Harry E. and Jane K. Smith Collection

Named Collections > S > Smith, Harry E. and Jane K.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Harry and Jane Smith donated Boaz family documents and business records to the Archives. In 1859, wealthy Kentucky tobacco farmer Samuel Boaz and his wife Agnes Freeman Boaz moved with their children to Birdville in Tarrant County. His son, William Jesse Boaz, remained behind to sell his father’s property. W. J. Boaz traveled to Birdville on horseback later that year carrying about $2,000 in gold. 

After moving to Birdville, W. J. Boaz married Mary Belle Anderson and had seven children. He built his wealth through banking and land dealings. His land company grew so large he had offices in Fort Worth to run the sales, purchases, and leases of real estate throughout Texas. During his career, he served as founder of the Boaz Estate land company, founder and treasurer of the Southern Land Company, Vice President of the American National Bank in Fort Worth, and President of the Traders National Bank in Fort Worth. W. J. Boaz also invested in the Missouri Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church and several local companies, including the Texas Anchor Fence Company. Upon his death in 1916, W. J. Boaz was said to be "the largest individual property owner in Fort Worth" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram December 14, 1916). This collection, as well as items in the B. Douglas Harman Collection, are collections of primary documents attesting to this statement.

 

 

David Boaz Home 611 Bluff

David Boaz, son of Samuel Boaz, built what is said to have been the first two-story house in Fort Worth at 611 Bluff Street (image shown). This building is no longer standing.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The collection contains records from the Boaz family investments and real estate company. Items include deeds, liens, land grant certificates, correspondence, contracts, vouchers, receipts, invoices, field note surveys, plats, architectural drawings, and handwritten notes. The items are dated from 1845 to 1958, with the bulk of the materials dated from 1870 to 1910. The Smiths also donated a 1930s poster titled "As the Crow Flies" promoting the construction of a highway between Fort Worth and Dallas.  

View a detailed container list PDF.

The following is a list of subjects mentioned within the collection:

Additions and Subdivisions

  • Alford & Veal
  • Boaz Summit
  • Evans South
  • Field / Welch
  • Glenwood
  • Gouhenant

 

  • Hillside
  • Jennings South
  • Jennings West
  • McAnulty & Nesbitt
  • Moore, Thornton & Co.
  • Morris & Bass

 

  • Texas & Pacific Railway Co.
  • Tucker
  • Union Depot
  • Valley View
  • Van Zandt

Cities

  • Fort Worth, Texas
  • Galveston, Texas
  • Laredo, Texas
  • Lawrence, Kansas
  • New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Sulphur Springs, Texas
  • Uvalde, Texas
Counties
  • Collingsworth County, Texas
  • El Paso County, Texas
  • Ellis County, Texas
  • Fannin County, Texas
  • Hood County, Texas
  • Hopkins County, Texas
  • Kaufman County, Texas
  • Lamar County, Texas
  • Parker County, Texas
  • San Saba County, Texas
  • Tarrant County, Texas
  • Trinity County, Texas
  • Uvalde County, Texas
  • Webb County, Texas

Land Surveys

  • Akers, T
  • Asbury
  • Baker
  • Bissett, R.
  • Bonner, W.
  • Briggs and Crowley
  • Childress
  • Collett, J.
  • Collins, R.
  • Conner, W.
  • Covington, H.
  • Cullver, Curry, Harrison
  • Elliot, J.
  • Elliston, J.
  • Evans
  • G. H. & H. R. R.

 

  • Ginsley, L.
  • Gomez
  • Hallum
  • Headright
  • Horn, M.
  • Houston, A.
  • Jackson, M.
  • Johnson, J.
  • Kamp, E.
  • Largent, Andes, Clark, Ballard, Elkins
  • Loving, S.
  • Matthews, J.
  • McCannis
  • Mitchell
  • Original Town of Fort Worth
 
 
  • Redding, J.
  • Renfro
  • Robinson, A.
  • Sanderson, J.
  • Scott, M.
  • Southerland, E.
  • Stephens, J.
  • Sublett, J.
  • Teague
  • Tuggle, H.
  • Welch
  • Williams, C.
  • Williams, J.
  • Wilson
  • Winfield

Organizations and Companies

  • American National Bank
  • Brown, Boaz & Smith
  • Dallas Joint Stock Land Bank
  • Fort Worth Livestock and Land Association
  • Fort Worth National Bank
  • Glenwood Methodist Church, Fort Worth
  • Hogsett, Green & Humphries, Fort Worth Law Firm
  • Lankester Bakery
  • Manchester Cotton Mills
  • Missouri Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, Fort Worth
  • Mutual Home Association
  • Oakwood Cemetery Association
  • Sexton Bros.
 
  • Southern Land Company
  • Sun Oil Company
  • Texas & Pacific Coal Company
  • Texas A & M University
  • Texas Anchor Fence Company
  • Texas Wesleyan College
  • Texas Woman's Industrial Home
  • The Texas Company
  • The Treaders National Bank, Fort Worth
  • U. S. Office of Price Administration
  • University of Texas
  • Watkins Land Mortgage Company, Lawrence, Kansas
  • Woman’s Home Mission 

Texas People

  • Allison, E.
  • Boaz, Clement
  • Boaz, David and Viola
  • Boaz, Ernest O.
  • Boaz, Luther
  • Boaz, Mary Bell Anderson
  • Boaz, W. J.
  • Butler, T. A.
  • Coppinger
  • Davies, Edmund J., Texas Governor
  • Davis, James W.
  • Eggleston, D. F.
  • Ellis 
 
  • Ellison
  • Flanders, J. E., Fort Worth Architect
  • Havenhill
  • Kennady
  • Maddox
  • Oliver
  • Oppenheimer, D. H. S.
  • Pease, E. M., Texas Governor
  • Shapard
  • Sneed
  • Thompson
  • Williams