John William Smith, 'El Colorado'

Virginia-born John William Smith, nicknamed "El Colorado" for his red hair, arrived in Texas in 1827 and settled in San Antonio de Béxar, where he became fluent in Spanish and moved easily among the town's diverse cultures. During the Texas Revolution, he helped guide the Texans through the streets in the December 1835 Battle of Béxar. On February 23, he left the Alamo carrying William B. Travis' plea for help and returned on March 1 with 32 men from Gonzales, then left again on March 3 with a letter from Travis to the convention meeting at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Smith was with the Texan Army at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. During the Republic of Texas, he held several public offices, serving as Mayor of San Antonio in 1837-1838 and 1840-1844, and also as Postmaster, Indian Commissioner, Alderman, Tax Assessor, Board of Land Commissioners' Clerk, Probate Court Clerk, and County Treasurer. He died of pneumonia in 1845 while serving as Senator in the Texas Congress.

San Antonio, Texas · United States