Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-02-27
n TEXAS PIONEER.
Death of a Distinguished CITIZEN Of |
the Lone star state.

the Lone star state.
Asp; cial telegram ANNOUNCE - o
death. at his lone IN Harris co"nty,
Texas, on The 21st of January. of Hon.
AShbCl Smith. was received Friday
morning. With this death one of tn
most distinguished of the ancient and
heroic band of Texan pioneers has
passed away and few of them left be-
hind.
Ashbel Smith WAS horn in Connect
cut in 1906. He graduated at Yale col
lege and then studied medicine. After
obtaining his medical degree he re-
moved to South Carolina and spent
som" wears there i'm the practice of his
profession, but subsequently visited
Paris, where Inc resided for a conSidera-
bic period. devoting himself to the study
of languages and the civil law. and
perfecting himself in his profession by
practicing in the hospitals of the French
capital.
In 1886 the Texas struggle for indie
pendence began to attract attention
both in America and Europe, and DIR.
Smith resolved to cspouse the cause of
the Texans. and sailed for America.
but this was before the DAYS of railway
and steamship travel. and he did not
arrivc4 in Texas until the great and de-
cisve battle of San Jacinto was fought.
He ut once rendered his services TO
President Sam Houston. and was early
in 1897 appointed surgeon general of
the Texas army. -.
From 1912 to 1915, under Presidents
Houston and Arson Jones, DR.. Smith
served the Texas Republican as am
bassador TO the court of France, and
subsequently performed special missions
for his country TO the courts Of Eng
land, Spain, and Sardinia. At Turin.
the capital of the latter kingdom, in
1912, the Texas ambassador attended
the wedding of Victor Emmanuel, then
crown prince. but subsequently, king of
Italy, who was married to the Arch
duchess Adelaide of Austria, afterward
the mother of Humbert w., the pres
ent king of Italy.
In 1915 DIR. Smith was secretary of
state to President Arson Jones, who
took an active interest in the negotia-
tons which brought about the annexa-
ton Of Texas TO the United States, and !
during the Mexican war lie acted as |
Texas commissioner with General Tay- |
lor's army. In 1S49 he was appointed |
by the president of the United States |
chief of the board of examiners at the |
academy at West Point. He |
serYed many terms in the state legisla-
ture, both before and after the civil |
war. AT the breaking out of that strug-
hn I'll. |
into the I'd regiment of
Texas infantry, and marched to the
scene of war IN Tennessee. 1t was en-
gagged in the battle of Shiloh, losing MANY
officers and men, and there Capt. Smith |
was promoted to be colonel of fine regi-
ment on the field, and served with great
gallantry to the close Of the war He
was warm friend of Gen. Albert Sid
ney Johnston, with whom he had served
IN the Texas national army.. and after
-he war, being member of the Texas
he offered motion that the
body of Zen. Johnston be inferred on
Texas soil at the, cost of the state. The
was adopted, and DIR. Smith
vas chairman of the committee which
lad charge of the matter. finally secur-
ng the lnterment OF the remains at
Austin, the Texas capital. tgf
DIR. Smith was a man of profound
earning, and up to the lime of his
ieath never neglected his duties. His
'harity was proyerbial, and for MANY
ears his services in a large medical
practice were given away freely to all,
while great part of his income from
estates was spent in private
His courage, fortitude
md endurance were invincible, and, al
hough advanced i'm life while in the
military service of the confederacy, few
men could equal him in undergoing the
lardships of q campaign. TO the end
" his long and useful life his energy
md activity never tagged, and at the
ipe of his death he was serving his
tate as president of the board of re-
,ents of the. Texas university. , He died
d@Sthe ripe age of 80 years. and was
me of the most distinguished and use
I'll men which Texas has ever produced.