NOAH SMITHWICK – A TEXAS BALLAD

🎸 NOAH SMITHWICK – A TEXAS BALLAD Verse 1 The name of Noo.a (Noah) Smithwick’s known both far and wide In these old Texas parts The Evolution of a State still stands As one of early Texas history’s best accounts Back in Carolina, eighteen-oh-eight Born to iron, fire, and the hand of fate Learned the hammer, learned the flame Didn’t know yet Texas would call his name From Kentucky roads to a frontier wide In twenty-seven he crossed that line San Felipe, dust and dreams Chasin’ land in Austin’s scheme ⸻ Verse 2 Filed his claim but never found The piece of earth to settle down Stood by a friend when trouble came Paid the price and was sent away Louisiana nights, East Texas rain But the pull of Texas still remained When war drums beat in thirty-five He rode back in to stake his life ⸻ Chorus Oh Noo.a (Noah) hammer in your hand Helped shape the steel that shaped this land through fire, fight, and shifting ground You stood where Texas first was found From Ranger trails to rivers wide You walked that line ’tween truth and pride A quiet man, but history will say You helped forge Texas in your way ⸻ Verse 3 At Concepción…the guns did roar He stood his ground like those before Then rode the range near Bastrop’s line Where danger walked most all the time He reached San Jacinto just too late But still he bore the weight of fate At Fort Colorado he held the line Guardian’s hope in a restless time ⸻ Verse 4 Then came riders, Comanche strong…… Not for war, but to right a wrong……They sought out peace on Travis soil……far from the sound of rifle and spoil He walked among them, lived their way…. Shared their fire, heard what they’d say……Treated fair, with honor true………A rare kind of bond that few men knew ⸻ Chorus Oh Noo.a (Noah) hammer in your hand Helped shape the steel that shaped this land Through fire, fight, and shifting ground You stood where Texas first was found From Ranger trails to rivers wide You walked that line ’tween truth and pride A quiet man, but history will say You helped forge Texas in your way ⸻ Verse 5 He took a wife and built a life……Webber’s Prairie through joy and strife……..Then Brushy Creek and farther on To Burnet County and Fort Croghan An armorer’s hand, a miller’s trade…….Built Smithwick Mills where history stayed…..Grinding grain and sawing wood and Turnin’ work into a lifeline ⸻ Verse 6 But when the war split blue and gray….. He chose his ground and would not sway……. A Union man in troubled land……Threats came hard from every hand So west he went to California’s side……Left Texas dust, but not his pride……Years rolled on, his sight grew dim……But the past burned bright in him ⸻ Bridge He told his stories line by line To a daughter who preserved their time. Names like Austin, Bowie too…..Houston, Travis, men he knew Not just legends carved in stone…..But flesh and blood he’d stood among……And through his words they still remain…….Ridin’ strong across the plain ⸻ Final Chorus Oh Noo.a (Noah) hammer laid to rest…..But your story stood the test………Through written word and frontier flame……Texas still recalls your name……From Smithwick Mill to river bends…….Your life still speaks across the wind…….A quiet man, but strong and true……..Texas history runs through you ⸻ Outro Upstream a couple of miles from where the old Smithwick Mills stood are the old fireplace stones of Smithwick’s Homeplace stood……..They are rebuilding it a piece by piece by hand…….That fireplace still holds the flame of a life that helped carve Texas’ name.