186 - Authenticated Ballpoint Pen made from the Deaf Smith Oak Tree

This PRICELESS ballpoint pen was made from the Deaf Smith Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) growing on the land owned by Ross and Mary Scull in Guadalupe County, Texas, near the Wilson County line. The wood was harvested with permission from the land owners from the historic tree's dead-fall in August 2009. It was turned and milled by Stephen W. Seale, Jr. in March 2010 and donated to the La Vernia Historical Association. The pen comes with a "Provenance and Certificate of Authentication."  Deaf Smith was a scout for General Sam Houston during the Texas Battle for Independence. Smith reportedly climbed up the tree to spy on Santa Anna's troops camped nearby on the Cibolo Creek. 

Learn MORE about the Deaf Smith Oak: https://losttexasroads.com/his.../events/deaf-smith-oak-rip/

Another large oak tree in front of the La Vernia Heritage Museum was grown from an acorn from the Deaf Smith Tree. Another Deaf Smith sapling was also planted on the La Vernia school campus. 

Info from https://losttexasroads.com/history/people/smith-deaf/ reports that, " 'Erastus “Deaf” Smith’s land grant placed him in the path of Texas history. The Siege of Bejar, the Fall of the Alamo and the Runaway Scrape are all associated with his land at the Cibolo Crossing with the Old Gonzales Road." The website also records that "Erastus “Deaf” Smith spoke Spanish, knew the customs and culture of Mexicans, and was familiar with the area around San Antonio. These assets were invaluable to the Texian army. He was highly effective at intelligence gathering and became the leader of a spy company for the Texian army. In December of 1835, Smith suffered wounds after guiding troops into San Antonio for the Siege of Bexar. Fearing for the safety of his wife and children, he sent his family to Columbia in Austin’s colony. Erastus Smith’s portrait adorned the Republic of Texas five dollar note. On February 15, 1836, Smith served as a courier for Travis, taking his famous letter requesting reinforcements for the Alamo to General Sam Houston in Gonzales. The army then dispatched Smith back to San Antonio to determine the fate of the Alamo defenders. Smith met Susanna Dickinson (widow of Alamo defender Almaron Dickinson, she had been in the Alamo when it fell) and learned of the fall of the Alamo; he returned with her to Gonzales. Smith took part in the San Jacinto campaign. On the morning of April 21, 1836, he and his men destroyed the bridge over Vince’s Bayou; cutting off the only exit to the Brazos for Santa Ana and the Mexican Army, and the only ingress for General Filasola’s troops camped eight miles away to provide reinforcements for Santa Anna." 

This item does not include the book and other images in the photos.