Father: Francis Arthur Smith
Mother: Mary Hamilton Talbot Smith
Born a free black in 1861 at Charleston, SC. He attended Avery Institue in South Carolina and the Univ. of South Carolina. Graduate of Atlanta Univ. in 1880 with B.A. in Science, English, & Math.
He left his native state and came to Texas sometime during the late 1870s or early 1880s.
In Oakland, Colorado County, he was principal of Oakland Normal School, a leading teacher-training institution, in 1885. He became an aide to Booker T. Washington and an advocate of the philosophy of self-help and solidarity as a route to economic growth for black Americans espoused by the Tuskegee Conferences Association with Washington led to Smith's appointment to the board of trustees of the Anne T. Jeanes Fund, which provided aid to rural black schools.
Founded Farmers' Home Improvement Society in 1890 in Colorado County, to encourage black families to become economically self-sufficient through home and farm ownership, cooperative buying, cash purchases instead of credit buying, and raising much of their own food. In 1906 Farmers' Improvement Agricultural College at Wolfe City, Texas was created by the above Society.
R. L. Smith was elected to the 24th and 25th Texas Legislature from predominantly white Colorado County.
From 1902 to 1909 he served as deputy U.S. Marshal for the eastern district of Texas, appointed by President T. Roosevelt.
He later taught at Prairie View Normal School.
In 1907 he was elected the first president of the Texas branch of the Natl. Negro Business League.
He opened the Farmers' Improvement Society Bank in Waco, Texas in 1907.
He was survived by his second wife, Ruby Cobb Smith and two adopted children, Roscoe, & Olive Bell.
He was a member of St. James Methodist Church.
Source: article by Teri Jo Ryan, Waco Tribune-Herald, 15 Jan. 2011 and Handbook of Texas Online.
Mother: Mary Hamilton Talbot Smith
Born a free black in 1861 at Charleston, SC. He attended Avery Institue in South Carolina and the Univ. of South Carolina. Graduate of Atlanta Univ. in 1880 with B.A. in Science, English, & Math.
He left his native state and came to Texas sometime during the late 1870s or early 1880s.
In Oakland, Colorado County, he was principal of Oakland Normal School, a leading teacher-training institution, in 1885. He became an aide to Booker T. Washington and an advocate of the philosophy of self-help and solidarity as a route to economic growth for black Americans espoused by the Tuskegee Conferences Association with Washington led to Smith's appointment to the board of trustees of the Anne T. Jeanes Fund, which provided aid to rural black schools.
Founded Farmers' Home Improvement Society in 1890 in Colorado County, to encourage black families to become economically self-sufficient through home and farm ownership, cooperative buying, cash purchases instead of credit buying, and raising much of their own food. In 1906 Farmers' Improvement Agricultural College at Wolfe City, Texas was created by the above Society.
R. L. Smith was elected to the 24th and 25th Texas Legislature from predominantly white Colorado County.
From 1902 to 1909 he served as deputy U.S. Marshal for the eastern district of Texas, appointed by President T. Roosevelt.
He later taught at Prairie View Normal School.
In 1907 he was elected the first president of the Texas branch of the Natl. Negro Business League.
He opened the Farmers' Improvement Society Bank in Waco, Texas in 1907.
He was survived by his second wife, Ruby Cobb Smith and two adopted children, Roscoe, & Olive Bell.
He was a member of St. James Methodist Church.
Source: article by Teri Jo Ryan, Waco Tribune-Herald, 15 Jan. 2011 and Handbook of Texas Online.
Father: Francis Arthur Smith
Mother: Mary Hamilton Talbot Smith
Born a free black in 1861 at Charleston, SC. He attended Avery Institue in South Carolina and the Univ. of South Carolina. Graduate of Atlanta Univ. in 1880 with B.A. in Science, English, & Math.
He left his native state and came to Texas sometime during the late 1870s or early 1880s.
In Oakland, Colorado County, he was principal of Oakland Normal School, a leading teacher-training institution, in 1885. He became an aide to Booker T. Washington and an advocate of the philosophy of self-help and solidarity as a route to economic growth for black Americans espoused by the Tuskegee Conferences Association with Washington led to Smith's appointment to the board of trustees of the Anne T. Jeanes Fund, which provided aid to rural black schools.
Founded Farmers' Home Improvement Society in 1890 in Colorado County, to encourage black families to become economically self-sufficient through home and farm ownership, cooperative buying, cash purchases instead of credit buying, and raising much of their own food. In 1906 Farmers' Improvement Agricultural College at Wolfe City, Texas was created by the above Society.
R. L. Smith was elected to the 24th and 25th Texas Legislature from predominantly white Colorado County.
From 1902 to 1909 he served as deputy U.S. Marshal for the eastern district of Texas, appointed by President T. Roosevelt.
He later taught at Prairie View Normal School.
In 1907 he was elected the first president of the Texas branch of the Natl. Negro Business League.
He opened the Farmers' Improvement Society Bank in Waco, Texas in 1907.
He was survived by his second wife, Ruby Cobb Smith and two adopted children, Roscoe, & Olive Bell.
He was a member of St. James Methodist Church.
Source: article by Teri Jo Ryan, Waco Tribune-Herald, 15 Jan. 2011 and Handbook of Texas Online.
Mother: Mary Hamilton Talbot Smith
Born a free black in 1861 at Charleston, SC. He attended Avery Institue in South Carolina and the Univ. of South Carolina. Graduate of Atlanta Univ. in 1880 with B.A. in Science, English, & Math.
He left his native state and came to Texas sometime during the late 1870s or early 1880s.
In Oakland, Colorado County, he was principal of Oakland Normal School, a leading teacher-training institution, in 1885. He became an aide to Booker T. Washington and an advocate of the philosophy of self-help and solidarity as a route to economic growth for black Americans espoused by the Tuskegee Conferences Association with Washington led to Smith's appointment to the board of trustees of the Anne T. Jeanes Fund, which provided aid to rural black schools.
Founded Farmers' Home Improvement Society in 1890 in Colorado County, to encourage black families to become economically self-sufficient through home and farm ownership, cooperative buying, cash purchases instead of credit buying, and raising much of their own food. In 1906 Farmers' Improvement Agricultural College at Wolfe City, Texas was created by the above Society.
R. L. Smith was elected to the 24th and 25th Texas Legislature from predominantly white Colorado County.
From 1902 to 1909 he served as deputy U.S. Marshal for the eastern district of Texas, appointed by President T. Roosevelt.
He later taught at Prairie View Normal School.
In 1907 he was elected the first president of the Texas branch of the Natl. Negro Business League.
He opened the Farmers' Improvement Society Bank in Waco, Texas in 1907.
He was survived by his second wife, Ruby Cobb Smith and two adopted children, Roscoe, & Olive Bell.
He was a member of St. James Methodist Church.
Source: article by Teri Jo Ryan, Waco Tribune-Herald, 15 Jan. 2011 and Handbook of Texas Online.
