Jeremiah Thomas

As printed in 1887

JEREMIAH THOMAS, a prominent and successful farmer of Franklin Township, came into Iowa with his father's family in 1848, and is thus entitled to be classed among the early pioneers. He has remained here since that time, and has witnessed the growth of a country which gave early promise of great things to be. Ikhas assisted in its development and progress, and has a just pride in contemplating the position which the Ilawkeye State occupies among the Territories of the West. Mr. Thomas was one of that class who began life amid difficulties and with limited advantages. His opportunities for education were only such as those afforded by the pioneer schools, but his industry and perseverance supplied what at this later day the youth of America now seemingly acquire without a struggle. Great credit is due Mr. Thomas for the position which he occupies among the honored citizens of the Hawkeye State, and in his later days he may be wholly pardoned for viewing with pride the result of what he has accomplished by sheer force of will and the elements of character which nature endowed him with.

Jeremiah Thomas was born in Fayette County. Ohio, Aug. 21, 1834. His father, Joseph D.Thomas, was also a native of the Buckeye Male and was born in Pickaway County, in 1813. His grandfather, also named Jeremiah, was a pioneer of Pickaway County. He went there and settled down amidst the wilderness, converted a tract of timber land into cultivated fields. lived to enjoy a rich reward of his labors, and terminated his life upon the spot which had witnessed his early labors and final triumphs.

Joseph D. Thomas, the father of our subject, grew to manhood in his native county, and after his marriage rented land in Fayette County, living there and in Pickaway County until 1848. In the fall of that year, with his wife and eight children, he set his face westward for the land beyond the Mississippi. Their outfit consisted of a span of horses and a wagon, and they camped and cooked by the wayside, and after traveling one month they reached Linn County, where in Franklin Township they rented a house, into which the family moved. He entered land in Benton County and rented land in Linn County seven or eight 3rears before he was prepared to occupy the land, to which he afterward obtained a title. In due time he occupied his own farm, remaining upon it until the fall of 1878. lie then sold out and removed to Missouri, locating at Hopkins, in Nodaway County. While on the journey he was taken ill, and died a week later. His wife had previously died in Linn County, in 1849.

Jeremiah Thomas, the subject of our sketch, was the second child of his parents, and after the death of his mother went to live with Mr. James M. Burge, with whom he made his home until he arrived at years of manhood. In 1859, in company with others, he started with ox-teams for an overland journey across the plains. They started out May 1, and landed at Placerville, Cal., on the 25th of September. There were forty teams and about 100 men in the party. Mr. Thomas entered the mines and was occupied in digging for gold until the following May. He then went to Napa Valley and spent the summer, then to the mines in Trinity, Cal., continuing there until 1863, and on the 23d of July of that year set sail from San Francisco, via the Isthmus of Panama, for New York, and thence to Linn County. Here he spent the winter with Mr. Burge in a hotel at Mt. Vernon, and in the spring of 186 I resumed farming.

In the June following his return from California.Mr. Thomas was united in marriage with Miss

Frances J. Burge, daughter of James M. and Sarah E. (McRoberts) Barge (see sketch on another page of this volume). After this important event he established himself upon a rented farm, and not long afterward obtained possession of the place which he now owns and occupies. It was timber land, and required a great amount of labor to bring it to a state of cultivation. He cleared fifty acres, and erected a good set of farm buildings. He has added to it by the subsequent purchase of eighty acres on section 16, and now has a fine tract of land under a good state of cultivation.

Five children were born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas: Mary E., Joseph A., Nora E., James T., Francis J. The faithful wife and mother passed to her rest Aug. 8, 1878. The second marriage of Mr. Thomas occurred April 2, 1879. He was then united with Mrs. Margaret J. (West) Harmon, a native of Fayette County, Ohio, and the daughter of Wesley and Polly A. (McKay) West, and widow of S. D. Harmon, by whom she became the mother of two children — Oliver D. and George L.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are earnest and active communicants of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and as worthy members of society are endeavoring to contribute their share toward the general good and well-being by every means within their power. Their homestead constitutes one of the attractive features of the township, and is the above of peace, plenty and good order. A lithographic view of their residence is shown on another page of this work.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Linn County, Iowa (1887). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.