Robert Lloyd Smith

Robert Lloyd Smith
Texas State Representative from District 43 (Colorado County)
In office January 8, 1895 – January 10, 1899
Preceded by	Daniel Washington Jackson
Succeeded by	Charles Alexander Allen
Deputy United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas
In office 1902–1909
Personal details
Born	January 8, 1861 Charleston, South Carolina
Died	July 10, 1942 Waco, Texas
Resting place	Waco, Texas
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Ruby Cobb
Alma mater	Avery Institute, University of South Carolina, Atlanta University
Occupation	Educator, Businessman
Religion	Methodist

Robert Lloyd Smith (January 8, 1861 – July 10, 1942) was an educator, businessman, and Republican politician who served two terms in the Texas Legislature. Born a free black in Charleston, South Carolina in 1861, he moved to Texas about 1880. He served as principal of the Oakland Normal School in Colorado County in 1885. In 1890 he founded the Farmer's Home Improvement Society, a farmer's cooperative association whose purpose was to help poor blacks lift themselves out of poverty. He was first elected to the legislature in 1895 and served until 1899. He was the last African-American to serve in the Texas State Legislature until Barbara Jordan's election in the 1960s. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1896. In 1902, he was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas. He was an associate of Booker T. Washington and also served as a trustee of the Jeanes Foundation. He was married to Ruby Cobb and had two adopted children. He is depicted at the lower left on the Black Legislators Monument erected in 2010 at the Texas State Cemetery.

References

Texas Legislators: Past & Present - Robert L. Smith

Handbook of Texas Online - Robert Lloyd Smith

Handbook of Texas Online - Farmer's Home Improvement Society

Forever Free: Nineteenth Century African-American Legislators and Constitutional Convention Delegates of Texas

Findagrave - Robert Lloyd Smith

Texas State Cemetery - Monuments