Day 216: A County by Any Other Name…

Growing up in Texas before Google existed, I always wondered why we had a county named “Deaf Smith.”

Deaf Smith county sign © Paul H. Byerly

Now I can tell you Erastus Smith, a scout for the Army of the Republic of Texas during the Texas Revolution and the first person to reach the Alamo after its fall, was only partially deaf. I guess Partially Deaf Smith county was too long. I also learned Smith pronounced it “deef”.

Image Credit © Paul H. Byerly

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