Farrell Joseph Smith was the ninth child of twelve of Patrick and Mary Reilly Smith, born in San Augustine. He was baptized at the Sacred Heart Church, Nacogdoches, Tx 19 Mar 1889 with certificate showing his name as Joseph Farrell Smith.

On 11 May 1907, San Augustine, the probated estate of Patrick Smith was distributed to his heirs. The following is Farrell's share of the estate that he received as detailed in the court records:

"We have set apart to Farrell Smith the following property, namely:
Cash, One Hundred and 64/100 ($100.64) Dollars and Seventy eight acrs of the E. Quirk Survey and Forty (40) acres of the S. Conichi survey and all the improvements, gin grist and shingle mill, boiler and engine situated on said land, the said seventy eight acres and forty constituting what is known as the home place of Pat and Mary Smith, deceased, which we value at the sum of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).

Also, Fifty six acres of the John Chumley survey which was owned by Pat and Mary Smith and being all the land owned by them on the said Chumley survey wither on the John Chumley or the D. Chumley survey and for more perfect description of the lands herein set apart to Farrell Smith, reference is here made to the deed records of San Augustine and to the deeds made to Pat Smith to said lands and the said fifty six acres is valued at the sum of Five Hundred and Sixty ($560.00) Dollars, being a total of lands, money and other property set apart herein to Farrell Smith of Twenty six Hundred and Sixty and 64/100 Dollars ($2,660.64)."

Following the death of his father, Patrick Smith, Farrell lived in Dallas, Tx with his older brother, Bernard Reilly Smith, his guardian, and in 1910 was enrolled in a business school. In 1913, according to Michael Smith's family history, he enlisted in the U. S. Navy and upon discharge he married Annie and lived in Corpus Christi.

Between 1920 and 1960, Farrell owned a grocery store in Corpus Christi and in the summer of 1953, I visited with him at the store. He and Annie acquired farm land around Corpus Christi and when oil/gas was discovered on their land they became wealthy, according to Michael Smith's family history.

Ferrell's son, Farrell Dee Smith was the mayor of Corpus Christi 1955-1959. His grandson, Farrell Murray Smith is an attorney, living and practicing law in Mathis, TX. who was kind enough to provide me with burial data.

Michael G. Smith, a younger brother of Farrell, wrote the following in his family history about Farrell....

Farrell Smith was born Jan 27, 1889 in San Augustine, Texas. When his father died in 1906, he went to Dallas, Texas and took a business course and joined the Navy in 1913. On discharge, he married Annie Smith and as her father was in Corpus Christi they lived and entered business there. They were very successful in business and land purchases. When oil was discovered they had many wells and became very wealthy. He resided all the rest of his life in Corpus Christi, Texas.

They had two children, Farrell Smith, Jr and Mary Louise, died 1987. Farrell Smith, Jr. married Mavis and they have 4 children, Jarrell, (next three names are missing), all still living. Mary Louise married Turk McMurry and they had 4 children. Mary Louise and Turk both dead but all children living. Jerry married Dr. Bill Anderson and they both teach at Univ of Georgia. Both have Doctor's degrees and live in Winterville, Ga.

The following family history was sent to me by Mrs. Bessie Smith, in July, 1997. Bessie was the wife of P. B. C. Smith and lived in Knoxville...

The Boys: Farrell, Phil and Mike, all in their early teens, had no one to take care of them after the death of their father. So, Mike (12) and Phil ( 13) were sent to St. Basils Military School in Waco, Texas, which was run by the Christian Brothers. The boys spent their vacations with B.R. and Kate. P.B.C.S. remembers all the young children always in and out of B. R. Smith's house. After graduating from Basil's, Phil and Mike attended Texas A&M. (NOTE: Michael Smith has the boys graduating from San Augustine High School and then to Texas A&M)

Bessie writes the following about Farrell:
Farrell, noted for saving money, joined the Navy sometime after 1910 as a noncommissioned officer. He was in the Great White Fleet for about ten years. Instead of taking shore leave, as most of the young sailors did, he stayed on board ship, opting instead to lend sailors money at 100% interest. Therefore, when he left the Navy he had a nice savings with which he used to start a little store in the center of the town of Corpus Christi. He married a French-Italian girl name Annie.

Annie and her father had accumulated a lot of proerty, including some farms. Farrell also purchased some farms. As fortune would have it, oil was discovered on some of their property. Annie built a fine house on the bay. Rumor has it that Farrell would not enter the house through the front door, only through the back door.

He was a very kind man. His oldest sister Kate, had married Clive Childers. They had five children but weren't that well off. So, Farrell was very helpful in a couple of the children up in business and also assisted some of the Sublett children. Mrs. P. B. C. S. can remember when Farrell came to visit, he would always slip the children some "spending money".