Smith and Braden was originally located on Commerce Street on two lots purchased by William.
In 1917, William Sr. organized the Port Lavaca Channel and Dock Company with sons William H. Jr., Owen Edward, and others. It is still, as of 2017, operated by descendants of William Smith Sr. Smith Brothers Seafood, founded by several of his sons, operated out of Smith Harbor (28°36'N 96°37'W), supplying fresh seafood to the area.
Registered Vessels at Port Lavaca: 60th Congress 2d Session 1908-09 Vol. 26 of 151
The 1910 Census shows Pappy as being the Proprietor of a Lumber Yard, with William Henry Jr. working as a Bookkeeper at the Lumber Yard. The residence listed was on 206 S. Commerce Street. This house was built in Indianola and relocated to Port Lavaca after 2 major hurricanes of 1875 and 1886.
1880 Indianola Census
William Henry Smith and Alice Ellen Rahtgens
William Henry, known by his grandchildren as Pappy, was born December 21, 1858, in Indianola, Texas (28°33'N 96°31'W), to parents Henry and Josephine Smith. Alice Ellen was born December 16, 1861, also in Indianola, to parents Henry and Alice Ellen Rahtgens.
At least for a time, Pappy and Alice Ellen were neighbors during childhood, as the 1870 Indianola Census lists them as being just one residence apart from each other. The 1880 Indianola Census shows William Henry living with his parents and siblings and working on a boat, along with a notation that both he and his brother Christopher had been under-employed during 1880.
Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States (1911, 1914, 1915, and 1916)
Alice Ellen died in Port Lavaca in 1905 and is buried in the Port Lavaca Cemetery.
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Port Lavaca Business Registry: 60th Congress 2d Session 1908-09 Vol. 26 of 151
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The 1920 Census lists William Sr. as the owner of a retail hardware business, with William Henry Jr. and Fredrich Ulrich living in his house with their occupations listed to be salesmen in the Hardware Store. Harry Rahtgens, aged 67, was also living at the same house with no occupation listed.
The construction in 1921 of a seawall protected multiple lots owned by Pappy which were on the bluff (solid, single line), occupied by various businesses and residences of family members.
"Gone but not forgotten."
By the 1930 Census, Pappy, aged 71, was perhaps retired, as he had no occupation listed. Pappy would talk to friends and family about events of 1878 when he was a trail driver on the old Chisholm Trail, driving herds through strange and often hostile territory to Dodge City, Kansas.[2]
As a boatman, saloon keeper and owner, owner of hardware, lumberyard and ship chandlery businesses, trail driver, inventor, channel & dock founder, land owner, husband, father, brother, county commissioner, William Henry Smith Sr. led a productive and prosperous life.
William Henry Smith, Sr., died at his home on August 29, 1941, and is buried next to Alice Ellen in the Port Lavaca Cemetery.
1900 Port Lavaca Census
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W.H.Smith, Sr. with one of his sons on porch of the family home on Commerce St., Port Lavaca, Tx. This was after one of the storms, prob. shortly after being moved from Indianola to Pt. Lavaca.
William Henry hosted his older sister, Louisa, and her new husband, George Braden at his and Alice Ellen’s Indianola home where a “collation was spread,…” To save modern readers a bit of time, a collation is a light, informal meal.
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Both Pappy and Alice Ellen were first generation, born-and-raised Texans. They helped moved this state from a harsh pioneer lifestyle to the successful, innovative state their descendants know and love today.
[1] Cheney R. Prouty, Indianola Collector of Customs and recipient of US and British medal for lifesaving actions on May 5, 1878.
[2] https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ayc02
http://www.thc.texas.gov/public/upload/chisholm-trail.pdf
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Galveston Daily News, Feb. 21, 1884
1930 Port Lavaca Census
Sons of WH and Alice Smith
Curry v. Port Lavaca Channel Dock, 25 S.W.2d 987 (Tex. App. 1930) remains a foundational case for Texas rules on who gains title to newly created coastal “additions caused wholly by artificial filling or similar activities.”
Pappy and owners of other Port Lavaca businesses were
more than just competitors, although with the variety of
establishments owned by Pappy, it is unknown which business
forged such personal ties.
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4 Generations: ~ 1935 in Port Lavaca Tx
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General Land Office Archive Maps, Calhoun County Rolled Sketch 9, 1901
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1940 Port Lavaca Census
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At the same time, Alice was 18, living with her family and teaching school. At some point during the next 6 years, Pappy became a Saloonkeeper, as well as serving his community as a County Commissioner. Pappy and Alice were married on May 18, 1881, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Indianola.
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He and Alice bought a home and had 8 children, the first 3 born in Indianola and younger 5 born in Port Lavaca, where the family relocated after the 1886 storm:
- Henrietta Louisa (1882 – 1952)
- William Henry (1883 – 1948)
- Owen Edward (1886 – 1967)
- Allie Estelle (1889 – 1921)
- Stanley Edison (1891 – 1966)
- Harry Carlos (1893 – 1975)
- Irma May (1895 – 1953)
- Loretta Rae (1900 – 1984)
Smith home located in Pt. Lavaca. Taken after one of the hurricanes.
Pappy and his other brother-in-law, Harry Rahtgens, founded Rahtgens & Smith Lumber, which was already doing business by 1891 as a lumberyard and ship chandlery. Pappy bought out his partners and operated the lumberyard until 1912, when he formed a ship chandlery business with his son and partner, William H. Smith, Jr., until 1938.
Pappy also successfully obtained a patent in 1891 for an original self-closing gate, shown here:
Once in Port Lavaca, William Henry served as the first commissioner of Precinct One when the county seat was moved to Port Lavaca after the 1886 storm.
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General Land Office Archive Maps, Calhoun County Rolled Sketch 8
Left to Right: Owen Edward Smith Jr., Owen Edward Smith III (Ramey), Owen Edward Smith Sr., William Henry "Pappy" Smith
1910 Port Lavaca Census
William’s daughter identified her father as being the man behind the bass drum behind the center-right post in the photo below, of what appears to be a local band, as half the gentlemen are holding various instruments.
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Victoria Advocate, July 29, 1905
William must have been a busy man in the early 1900's, co-owning 2 different businesses (Rahtgens & Smith Lumber and Smith & Braden Liquors) and a 6-ton schooner, the CR Prouty [1], built in Indianola in 1899. He and brother-in-law George Braden owned Smith & Braden Liquors. The 1900 Census lists Pappy’s occupation as a Saloon Keeper and George’s as Bartender. Both the lumber company and Smith & Braden Liquors appear in a business registry from 1908-09.
1870 Indianola Census
1920 Port Lavaca Census
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