I am Bobby Ray Smith, born in San Antonio, Texas on Aug. 20, 1936.  My mom used to say it was one of the hottest Augusts on record.  My childhood had lots of things going on.  When I was 5 years old, my dad, William Paxton Smith, Jr. bought 200 acres in Wilson county Texas.  About 60 miles south of San Antonio.  He had been raised on a farm and wanted a place to raise cattle and farm.  He raised whitefaced Hereford cattle all registered.  And was well known in South Texas for what fine cattle he had.  Dad was born Sept 15, 1889 just south of San Antonio.  He enlisted and served in France in World War One.  I guess I was blessed to be born when my Dad was 47 years old and Mom was 38.Being the only boy they were wonderful to me.  My paternal grand dad , William Paxton Smith, Sr. was born in NC in 1835, one hundred and one years before I was born.  He died in San Antonio, TX in 1921.  My older sister Billie worked for AT&T for 40 years and retired.  Our family took great pride in working hard and doing a good job for what pay your recieved.

My grand father William P. Smith, Sr. fought for Texas in the Civil War.  He entered in Feb. of 1861 and served 4 years.  His brother Andrew Jackson Smith, Jr. also served as a buglar forTerry's Texas Rangers. 

The famil came from NC in 1835 to get land grants in the new frontier of Texas.  William Davidson Smith was the first child of Daniel Smith and his wife, Mary Davidson.  She was a daughter of Col. William Davidson.  The family consisted of John Leander Smith and his wife Ann Cleveland.  John Carson Smith, Andrew Jackson Smith and his wife Julian Ann Paxton.  She was a daughter of William A. Paxton and his wife, Sara McDowell, a daughter of Charlie McDowell. Charles was the brother of Hunting John McDowell.  A son Daniel Smith and the youngest daughter Mary Moffitt Smith.  Left in NC was Daughter Rachel Smith who married James Brittian, Jr.  Mary Moffitt Smith went back to NC and married William Turner Johnson and they lived in Mills River area south of Asheville.  John Leander Smith served in the Texian Army and was at the Battle of San Jacinto and on the cannon crew.  His father William Davidson Smith was at the battle but did not participate.  There is a great bronze plaque in the San Jacinto monument and Leander Smith's name is on it.  This battle was on April 21, 1836 and is a big day in Texas history.

Andrew Jackson Smith died shortly after getting to Texas and his widow Julia Ann Paxton had two small children, William Paxton Smith and Andrew Jackson Smith.  She then married Wyle S. Thomas and had a family with him.  My dad had a double first cousin, they had same grand mother, but differnt grand father.

I went to school in San Antonio, in the Harlandale District.  I was a better than average student.  Graduated in the top 10 members of my class.  Then went to Texas A&M and majored in mechanical engineering.  Recieved a commision in the Infantry and retired with a medical disability after 6 months service.  I love to hunt and fish and I play tennis two or three times a week.  And I try to play golf.  Getting worse at that ever week.  We tee off at 1 pm on Tuesdays every week and in Texas that is unbearable.Too hot.

Nita and I love to dance and travel.  Like Vennia Austria the most.  Getting old and do not do anything as well as I used to.  But still having fun at doing it.  Have a sgreat group of friends.  They look for for me when we are traveling.  Love Texas and as a rule I say anything that is on my mind.

In societies, SAR with ancestors Daniel Smith, William Davidson, John Carson, Hunting John McDowell and Charles McDowell, and William Paxton ( the father of William A. Paxton/  SRT with William Davidson Smith, Andrew Jackson Smith, and Julia Ann Paxton Smith Thomas, and her son William Paxton Smith.  Are we living in Texas when it was a Republic.  Love my wife and two girls.  And their children,  are smart and good looking.  A lot smarter than the Paw Paw.

Just saw William Davidson Smith's original land grant it was 25 leagues of land.  4400 acres or so in one league.  It included the land at the south east corner of the Baytown area where Exxon has their giant refinery.  Oh well he sold it in 1838 and moved to a more settled land at San Augustine, TX.