Harry E. and Jane K. Smith Collection

Summary: Donors gave family documents dating from 1856 to 1949, with the bulk of the documents dating from 1870 to 1890. In 1859, wealthy Kentucky farmer Samuel Boaz moved his family to Birdville in Tarrant County.  His son, William Jesse Boaz, remained behind to sell property belonging to his father. He travelled to Birdville on horseback carrying some $1,800 in gold.  Upon the death of William Jesse Boaz in 1916, he 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 as well as the continued status of the Boaz family in property ownership following W. J. Boaz. Another son of Samuel Boaz, David, 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. A 37-page detailed container list is available in PDF format below.