Ashbel Smith. Photo courtesy of the Texas Medical Association.

Ashbel Smith

Full Name: Ashbel Smith
Date of birth: August 13, 1805
Date of death: January 21, 1886

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
H 33 Jan 14, 1879 - Jan 11, 1881 16th (1)   Democrat Cedar Bayou / Harris   Harris
H 36 Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870 11th (2)     Houston / Harris   Harris
H 36 Nov 5, 1855 - Nov 2, 1857 6th     Cedar Bayou / Harris   Harris

(1) Democrat, 1/14/1879, p. 1. Galveston Daily News.
(2) Roster of 11th Legislature, House of Representatives, "Texas Legislative Proceedings," 8/11/1866, p. 1. Galveston Daily News.

Terms of Service top

House District 33
Jan 14, 1879 - Jan 11, 1881
Legislatures: 16th (1)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Cedar Bayou / Harris
Counties in district: Harris
House District 36
Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870
Legislatures: 11th (2)  
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Harris
House District 36
Nov 5, 1855 - Nov 2, 1857
Legislatures: 6th  
Home City/County: Cedar Bayou / Harris
Counties in district: Harris

(1) Democrat, 1/14/1879, p. 1. Galveston Daily News.
(2) Roster of 11th Legislature, House of Representatives, "Texas Legislative Proceedings," 8/11/1866, p. 1. Galveston Daily News.

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Biographical Sketches

  • Biography in LRL collection, 328.764 SM51S 1982, Ashbel Smith of Texas: Pioneer, Patriot, Statesman, 1805-1886, 1982.
  • SMITH, ASHBEL (1805-1886). Handbook of Texas Online.
  • Portrait and biographical sketch. Lone Star Junction, 1995.
  • Biographical sketch and portrait, Dr. Ashbel Smith, pp. 69-74. The Medicine Man in Texas, 1930.
  • Biographical sketch, pp. 260-261. Born in 1806. Texas Legislative Manual, 1879-80, 1879.

Military Service Notes

Other Resources

  • Photo, discussion of service as president of first University of Texas Board of Regents. Austin Lawyers: A Legacy of Leadership and Service, 2005.
  • Portrait, p. 131. From Slave to Statesman, 1993.
  • Biographical sketch, Dr. Ashbel Smith, pp. 16-23. Governors Who Have Been, and Other Public Men of Texas, 1921.
  • Smith, Ashbel. Birth date 8/13/1805, death date 1/21/1886 on headstone. Texas State Cemetery.

Photographs

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

16th R.S. - 1879
Agriculture and Stock Raising  
Assessment and Collection of Taxes  
Constitutional Amendments  
Insurance and Statistics (Chair) 
Military Affairs  
Public Health, Vital Statistics and History of Texas (Chair) 
Rules  
State Asylums  
11th R.S. - 1866
Cholera and Epidemic Disease in Austin  
Congressional Districts, Select  
Direct Tax, Select (Chair) 
Education  
Federal Relations (Chair) 
Finance  
Geological Bureau, Select (Chair) 
Jefferson Davis, Petition to Release, Select  
Judiciary  
Lunatic Asylum, Select  
Rules  
U.S. Senators, Election of  
6th R.S. - 1855
Education  
Geological Surveys and Bureau of Agriculture, Select (Chair) 
Internal Improvements  
Public Debt (Chair) 
Slaves and Slavery  

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