Alfred Thomas

As printed in 1905

ALFRED THOMAS.

Alfred Thomas is the owner of a ' valuable farm of two hundred and fifty acres in Yellow Springs township. He was born Aug. 3, 1845, his parents being Eli and Nancy (Archer) Thomas. His paternal grandfather, John Thomas, a native of England, was one of the honored pioneers of the State of Ohio, and contributed in substantial measure to its early development and progress. His maternal grandfather, Hezekiah Archer, was a native of South Carolina, and went from that State to Illinois, becoming a resident of Bond county. In 1835 he came to Iowa, and entered many hundred acres of land in Des Moines county, and here laid out four different townships — Pleasant Grove, Yellow Springs, Franklin, and Washington. He built a log house where Samuel H. Wilson now resides, and later he made and burned brick, which he used in the construction of a modern brick residence, it being the first of the kind in this section of the country, and here he lived till his death. He gave his sons one hundred and sixty acres each, and the farm of Wm. Archer was later sold to a Mr. Orendorf, and later sold, and the present improvements were placed thereon through the efforts of William McClements, who was then its owner. This was left to a son, Robt. McClements, and after a time Mr. Thomas bought this farm, and in 1902 he sold it to the subject of this review. The grandfather did much for the county in the way of reclaiming the district for the purposes of civilization, and his early efforts as an agriculturist proved an important element in laying the foundation for the present progress and prosperity of this section of the State.

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Alfred Thomas, reared under parental roof, early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist, as he assisted his father in the operation of the home farm. He pursued his preliminary education in the public schools, and afterward attended the Mount Pleasant Academy, thus receiving ample instruction as a preparation for life's practical and responsible duties in later years. The occupation to which he was reared he has always followed. The first land which he ever owned was on Section H). yellow Springs township, and was a part of a claim that once belonged to a Revolutionary soldier. It was purchased by his father for one hundred and nineteen dollars, and later.Vlfrcd Thomas bought it for thirty dollars per acre. He continued its cultivation for a long piTiod. equipped it with modern accessories and conveniences, and in icx52 sold it to W'm. and Luther Mehaffy, cousins, for si.teen thousand dollars. The following year he purchased his present farm of his brother. This comprises two hundred and thirty acres of land, and constitutes a tract which was entered by his maternal grandfather. Mr. Thomas now has altogether two hundred and fifty acres on Section 31, Yellow Springs township. constituting one of the best-improved farms in this part of the county. He is quite extensively engaged in stock-raising, feeding about a car-load of cattle each year. He makes a specialty of breeding Polled Aiigus cattle, and handling registered stock, lie also raises about eighty head of I'olaiKl China hogs annually, and at the present time has one hundred head on his place. His stock-raising interests prove a gratifying source of income, and at the same time his fields are well tilled and yield him good harvests.

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As printed in Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.