Marker Inscription
A native of Missouri, Eli Smith moved to Texas in 1859 with his parents. They settled in this part of Tarrant County, and in 1868 Smith married Sarah J. Hightower. About 1876 Smith donated part of his farmland to the community, then known as Zion, for a Methodist church and cemetery. Residents of the area honored Smith for his generosity and community service by renaming the settlement Smithfield. Smith remained an active Mason and a successful farmer until his sudden death shortly before his thirty-first birthday. He is buried at this site.
About this site
Smith, Eli is a historical marker in N. Richland Hills, Tarrant County, dedicated in 1984. It is one of 358 historical markers documented in Tarrant County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 501 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 32.8687, -97.2112 near N. Richland Hills. The nearest cataloged historic site is Hightower, Alfred Madison (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Smithfield Cemetery, Smithfield, and Smithfield Methodist Church.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5439001449. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
