Family of
August George Smith
 

August George Smith

August George Smith was born in Lampassas County, April 7, 1857, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Sargent) Smith. Elizabeth (Sargent) Smith, a native of England, died at the age of 76 at Matagorda.
 

Jacob Smith was born in Germany, from whence he came to the United States in the early thirties, and coming to Texas, became a rancher and farmer, and was very successful. He participated in the war with Mexico, was in the war between Texas and Mexico, and when was was declared between the states, he once more enlisted and fought in the Confederate army until peace was declared. This excellent farmer and sturdy citizen lived until 1903, when he passed away at the age of 84, at Matagorda. Eight children were born to him and his wife, namely: Jacob, who died at the age of fifteen years; Mary, who married A. C. Bruce, a stockman of Matagorda County, had eight children; Millie A., who never married; Cornelius, a daughter, who married Henry Freeman, a farmer of Matagorda County, had five children; August George, who was the next in order of birth; Belle, who married Tom Burke,  farmer of Matagorda County, had one child; and Morgan, who was in the stock business and was the owner of the ice place in Matagorda, married Winnie Holt, and they had four children.
 

At the time August George Smith was a boy and youth the opportunities for acquiring an education in Texas were very few, and such as he had were afforded him by a private school, but he did the best he could, and he added to his store of knowledge by close observation and contact with men of affairs. His first business experience came through farming, and in it he found his life work, and he continued to farm and raise cattle until about 1918, when he sold his interests with the exception of 206 acres, which he rented to tenants. He owned a comfortable house in Matagorda and was a man of substance and influence.

August George Walker married Mrs. Sallie Walker, the widow of Henry Walker, of Flatonia, and three children were born to them; Jacob, who was in the confectionery business at Gulf, Texas, married Josephine Sargent, no children; Belle, who married Clifford Lawham, an oil operator, had two children, Jane and Joe; and Guy, who was field manager for the Gulf Sulphur Company, married Cottie Savage, no children. Mrs. August G. Smith passed away at Matagorda June 6, 1918 and is buried there. Mr. Smith was a Democrat, although he never sought public office and gave his party full support. He did not affiliate with any religious organization, nor had he any fraternal connections, his home and family having absorbed his interest.

There were few men in this section who stood any higher in public esteem than he, and he had a wide circle of warm personal friends.
 

August George Smith lived through many stages of development, including the Indian period, the open range and ox driven wagons. He was numbered among the most highly esteemed residents of Matagorda County.

Texas Under Many Flags, Clarence W. Wharton, American Historical Society, 1930

Matagorda County Genealogical Society Publication, Oak Leaves, Vol. 8 #3, May 1989
 

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