John Salmon "Rip" Ford

Directions to this stop: See the Cemetery No. 6/Confederate Cemetery/Cemetery No. 4 PARK AND WALK map.

John Salmon "Rip" Ford (1815-1897) was born in South Carolina and came to Texas in 1836, serving in the Texas Army and beginning a distinguished and varied career in the military, politics, and the newspaper industry.  In 1845, he was editor of the Texas Democrat in Austin.  He served as a spy during the Mexican War and earned his nickname "Rip" for politely including "Rest in Peace" (later shortened to R.I.P.) on death notices sent to families.   He published a report and map of Texas between San Antonio and El Paso with Robert Neighbors in 1849, served in the Texas Rangers, and was elected to the Texas Senate in 1852, where he also edited the State Time in Austin.  He served in the Confederate Army and in 1868 moved to Brownsville to edit the Sentinel, later serving as mayor.  He participated in the Constitutional Convention, and from 1876 to 1879 he again served in the Texas Senate.  He was a charter member of the Texas State Historical Association and spent the last years of his life writing historical articles and promoting Texas history.   ("John Salmon [RIP] Ford" by Seymour V. Connor. Excerpted from the Handbook of Texas Online - www.tshaonline.org © Texas State Historical Association)