Husband: William SMEATHERS
Birthdate: 1765-67
Birthplace: unknown
Death date: Aug 13 1837
Place of death: Columbia Texas
Father: unknown
Mother: unknown

Marriage date: prob by 1790
Marriage place: unknown

Wife: Mary WINTERS
Birthdate: 1769
Birthplace: Va ?
Death date: by 1810
Place of death: Prob Yellowbanks Ky
Father: Moses WINTERS
Mother: Elizabeth HEAD Crain

CHILDREN

Child No. 1: John Bate SMEATHERS Sr
Sex: M
Birthdate: prob 1790/93
Birthplace: TN
Death date: May 20 1846
Place of death: Lavaca Co TX
Marriage date: January 25 1836
Marriage place: Lavaca Co TX
Spouse's name: Mary Harris ASHBY

Child No. 2: Archibald Jacob SMEATHERS
Sex: M
Birthdate: 1794
Birthplace: Tennessee
Death date: October 1864
Place of death: Burleson Co TX
Marriage date: September 24 1824
Marriage place: Daviess Co KY
Spouse's name: Margaret GOODMAN

Child No. 3: Mary SMITHERS
Sex: F
Birthdate: 1795
Birthplace: Tennessee
Death date: August 1876
Place of death: Spencer Co IN
Marriage date: May 4 1812
Marriage place: Daviess Co KY
Spouse's name: Henry JONES
 
 
Documentation:
   Age Discrepancy on William Smeathers & family
   -Fact 1 1792 Listed as private in Tennessee Militia [Fr NENA-they took 16y old in the Militia..so say Wm was 16y then, he would been born around 1776..if he was 18y, b around 1774..and so forth backwards. We have NO clue how old he was. All we know is by 1792 there were at least 5 kids born already that should belong to him.
   Archibald Jacob Smeathers acc/to the Tx 1860 census listed himself as 65y old being b 1794/95 and his sister, the last child born to Wm and Mary Winters, was born acc/to census 1795.
   Fact 2 1810 census William Smeathers is listed as being between age 26-45
   [Fr NENA-we can NOT prove this was Wm in this census as the Wm here is listed as SMETHERS]
   Fact 3 1826 census William is listed as being between age 40-50
   Fact 4 1828 census William is listed as being age 55
   [FR Nena-notice if Wm was at least 50y on the 1826 census, then no way he could be 55y-2yrs later on the 1828 census, he could only be 52y at the most]
   [FR NENA-his Obituary in the Houston TELEGRAPH said he was 71y old when he died in 1837 making his born around 1766/67]
   Fact 5 1820 census Mary Smithers is listed as age 45 +
   Fact 6 1840 census Mary Smithers is listed as age 60-70
   [Mary is NOT listed as Mary, she is listed as POLLY]
   If 81 in 1860 she would have been 31 in 1810
   [Fr NENA-Mary died in 1846 Spencer Co In, no way was she in an 1860 census. Her will is on file in Spencer Co In 1846 and in this census Mary gives to HER Half SISTER JANE SMEATHERS GRASS custody of her son/nephew James Smeathers because of his mental deficiency which on the 1850 census lists James in the HH of JANE SMEATHERS GRASS as Mary is NOW DEAD, [as well as Jane's husband, Judge DAniel Grass] and the census says that James is listed as 'IDIOTIC']
   Fact 7 1820 census Jane Smeathers GRASS is listed as 26-45 = 41
   Fact 8 1830 census Jane is listed as 50- under 60 = 51
   Fact 9 1840 census Jane is listed as 60- under 70 = 61
   Fact 10 1850 census Jane is listed as 71
   Fact 11 1860 census Jane is listed as 81
   [Fr Nena-this is correcto mungo.meaning Jane was born around 1779-1780-depending on her month an day of birth and month when census was taken] Jane Smeathers GRASS died 1867 Spencer Co In, will is on file there. She died 88/89y.
   If 69 in 1850 she would have been 29 in 1810 [?????]
   Fact 12 1820 census Elizabeth Smeathers STATLER is listed age 26-45 = 39
   Fact 13 1830 census Elizabeth is listed age 40- under 50 = 49
   Fact 14 1840 census Elizabeth is listed age 50- under 60 = 59
   Fact 15 1850 census Elizabeth is listed age 69
   Fact 16 Cemetery records Elizabeth born 1781 [JUNE]
   [FR-NENA-acc/to gravestone she also died in Dec 9 1859]78/79yrs old. Even at the max age of 45 in 1810 William SMEATHERS was only 14 when Jane was born - [even so, this well could have occurred, have seen many kids even 13y married and had kids back then] [Fr NENA-we cant depend on 1810 census, unless we SEE it for real and KNOW for sure is our William Smeathers.
   THE TEXAS CONNECTION OF WILLIAM SMEATHERS-other folks used the sp of Smithers and Smothers, Smeathers always used Smeathers.
   1811-July - Following Col. Daviess' death at Battle of Tippecanoe, John Rowan & James Mead went to Hartford Court to try to collect on the Smeathers note. It was continued until 1813. [possibly due to Wm Smeathers had gone to TX. Rowan can be remembered as the owner of the home which the song "My Old Ky Home" was written.]
   1811-Autumn - Steamboat New Orleans came to the Yellowbanks where Smeathers cabin was located and dug for coal, the first recorded instance of coal being mined in what would become Daviess Co KY -Smeathers returned to Ky until 1820
   1811-October - Awarded $400 damages in suit against Henry Roberts for slaundering Smeathers name.[H Potter Sesquicentennial HistFactbook]
   1811-1812-CORNSTALK MILITIA enlistment ready to supply soldiers for War of 1812 - Wm Smeathers, Captain, KY Mounted Spies, Enlistment Sept 18 1812 To what time engaged or enlisted October 30 1812 - Official Record Wm enlists in Major Touisant Dubois Company for KY Mounted Spies. Wm is Capt of his own batallion which inc. Privates' John Berry [husband of Betsy Smeathers], William Glenn [husband of Margaret Smeathers] & other names assoc. w/Wm inc John Glenn,Wm & John Meeks. Wm's son, John Smeathers is a Private in the co. Oct 30 Wm discharged at Vincennes In.
   1813-April - Cont case of Daviess note was dismissed and Smeathers was awarded damages which inc 150#'s of tobacco plus court costs.
   1814 - ?
   1815-April - Smeathers cabin site selected as the county seat by commissioners appointed by the first County Court
   1815 - John Berry and Betsy Smeathers Berry moved with a big group from Tn headed to Monroe Co In with a stay over in Lawrence Co Il at the Christian Settlement until the In lands opened. Betsy prob d 1818 in In & maybe buried at the Centerville Cemetery which was the ole Pioneer cemetery. John Berry m Gracie Treat in Bloomington In Jul 1819. Wm stated on the Tx census he was fr In. Mary Jane Smithers [Foster] Wm's 2nd dau Mary - states in her 1910 letter to her Uncle John, "John Berry brought John Smothers to TX 5yrs bef my father came & crossed the Sabine Rvr w/Austin's Colony." We know John Berry went to TX in 1826 so obviously did Wm's son John sr. Mary Jane also states "My father [Archibald Jacob] came to TX when I was 5 yrs old." MJ was born Sept 11 1825. This puts her father in TX abt 1830. So by 1830 we have Wm, his sons John & Archibald & soninlaw John Berry in TX.
   1816-October - Won $10 judgement against David Glover KY [factbook] 1817- ?
   1818-Wm Smeathers rec'd order to be on Grand Jury Daviess Co IN. 1819-?
   1820-Nelson Co Ky census Listing for William Seathers No twsp #210 . He then prob left for TX for 2nd and last time.
   1820-37 - William in Texas-From "History of Tx" by H. Yoakum, The Steck Co Austin Tx 1935 Vol 1-'From the discovery of Galveston Island in 1686 by the LaSalle Colony til 1816 it has been unsettled. A few roving Carankawaes resort to west end to fish; no human habitation on Island. Beginning 1816 Island covered w/green grass which deer herds ate.' Noted by Elsie Turk Smothers: The above Carankawaes were cannibals. A Smothers researcher fr La stated there is a document in Mex City states the Spanish gov offered to give Galveston Isl to Bill Smothers and he refused the offer bec there was no fresh water and the pelican eggs tasted fishy. Thomas McCreery used these words in his Smothers article. I tried to get the paper thru the Mex official but was told the only way the paper could be secured would be to personally come to Capitol.
   1817 Jean LaFitte set up shop on the Island for his slave trade.
   1821 - From the Brazoria County Historical Museum-
   "Wm Smithers (1782-1837) pro guide/hunter who first came to TX 1809 [we believe they had his dob as 1782 bec of the Dewitt census listing him as 55..1782-1837=55, they did not do their math correctly!] ret with Austin/Rightor as a scout/hunter Dec 1821. 14 workmen several investor adventurers left New Orleans Nov 25 1821 arr at mouth Brazos Dec 3. explored river built a cabin at Ft Bend, but most returned to LA when they did not find the empresario. [1822 Wm Smithers lived on Caney Creek in present Matagorda Co 1824 rec a headright on the Brazos."]
   -1821-Historical Journal of Stephen F. Austin
   -Wm Smithers came into TX with Austin to explore the coastal area to decide on a place to plant his first colony of 300 familes.Austin rec'd this responsibility fr/his dying father & since he had not been to TX wanted men to inspect land for colonies. He selected them carefully which inc 14 workmen & 7 several investor adventurers. They left Natchitoches,New Orleans & Nov 25 arriving at the mouth of the Brazos Dec 3. Smithers then being 1 of 5 left to build Ft Bend for the safety of the settlers Austin was to bring. Baker in "Texas Scrapbook" said "The 5 left were the first of the Ole 300 & inc Wm Little, Wm Smithers, Charles Beard, Joseph Polly & Henry Holster".The others not left behind, returned to LA when they did not find the empresario. Austin planned to return to TX in Nov 1821 to survey the colony with crew of workmen that sailed fr New Orleans aboard the schooner LIVELY going to the Colorado Rvr but was detained. In Austin's own words-"July 9 1821-company started fr McGuffins-to wit-Richard Lovelace, Neil, Gasper, Bellew, Henry Holstein fr Catahoula; Wm Wilson fr Was DC; James Beard & Wm Little fr St Louis; Dr Hewitson, Irwin, & Wm Smithers fr In; G Bush fr Natchitoches; and the last 2 I emploid as hunters during the trip & agreed to furnish them with ammunition & let them come into the settlement on an equal footing with the other settlers. [this answers ? why Pappy got a full league of land]; Bush furnished a horse for himself & Smothers; Wilson mounted on the black mule, Beard on the Bay horse, Little on brown mule. pg 6-3 mules for pack. I rode on Little's horse, left thomas McGuffins came to lst water of Sabine, Smithers and Lovelace killed a deer & we camped at Lenan Creek 15mi...after selecting a site for his colony, re paired by land to New Orleans. Bef leaving he selected a great bend in Brazos Rvr where Richmond is now, and left 5 young men there to build a fort-Wm Little, Wm Smithers, Charles Beard, Joseph Polly & Henry Holster. Baker in "Texas Scrapbook" said-"these 5 men were the lst of the 'Ole 300', none preceded them. A historical marker is on Brazos Rvr banks at Richmond in the honor of these 5 men, inc. our Pappy Smeathers.
   -1822 March -Austin went to San Antonio when he found no one at the mouth of the Colorado River Gov. Martinez gave him a passport for Mx City so he could see the new officials about his colony contract.Austin reached the capital Apr 29 there 1 yr later due to political turmoil.
   -1823 CENSUS SMOTHERS WILLIAM Riverbrassos TX Province Of Texas
   -1823 Jan - Austin's empresario contract was approved under the Imperial Colonization Law but the empire collapsed in Mar a republic was orgd. The empresario had to wait for approval of the contract by the new officials bef returning home. Arriving in July Austin located his capital town, San Felipe de Austin where the Atascosito Rd crossed the Brazos Rv. Portions of the Coushatta Trace were used to estab boundaries of the Bastrop & Viesca precincts. Named the town in honour of his patron saint & the Empresario; ordered a survey/plat of prescribed squares & streets in/acc w/Mexican law.
   -1823 - Texas Tax 1820-1829 List Wm Smothers Riverbrassos Co Province of Texas ID#TXS2a1169111
   -1824 -settlers had remained in the area without deeds to their land until Baron De Bastrop, state appointed Land Commissioner arrived in July. The liberal Mexican Federalist Constitution policy invited practically any foreigner to become a citizen of Mexico & left it to provincial govt to adm nat policy.
   -1824 July 7- Tx Austin, Mexicounty Territory,Wm Smithers, Austin Co TX Rec'd his Land Grant for League of Land 4428.40 ac he applied for on Brazos River. Desc of Land 7-16-1824 Gen Land Off, Austin.
   Record filed 10-23-1826. Recorded 11-1-1826. Abt#90 Vol 118.1. Deed record describe this land abt a quarter league abv Coushatta crossing of the Brazos being granted to Wm Smeathers July 13 1824.
   Wm Smeathers received "un sitio de tierra" (a site of land) his original land grant signed by Stephen F. Austin, Samuel Williams & Baron de Bastrop. The name is spelled Smithers within the document, but signed by William Smeathers.
   District County Page Abst Date Volume Acres
   Austin Austin 2 90 William Smithers 16 Jul 1824 118;1 4428.40 Title
   In the 1820-1836 Census of the Austin Colony, he is listed as single and 40-50 years old, e.g. b between 1770-1780. He rec a league of land in the colony on 16 Jul 1824. This statement goes against what was allowed for single men.[but we know why-Austin assured he would get an equal share as other family men] CLASS 1:Unconditional -arr by 2 Mar 1836: Married man w/family received a league(4,428.3 acres) & a labor (177.1 acres) Single man over 17 received 1/3 league (1,476.1 acres). [This is interesting in the fact that it says a married man with family gets a league of land 4428.3 ac. Wm received a league, bec Austin promised it to him as his scout]. I have a copy of his Land Grant and it does say one league of Land to be conceded to him. It also says its on the west margin of the Brazos and "having come to said place with my FAMILY and chattels with intention of locating myself in colonial settlement.." Signature, Wm Smeathers]
   -1825-1828 - Austin received 3 more 6 yr contracts from the state, not the Natl.Govt. He settled about 1000 families between the Lavaca Rvr & Galveston Bay and below the San Antonio to Nacogdoches Rd. A few were settled above the rd in present Travis & Bastrop counties.
   http://www.bchm.org/Austin/mthrmap2.jpg
   The govt & state of Coahuila y Texas est the elaborate Empresario System to colonize & dev the state by strategy of selective immigration & assimilation. While most immigrants knew little/no Spanish the bureaucratic hurdles of obtaining an indiv parcel of land were immense, most referred to an empresario's colony for organ purpose. Mexican-born citizens were given pref as empresarios allowed a max of 11 leag of land w/pref of those having TX military service. Indians were not excluded, first enclouraged to trade w/settlements & when demonstrating civility were to rec/land on equal terms w/colonists of all origins.
   -1825 April 25- No census but Wm Smithers sold a piece of land on Brazos to JT Bell & deed is recorded in San Felipe which would be center of Mexicounty Territory signed by Austin. Signed by Wm Smeathers & wittnessed by Richard Callaway, Richard Royall & Thomas Westall. At the end of the deed there is a paragraph signed by Samuel Williams & Estaban F. Austin. Recorded at San Felipe.
   -1825 May 28 - Wm Smithers rec'd deeded land by Noel R. Roberts. Signed by Austin. Recorded San Felipe. deeded does not mean bought. This was a "titulo de Venda" No. 11 when Noel R.Roberts deeded land to Wm Smithers, the spelling used throughout the deed.
   -1826 CENSUS SMITHERS WILLIAM Bastrop Co TX ID#TXS2a1168724 Austin Mexicounty Terr Austin Colony Census Wm Smithers listed as 40-50, single. [by 1826 Wm has gone from the Brazos River to Bastrop Co which is about 3 counties No of Dewitt County]
   -1826 - Elsie says he rode into Lavaca County w/stock, items,etc..sounds like entry of 1828 to me. No record of him in Dewitt 1826. How could he be in Dewitt Colony in 1826 when he is in Austin Colony?
   -1827 - No idea where he is..still at the Austin Colony in Bastrop County which is near Austin Tx?? Prob getting ready to go to Dewitt as his son John will be there in Jan 1828. Was there long enough to be est for a creek near Rocky Creek and community to be name "Yellowbanks" aft his KY Yellowbanks.
   -1828 CENSUS SMEATHERS WILLIAM Nacogdoches Co TX Green Dewitts Colony TX Tax List, ID#TXSa1148467. Now Wm has gone from Bastrop Co down south to the Dewitt Colony. He obviously had to ride his 1 horse, herd 18 cows, 20 pigs and had 1 laborer to help him. This would take at least a month or more. A horse can travel 10mi a day at a walk. But herding cows and pigs would take longer. Dewitt Colony census listed in TX State Hist Assoc Quarterly. He is a Casado [house dweller], has 1 horse, 18 cows, 20 pigs, 1 laborer and says he's 55 yrs old and his wife is dead. His son John arr Jan 1828.
   SMEATHERS: William Smeathers (Smothers), widower, 55, M, Indiana-1 horse, 18 cattle, 20 hogs.
   ["Su muger muerta," or "widower."] John Smothers widower, Sep, 1828, 4 persons
   -1828 - Wm Smeathers arrives in Green Dewitt Colony. Lavaca County Survey Blk Grantee Leag Section Abs WILLIAM SMITHERS W.Smithers 401 Receiving another grant in the Dewitt Colony???
   -1829 SMEATHERS WILLIAM Nacogdoches Co TX ID#TXS2a1148466 No Tnp Listed [Of course none of these counties existed in 1823-1829 where they come up with Nacogdoches Co in the Township of Dewitts Colony. As far as I can tell Dewitts Colony was never near present day Nacogdoches Co La. It may be that Nacogdoches Co did extend as far west to be part of Dewitt Co.]Dewitts Colony - Beginning at the right bank of Arroyo de la Vaca at a distance of the reserved ten leagues from the coast, adjoining the colony of Stephen Austin on the east, the line shall go up the river to the Bejar-Nacogdoches road; it shall follow this road until it reaches a point two leagues to the west of Guadalupe River; thence it shall run parallel with the river down to the Paraje de las Mosquitos (Place of the Mosquitos); and following the inner edge of the ten league coast reservation, it shall close the boundaries of the grant at the point of the beginning.
   -1830 - Citizens of TX Census [Republic of Tx Tax Roll] by Gifford White does not list Wm Smeathers/Smithers acc/to Brazoria Lib. But John & Archibald Smothers are listed.
   1830-1833 - Do not have a rec of where Wm was. His son John rec'd title to land on San Marcos River,Caldwell Co [later part of Gonzales] May 8 1832 Dewitt contract w/3 children and as a widower.
   He states he has been living there since 1827. He does not marry Mary Ashby til Jan 1836. He is listed as a Lavaca voter in Feb 1836. Meanwhile, John Berry[m dau Betsy Smeathers], who came to Tx as a Robertson Colonists with Archibald Smeathers[s/oWinters/Smeathers] is located in Burleson County. He was in Bastrop Co where he rec'd a town lot in 1831 until 1836. Settled on Berry Creek 1847. Archibald Smothers rec'd land in Lavaca county Mar 27 1835. His dau Mary Jane Foster in a 1910 letter says her father came to Tx when she was 5 yrs old [she being born 1825]so he came abt 1830-31. She says John Berry came with John Smeathers sr abt 5 yrs bef her father=1825-26.She says her grandfather Wm Smothers came 15 yrs bef Austin colony=1810. She says she came in 1853 and her father in Burleson Co se of Caldwell, where John Berry was living on Berry Creek. Berry Creek is 3mi east of Caldwell. So we have no trace of Archibald or Wm during this 3 yrs period, poss b they were around John Berry in Liberty.
   -1834-Oct - Wm Smeathers shows up receiving deeded land by James Kerr in Lavaca Co on Rocky Creek.[we remember this is near where Wm named the community Yellowbank-so he could be hanging out there evading census takers as usual] Jas Kerr owned the entire league, but sold only the east half to Smeathers near the Lavaca Rvr. Deed rec Gonzales 1838. DeWitt Colony;Oct 1834 Republic of TX Co of Austin. This deed was written in its entirety by William Smeathers and signed by him.
   -1835 - June Republic of TX Co of Austin - Wm Smeathers sold this land (one-half league 9 in class 9) to Robert Handy, founder of Richmond Tx for $6,000. This spelling used throughout the document Wm Smeathers. Deed is signed, not filed til Oct 1838. March 27 Archibald is receiving his land in Dewitt, Lavaca Co
   -1836 - Brazoria Co TX formed from the Old Mexican Municipality. Fall of the Alamo was Mar 6.[my birthday]
   -1836 Sept 9-Wm Smeathers summoned as wittness by Sheriff O.A. Veitch for a trial of State vs Jacob Maste, John Rictor, Jackson Rictor & B T Thompson Nacogdoches court. Subpoenas iss to Neal Martin, Charlotte Martin.Not served. [His son John is in Gonzales Co. Wm might be there] 1836 Oct 10-Subpoenas iss/att to serve on Wm Smeathers in trial of Rep Tx vs Jackson Rector. Notation on papers: Impossible to serve in time.
   -1837 - Austin Colony formed from the old Mexican Municipality
   -1837 Aug - Wm Smeathers makes a will & is on file in Angleton TX dies 8 days later. Houston Telegraph says he was resident of Columbia Brazoria Co. [Mary Jane says he died at John Berry's, Burleson County] Dorothy Gentry in Law of the Heart book of Wm Smeathers says, "It was early August, Fallnash & Colvin [Wm's hunting pals] prepared to take the hunt w/Bill as the 3 had planned. Hitched their horses near the spring, took cool drink & walked up the hill to Bill's cabin. Climbing over the fence, Bill's 2 dogs ran forth. As the men entered the cabin, the body of Bill Smeathers lay on his bearskin rug. He wore a woolen white cap, his locks & beard whiter stilll. His tomahawk belted to his side & his open palm rested near lock of his gun. Fallnash kneeled by thinking of the man who had saved his son's life fr the alligator. Colvin went outside to calm his emotions."
   1837 - WILLIAM SMEATHERS OBITUARY-Houston Telegraph Aug 19 1837.
   "At Columbia on the morning of the 13th inst. in the 71st year (b 1766) of his age, Mr Wm Smeathers who was one of the earliest pioneers of this country having resided in Texas nearly seventeen years, subject to all the privations of a new and uncultivated country, and bravely maintaining himself single handedly on the frontier against the assaults of numerous hoards of predatory savages in many a hard fought fray. But his course is finished and he has gone to his final audit. In his death his country has lost a bold and hearty defender, and his family a kind parent."
   Washington Irving wrote of William/Smeathers/Smithers in his "Knickerbocker Sketchbook".
   Theodore Roosevelt wrote of him in his "Winning of the West".
   Hon. Thomas Clay McCreery, US Senator from Kentucky wrote a 15 part series on Bill's life. 1866 - "Life & Times of William Smothers" by Thomas Clay McCreery After you read those chapters McCreery wrote you will be able to totally recognize anything else you read, as his writing...the Hugh Potter "History of Daviess Co", "Owensboro" by the Lee's, Dorothy Gentry's book-"Law of the Heart".
   Thomas Clay McCreery was b 1816 d 1890 and was a distinguished US Senator & historian,grandson of Thomas Clay. As you read "Life and Times of Wm Smothers" 15 part article he wrote & published in the KY Monitor magazine in 1866 you will see its like an interview between an Anthony Thompson, that was Justice of the Peace of Nelson Co KY and did own land in the area. Did Wm's story start here first?
   In a recent publication by Hugh Potter, "History of Owensboro and Daviess County", Chapter 2 is titled, "William Smeathers".
   Dorothy Gentry wrote his story in Law of the Heart pub 1982 KY.
   Other books have chapters on him including a recent book titled, "History of Brazoria county" with a chapter on William Smeathers/Smithers.
   Bill Smeathers/Smithers/Smothers is mentioned in many history books in Texas and Kentucky.
   "Owensboro and the Kentucky Militia" -It was inevitable that more settlers would come to "YellowBanks", the place later named Owensboro. Smothers was resentful at first and decided on a violent course of action at once, but then realizing the futility of such action, began to make friends with the newcomers. He was a civic minded man and believed in law and order. He served the Ohio Circuit Court, and the County Court in three capacities. He was a member of the first four Grand Juries which met at Hartford after Kentucky established a system of Circuit Courts in 1803. He opened his cabin in 1807 as a local court house for taking depositions in early boundary suits. He was appointed Land Commissioner along with his friend, Benjamin Duncan by the Ohio County Court for the conveyance and division of land. He and Duncan executed deeds to large tracts of land in what is now Daviess County.
   Bill Smeathers (Smithers-Smothers) served in the Kentucky "Cornstalk" Militia in 1803.
   He was a Captain of a group of spies in the War of 1812. In his company was his son, John Smeathers Sr, and his son-in-law, John Berry, who by now had married John's daughter-Betsy Smeathers.
   A historical marker has been placed beside the Ohio River at Owensboro to honor Bill Smothers as founder. It reads"
   BILL SMOTHERS PARK-SITE OF HOME OF WILLIAM SMEATHERS (BILL SMOTHERS) WHO IN 1797-98 MADE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLEMENT AT YELLOW BANKS, NOW OWENSBORO. OFFICER IN KENTUCKY'S "CORNSTALK MILITIA" IN 1803 AND ON EXPEDITION UP THE WABASH AGAINST THE INDIANS IN THE WAR OF 1812, UNDER GENERAL SAMUEL HOPKINS. HE THEN WENT TO TEXAS AS A HUNTER AND GUIDE. DIED THERE IN 1837.
   AJ Sowell in his History of Ft. Bend County states, "The five young men were the first installment of the "Old Three Hundred". A marker placed at the site of Old Fort Bend Texas reads:
   Site of FORT BEND BUILT IN NOVEMBER 1821 BY WILLIAM LITTLE, WILLIAM SMITHERS,CHARLES BEARD, JOSEPH POLLY AND HENRY HOLSTER. ITS NAME WAS GIVEN TO THE COUNTY WHEN CREATED IN 1837.
   While in Texas, Smithers was a great friend to Jim Bowie and went on many Indian campaigns with him. However, the health of Smothers began taking its toll for he began having trouble with his weakened heart. Bill Smithers remained on the Brazos River, except for a brief period when he and his sons, John Sr. and Archibald, went into Lavaca County where they acquired land, and were among the first to settle in the county. And to this date, this land is still in the Smothers family. William Smothers spend his last days on the Brazos River near Columbia. In the summer of 1837, he made a date for one last hunt with his friends, and when the men went to his cabin that fall, they found his lifeless body lying on a bearskin rug. They buried him there beside his cabin. No one has been able to locate his grave. An account of his death was printed in the "Houston Telegraph" which Grace Seaver located and had a xerox copy of the entire newspaper sheet on which the death notice appears made.The original will of William Smeathers is on file in the County Courthouse at Angleton. He left all he had to his son, Archibald, his son-in-law, John Berry, and his grandsons, John Bate Berry and Andrew Jackson Berry. Interestingly, I wonder why he did not include, Archibald's brother, John Sr., my gr gr gr grandad? Unless, it was due to the fact John Sr already had his own land & his wife was divorcing him, plus the Berry's other brother, Joseph was not inc and he did not die til 1842. From the Handbook of Texas Online-by Elsie TURK Smothers & Nena Smothers check this link as Wallace McKeenan has corrected some info.
   http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/smothers.htm.