Description
Relief of the Smith couple on a granite stone.
Inscription(s)
▴crosby county▴
in memory of henry clay smith, 'uncle hank' ...
born in germany, august 15, 1836. died may 20, 1912
and elizabeth boyle smith, 'aunt hank' ... born
july 12, 1848. died, june 5, 1925 ▴▴▴ pioneers of
the plains, builders of the rock house, 1877, a
monument to frontier hospitality▴▴▴▴▴▴▴▴
they sleep above the cap rock, at old emma▴
▴erected by the state of texas▴
▴1936▴
Information Sign
Marker of the Texas Historical Commission (which is missing):
|
high plains pioneer
HENRY CLAY SMITH
(1836-1912)
first to set up a post office
and to farm in crosby county;
first to break land and drill
a water well on high plains.
at start of civil war, he was
miner at pinos altos, new mexico
and joined in moves to take
gold and silver mines for south.
but indian raids closed mines.
when the confederate army
withdrew from arizona and mex-
ico in 1861, smith along with
others joined the south's cause.
served four years in texas and
spent rest of his life here.
replica of old rock house, he
built near here in 1877 is now
shown in museum at crosbyton.
1965
|
Annotation
Hank Smith, born Heinrich Schmitt in Rossbrunn, Germany, immigrated to the United States as a young boy and began a life that reflects the raw and endless opportunity that was America in the nineteenth century. Before settling in Blanco Canyon, north of Crosbyton, Hank was a bullwhacker, a surveyor, and panned for gold in Arizona. He was conscripted into the Confederate Army in 1861. When he left the Confederate ranks (his choice), he was forced into the Union Army. Hank landed in Crosbyton in 1878 with his wife, Elizabeth Boyle, born in Scotland. The Hank Smith house in Blanco Canyon was the first permanent dwelling on the South Plains. And Uncle Hank and Aunt Hank as they began to be called operated a store catering to buffalo hunters, ran the post office and built a life in one of the most beautiful spots on the featureless Llano Estacado.
The monument was erected at the 100th anniversary of Smith's birth.
Sculptor
- Unknown artist. Do you know who the sculptor is? please let us know.
Sources & Information
Tags
Locatie (N 33°39'35" - W 101°14'20") (Satellite view: Google Maps)
Item Code: ustx47; Photograph: 11 October 2010
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
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