Historical May 1987 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
One of the meanest, most disliked, and most powerful men on the early Missouri frontier was a chap named John Smith T.
He carried twin pistols, twin derringers, a sword, and one heck of a reputation.
He was known as a very successful dueler who liked to keep his skills practiced. John Smith T came to Missouri toward the end of the eighteenth century drawn by the rumors of minerals.
He had heard about the lead and iron veins and wanted a piece of the action.
When he finally arrived on the east side of the St. Francis mountains, he found that Moses Austin already had the major surface areas under his control. Smith T then began to make friends with the Spanish management of Upper Louisiana.
After a few months, he worked out an arrangement whereby any unmined potential mineral deposit came under his control for preliminary development. Austin had purchased or been granted a series of mining privileges but had not excised them all. Smith T took his task of developing undeveloped but good looking areas seriously — even if they had already been designated.
He set out on purpose to edge in on Moses Austin. About the time Smith T and Austin were approaching a real donneybrook, the situation changed.
The United States purchased the Louisiana Territory and brought in rules of title and management. Smith T found it better to proceed in the courts rather than on the field of honor. Austin found that the value of his lead holdings were stabilizing and he needed to look elsewhere for greater growth. Austin and a few other gentlemen began to enter into what is called the money business — banking.
They formed one of the first major banks in Missouri.
The War of 1812 put virtually all banks out of business, however, and Austin left Missouri. John Smith T faded away under the American rule.
He moved westward and made new enemies on new frontiers. Austin did not particularly like the American money system and took out a Spanish citizenship.
He managed to find a land grant to an area then called Tejas, today called Texas.
He moved there with his family in 1822.
He came back to Potosi, Missouri, just to inspect his mine holdings, and died there in 1823.
His land grant was left to his son, Stephen Austin, and the capital of Texas is named for the latter. Moses was buried in Potosi. John Smith T was largely responsible for Moses wanting to leave mining and seek growth in the real profit areas of banking.
If a man named T had not wanted a piece of Austin’s mining empire, the capital of Texas would be named for someone else.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, May 1987.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Historical Austin/Smith T account and 1822–23 chronology retained as printed; not independently verified or silently corrected.
Original source: SD_Times1987_05.pdf, printed page(s) 8; PDF page(s) 8.
