher
(No date given. 1912??)
John Fleming Smith of Como, Northeast Texas, was born on a farm in Randolph County, Alabama, January 20, 1843, but reared
in Calhoun County, of that state. Of English descent, his grandfather, James Smith, was a native of South Carolina and a
Revolutionary soldier. His father, Enoch Smith, and his mother, Miss Jane Moore, were also natives of South Carolina, and
five daughters and four sons were born to this union, of whom the subject of this sketch, Esq. J. F. Smith, was third in
number. Sone few years after the civil war, the parents moved to Hopkins County, Texas, and settled on a farm in the Old
Caney church neighborhood. He is in his eightieth year, she in her seventy-sixth. Retracing to the scene of Alabama, Esq.
Smith enlisted in the Confederate army July 1, 1861, near Jacksonville, in Capt. "Bob" Draper’s Co. A, and Col. S. A.
Wood’s 7th Ala. Reg., Army of the Tennessee. During the first year he was in the battle of Beach Grove, near Tullahoma,
and numerous skirmishes, and was ordered from Pensacola, Fla., to East Tenn. to break up the obstreperous Cliff Regiment,
which mission was successful, but failed to capture Col. Cliff while taking a number of his men. Dropping back to
Chattanooga in the latter part of the first year, Mr. Smith’s regiment was ordered to Bowling Green, Ky., thence back
through Nashville, being the last to leave that city, and was there when the battle of Fort Donelson was fought, and his
regiment disbanded at Corinth, Miss., term of enlistment having expired, in April 1862. Mr. Smith next joined the 58th
Ala. Inf. at Mobile, was made orderly sergeant of Co. F., and after four months time left Mobile in October, 1862, on
being transferred to the Army of the Tennessee. Performed active skirmish work through Middle Tennessee, marched thence
to Chattanooga and was in the fiercest of the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain. In the
battle of Chickamauga, on Sept. 19-20, he fought under Gen. Wm. B. Bate, Capt. S. D. McClelland and Cols. Bush Jones and
J. W. Inzer - than whom braver soldier never drew sword - and in which the records of history show they lost more than
fifty per cent of their regiment at Snodgrass Hill in face of heavy artillery fire. The night before the battle of
Lookout Mountain his regiment was camped at the foot of Missionary Ridge, and performed skirmish duty from dark to
midnight on Lookout Mountain, when they were ordered to fall back and reach the valley between Missionary Ridge and
Lookout Mountain; marched across and took position on top of Missionary Ridge at Gen. Bragg’s extreme left. Having to
fight Hooker’s corps that night, they made a detour next morning and attacked Esq. Smith’s regiment in the rear at
Missionary Ridge. The lines were very thin and history gives it that 12,000 Confederate soldiers, largely of Bragg’s
army, were there captured. Esq. Smith was among those captured and taken to Rock Island (Illinois) prison; was confined
there for sixteen months; released March 20, 1865, and reached Richmond about the time Gen. Lee was getting ready to
evacuate that city. Was paroled, and, footing it most of the distance, reached his old home in Alabama about time of the
surrender, finding his people - father, mother and five single sisters - much broken in spirit and bereft of property.
Three of his brothers had participated in the Confederate army, one of which had died at Okolona, Miss., and all others
had been taken prisoners. Esq. Smith was married to Miss Catherine Wingo, youngest daughter of an old-time Methodist
minister, Sept. 27, 1866, and, having aided his parents to obtain a new material lease on life, left his Alabama home
Oct. 15, of that year for Lamar County, Texas, where they resided for two years, spent two years in Red River county, and
settled in woodlands of Hopkins county in 1870, where he purchased land. Esq. Smith, in association with Drs. T. J. Lynch
and W. Lewis, engaged in general merchandising business at Como, Dr. Lynch retiring in 1882, and Dr. Lewis ten years
later, leaving Mr. Smith in full control. The business is now incorporated as Como Mercantile Company, housed in a large
and handsome brick structure, and all stock owned by Esq. Smith, president, and his two sons, the store being one of the
largest in Hopkins county. In addition to has landed, town, realty, and mercantile interest, he has played a conspicuous
part in developing the Como Lignite Coal District. Mr. Smith recently gave a reunion dinner to his children - married and
unmarried - and divided equally among them $20,000 worth of property, retaining control of his coal interest in order to
develop same. He is a Mason and Baptist of long standing. (Edited)
|
