The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 53, July 1949 - April, 1950 Page: 78

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H. BAILEY CARROLL
N all probability there has never been as much local historical
activity in Texas as at the present time. A particularly en-
couraging part of this new activity is that the Tarrant Coun-
ty Historical Society has been reorganized with Frank D. Kent
as president. An organizational meeting was held on the night
of January 18. As director of the Association, I was invited to
speak on, "The Advisability of Local History Research." Ap-
proximately one hundred persons attended the initial meeting,
and a genuine enthusiasm was in evidence. Led by President
Kent, a panel of outstanding citizens of Fort Worth will head
the Tarrant County group. Interest in local history has been
heightened by the fact that Fort Worth is this year celebrating
the centenary of its establishment. As an encouragement to the
consideration of Fort Worth's early days, President Kent has had
issued reproductions of a painting of early Fort Worth done by
Miss Carolyn Usher at the request of Mrs. Carroll Marion Peak,
wife of Fort Worth's first physician and the mother of the first
boy child born in the community.
The original site of the old fort is now designated by a granite
and bronze marker located on the northwest corner of Houston
and Belknap Streets in Fort Worth.
As a further activity the Tarrant County society announced in
February the placing of an order for a red granite monument to
be erected on the courthouse lawn at Fort Worth. The marker is
to honor the memory of General Edward H. Tarrant for whom
the county was named in 1849.
A bronze tablet to be attached to the granite marker is to read:
TARRANT COUNTY, ORGANIZED IN 1849, NAMED FOR GEN. EDWARD H.
TARRANT, BORN IN 1796, DIED AT FORT BELKNAP IN 1858. VETERAN OF
WAR OF 1812, ACTIVE IN BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, VETERAN OF TEXAS
WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1836. GENERAL OF TEXAS MILITIA DEFEATING
INDIANS AT VILLAGE CREEK IN 1841. DONATED BY BUSINESS LEADERS OF
FORT WORTH, ERECTED BY GEN. EDWARD H. TARRANT CHAPTER AND
TARRANT COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY UNDER AUSPICES OF THE NA-
TIONAL SOCIETY UNITED STATES DAUGHTERS OF 1812.