Father of Fort Worth
Often called, “The Father of Fort Worth,” John Peter Smith (1831–1901) is widely remembered as a foundational figure in the history of Fort Worth, Texas. A man of many roles—educator, businessman, soldier, and civic leader—Smith’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of the city. Today, his name lives on in the John Peter Smith Hospital and in the city he helped build from the ground up.
Born on September 16, 1831, in Kentucky, he graduated first in his class at Bethany College in Virginia, in July 1853. The president of that college was Alexander Campbell. Ten years later, the panhandle part of Virginia became West Virginia. Smith came to Texas as a young man. He settled in Fort Worth in 1853, when the area was still a frontier military outpost. He walked from Dallas to a farm house in what is now the Hurst area. A farmer saw the tired young man and told Smith that he was welcome to spend the night there and to accompany the farmer the next morning to the settlement of what had been Camp Worth. At that time, the settlement had only a few wooden buildings and dusty roads, but Smith saw its potential. He quickly became involved in local affairs and soon opened the city’s first public school in an abandoned log cabin near the Trinity River in one of the old camp buildings. Education was a core value for Smith, and his efforts laid the groundwork for public schooling in the region.
Having a desire to separate from all creeds and denominations of men, Smith, along with others, worshipped as the believers worshipped in the New Testament. Many of the town leaders would follow the same religious views, and they established what was known as the First Christian Church. (Please note that, at that time, there was no difference between congregations known as the Christian Church and the church of Christ. In years to come, differences would arise, but not during these early years of Texas.) The first Christian Church in Fort Worth was organized in 1855.
In addition to education, Smith turned his attention to business. He bought and sold land, often taking significant financial risks to help develop the area. One of his major contributions was his role in securing the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railway in the 1870s. Understanding the transformative power of rail transportation, Smith used both his influence and personal funds to ensure that the railroad came through Fort Worth—a move that spurred explosive growth and solidified the city’s status as a key hub in Texas.