1832
James Smith traveled to Central Texas with his oldest son, Alfred, scouting for land. They were from North Carolina. The Mexican government was encouraging Anglo settlers to move into Texas, hoping they could help defend Mexican communities from raids by Native tribes.

​​​

1838
James and his wife Elizabeth brought their family — and 19 enslaved people — to Central Texas. Their children included James’s two sons from a previous marriage and the four children he and Elizabeth had together.
They owned a home in Bastrop, but also lived in a log cabin on the Colorado River on land that would become the city of Montopolis, where James operated a ferry.

​

1839
The Smiths purchased four agricultural out-lots totaling 50 acres east of the proposed city of Austin, along with:
• a city block close to the present-day Capitol building
• 10 acres between East 5th and East 6th Streets, bounded by today’s IH-35
They also owned 400 acres near present-day Hancock Road.
The family invested in Montopolis, hoping the high ground overlooking the Colorado River Valley might be selected as the capital of Texas.

​

1840–1841
The family hired Alfred Smith to oversee the enslaved laborers who built the farmhouse during the winter of 1840–1841. Everything needed for the house — siding, shingles, interior structure, floors, windows — was made onsite. The glass for the windows had to be imported from the United States, because the Republic of Texas had no glass factory.

A cedar picket fence surrounded the house and barnyard for protection. It had portholes for defense. Though Comanche, Apache, and Tonkawa traveled through the area, no attacks occurred here.

​

At the time, the land was prairie grass dotted with live oaks. Boggy Creek, then several blocks south of the house, shifted course with each flood and was lined with pecan and cypress trees. Today it runs in a concrete channel just across Lyons Road, about 500 feet from this house.
The Colorado River is exactly one mile south.

​

The Smiths raised cattle and pigs, and grew wheat, corn, cotton, and tobacco, often achieving record yields in the rich bottomland soil. They ground their wheat and corn at a grist mill they owned on the Colorado River. At this time, Austin had over 400 farmers and only five lawyers.

​

December 23, 1841
A wedding supper celebrating the marriage of Alfred Smith took place here. One of the guests was President Sam Houston. He walked with one crutch from his carriage — his ankle still painful from his 1836 Battle of San Jacinto wound — and was assisted by a major of the Texas Army.

​

President Houston later wrote to his wife Margaret:
“Today I dined at his father’s with the wedding party and many from this place. The distance was about three miles and the ‘eating do-ings’ were first rate throughout!”
He added:
“The Major was my aid on the occasion and I had one crutch with me, so I was well sustained.”

​

1845
On January 25, 1845, James Smith died in this house from a gunshot wound delivered by his field overseer, “a young Mr. Baker.”

​

Dr. Joseph Robertson — later the owner of the French Legation — remained at James’s bedside for 40 hours. His surviving account shows he charged Elizabeth for one bottle of whiskey, likely used to ease James’s pain, and charged only for his travel time.

​

James’s oral deathbed will was witnessed by family friends Aaron Burleson, C. L. Wing, and James Abner Matthews.

​

Family friend and neighbor Abner Cook, the prominent Austin builder, crafted James Smith’s coffin for $15.

​

Elizabeth, who was one month pregnant at the time, was granted the 50-acre farm and the farmhouse. With help from her children, she continued to run the farm, which remained highly productive.​ She later moved to her property on East 6th Street. 

 

The farm remained in the Smith family until 1885.​ Afterward, it was briefly owned by two real estate investors.

​

1902
The property was purchased by Herman Siegmund, whose family farmed it and rented it to tenant farmers.

​

1930s
His daughter Bertha Siegmund Linscomb bought out her siblings and continued the farm’s operation.

​

1979
The now-reduced 5-acre property was sold to Don Wiginton, a local liquor store owner who practiced his golf shot from the back porch of the farm house. To this day, golf balls are found in the field a good 250+ feet from the farm house.

​

1992
Larry Butler and Carol Ann Sayle, who had a passion for history and growing vegetables purchased the property. It had been vacant for over a year and vandals had stolen all but two original doors and all hardware. The chimneys were caved into the attic and the roof was 3 layers deep in shingles. Carol Ann and Larry lovingly restored the deteriorated farmhouse, and returned the land to active sustainable production— establishing what is now Historic Boggy Creek Farm. For over 30 years, the farm has been open to the public to buy veggies, attend historic home and urban farm tours, to seek advice for their gardens and to gather as a community. 

​

Larry and Carol Ann's children share in their passions and plan to carry their Legacy into the future.