|
 John Peter Smith - Oakwood Cemetery - Fort Worth, TX
N 32° 46.226 W 097° 20.813
14S E 654834 N 3627047
Grave of John Peter Smith, to whom the epithet of "Fort Worth public servant" can barely scratch the surface. While there is no one real "Father of Fort Worth," Smith's name certainly needs to appear on the list of those who shaped the city.
Waymark Code: WMEHEQ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/31/2012
Views: 6
Description:
Smith is the subject of two Texas Historical Markers in Fort Worth. One is located at the entrance to Oakwood Cemetery, the other is in a small park at 1100 Throckmorton St in downtown Fort Worth. Their content is similar (text taken from the marker at Oakwood):
Pioneer area settler John Peter Smith (1831-1901), who donated twenty acres for the establishment of this cemetery, came to Fort Worth from Kentucky in 1853. He served the community as a teacher, clerk, surveyor, and attorney, and became a noted civic leader.
Although opposed to the secession of Texas during the Civil War, Smith raised a company of Tarrant County men for the Confederacy and joined Sibley's Brigade in 1861. While in the war he served in the unsuccessful invasion of New Mexico, the recapture of Galveston in 1863, and was severely wounded at Donaldsville, Louisiana, later that year.
After the war Smith returned to Fort Worth, where be became involved in the development of the city. He helped organize a bank, gas light company, and street railway. He also gave land for city parks, cemeteries, including this site in 1879, and a hospital, later named in his honor. In 1882 he became Mayor and directed the establishment of many public services, such as the school system and the water department.
In 1901 Smith died in St. Louis, Missouri, while on a promotional trip for Fort Worth. He is buried in a section of Oakwood Cemetery that is part of the original acreage he donated to the city.
Date of birth: 09/16/1831
Date of death: 04/11/1901
Area of notoriety: Historical Figure
Marker Type: Horizontal Marker
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily 7 AM to 6 PM
Fee required?: No
Web site: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
To post a visit log for waymarks in this category, you must have personally visited the waymark location. When logging your visit, please provide a note describing your visit experience, along with any additional information about the waymark or the surrounding area that you think others may find interesting.
We especially encourage you to include any pictures that you took during your visit to the waymark. However, only respectful photographs are allowed. Logs which include photographs representing any form of disrespectful behavior (including those showing personal items placed on or near the grave location) will be subject to deletion.
|