John Peter Smith - Fort Worth Stockyards - Fort Worth, TX
N 32° 47.338 W 097° 20.733
14S E 654927 N 3629104
Civic leader John Peter Smith, often referred to as "The Father of Fort Worth", is honored with a star on the Texas Trail of Fame in the Fort Worth Stockyards, Fort Worth, TX.
Waymark Code: WMPJ50
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 09/06/2015
Views: 1
JPS's star is located on the north side of E Exchange Ave, and it says:
Texas Trail of Fame
John Peter Smith
Entrepreneur
Fort Worth Stockyards
The Texas Trail of Fame website (see link) has a depiction of Mr. Smith, but the biography is currently missing. However, he is the subject of two Texas Historical Markers in Fort Worth. One is located at the entrance to Oakwood Cemetery, where he's buried, and 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.
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About the Texas Trail of Fame: (
visit link)
The Texas Trail of Fame was established in 1997 to honor those who have made a significant contribution to our Western way of life. Throughout the walkways of the Fort Worth National Historic District, bronze inlaid markers have been placed in honor of their achievements. The desire of the Texas Trail of Fame is to inspire and educate visitors through the adventure of reflecting on these Westerner’s accomplishments. Trail Guides are available at the Stockyards Visitor's Information Center. So come on out to the Fort Worth Stockyards, grab a guide, and hit the trail!