March 1942 Article from The San Antonio Light Title "Geronimo Nice Indian" Kind to Paleface Boy:
Geronimo-bloody Apache chief whose raids may have been a name calculated to strike terror into the hearts of most early westerners.
But to Jefferson D. Smith, the name recalls only memories of a "nice" indian who was kind to a small, friendless white boy held by a not-too-kindly tribe.
It was 71 years ago last week that a band of Comanches crept down a gentle slope in Bexar county and seized 5-year old Jeff Smith while he was herding sheep on his father's ranch. Stiffling his cries, they captured his brother, Clint, four years older, and sped away.
For the next six years the nomadic travel of the indian tribes--with their wars and their hunts and their firelit ceremonials--was all the life he knew. He forgot the english language and the civilized ways of his parents and became, to the core, an indian.
It was to the savage chieftain that Jeff turned when life became too hard, and it was from him, that he received justice and advice.
As he learned to hunt for game with bow and arrow, the white child was harassed frequently by a larger indian boy who stole his arrows. For losing the arrows Jeff was punished harshly by the squaws in whose care he was placed.
The nearest Jeff came to real adventure was in the New Mexico battle in which he was rescued from the indians by federal troops. When the tribe scattered, Jeff hid in a cave, but was found by the troops and returned to his parents.
March 1942 Article from The San Antonio Light Title "Geronimo Nice Indian" Kind to Paleface Boy:
Geronimo-bloody Apache chief whose raids may have been a name calculated to strike terror into the hearts of most early westerners.
But to Jefferson D. Smith, the name recalls only memories of a "nice" indian who was kind to a small, friendless white boy held by a not-too-kindly tribe.
It was 71 years ago last week that a band of Comanches crept down a gentle slope in Bexar county and seized 5-year old Jeff Smith while he was herding sheep on his father's ranch. Stiffling his cries, they captured his brother, Clint, four years older, and sped away.
For the next six years the nomadic travel of the indian tribes--with their wars and their hunts and their firelit ceremonials--was all the life he knew. He forgot the english language and the civilized ways of his parents and became, to the core, an indian.
It was to the savage chieftain that Jeff turned when life became too hard, and it was from him, that he received justice and advice.
As he learned to hunt for game with bow and arrow, the white child was harassed frequently by a larger indian boy who stole his arrows. For losing the arrows Jeff was punished harshly by the squaws in whose care he was placed.
The nearest Jeff came to real adventure was in the New Mexico battle in which he was rescued from the indians by federal troops. When the tribe scattered, Jeff hid in a cave, but was found by the troops and returned to his parents.
Family Members
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Martha Ann Elizabeth Smith Gerfers
1843–1878
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Caroline Manley Smith Coker
1845–1933
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William Henry "Willie" Smith
1847–1928
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Amanda Matilda Smith Lane
1852–1939
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Jacob Linn "Doc" Smith
1855–1932
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Mary "Polly" Smith Cravey
1857–1918
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Clinton Lafayette "Clint" Smith
1860–1932
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Nancy Lea Smith Cravey
1862–1894
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