John Salmon Rip Ford Plaque

Here lies a legend. He was a doctor, a lawyer, a journalist, a politician, a soldier, and a Texas Ranger. That legend is John Salmon Rip Ford. You’re standing in front of the John Salmon Rip Ford Plaque. It tells us about his life. Here’s what it tells us: Rip Ford was born in South Carolina in 1815, but he grew up in Tennessee. After a brief career as a teacher, he moved to Texas to fight for independence from Mexico. He was too late to participate in the Texas Revolution, but he did serve in the Texas army for two years. After his military service, he opened a medical practice in East Texas and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1844. He moved to Austin, where he purchased the Texas National Register, renaming it the Texas Democrat. Rip earned his nickname during the Mexican-American War. As a regimental adjutant, his main duty was to report on men killed in action. After each name, he wrote “rest in peace.” As the number of casualties increased, he abbreviated it to “R.I.P.”. It wasn’t long until the men were calling Rip “Old Rip”. Ford later served as a captain in the Texas Rangers and commanded troops during a battle with Native Americans near the Canadian River. He was a member of the Secession Convention in 1861 and became a Confederate Colonel. He’s considered to have led the Confederate forces at the last battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Palmito Ranch in May of 1865. After the war, Ford continued his work as a newspaperman and politician. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1875 and served in the Texas Legislature from 1876 to 1879. He retired in 1883 and continued to be involved in Texas history. Rip Ford passed away in San Antonio in 1897 and is buried beside the San Antonio River. Even in the 1900s, Rip Ford had a lasting impact on Texas, he helped bring Texans together after the war. He was also a strong advocate for education. He helped found the Texas State Historical Association. He was a man of many talents, a fearless leader, and a true Texan.