Family

John Peter Smith was born on September 16, 1831, in Owen County, Kentucky, to Samuel and Polly (Bond) Smith. In 1844, when he was just thirteen years old, both of his parents passed away near Hartford, Connecticut, leaving him orphaned along with his five siblings. He was placed under the guardianship of his cousin, W. H. Garnett.

As a teenager, Smith received a strong public education. He later attended Franklin College in Indiana and, in 1850, began his studies at Bethany College in West Virginia. He graduated in July 1853 with first honors in mathematics and ancient languages.

Just months after graduation, Smith moved to Fort Worth, Texas. In January 1854, he transformed an abandoned army hospital into Fort Worth’s first school. Although poor health limited his ability to teach beyond a few months, the institution evolved into the city’s Male and Female Academy, Fort Worth’s first permanent educational facility.