John N. Thomasson

John N. Thomasson was born July li, 1833, and was the seventh child of William and Sarah (Stone) Thomasson. He was born in this county, in Bluffdale township, where his parents lived on what is now the Reuljen Bradley place. He was reared in this county, and received the usual limited schooling of the early days, to which he afterward added by study at home. He learned the carpenter's trade, and worked at that a number of years, and in 1866 he began business as a contractor. In 1867 he worked with David Hartwell, and the next year engaged in contracting for himself again. Since 1870 he has been engaged almost exclusively in farming. Nov. 8, 1868, he was married to Sarah

Varble, a native of Kentucky, and a daughter of George and Henrietta Varble, natives of Kentucky. They were early settlers of this county, and the family are noticed elsewhere in this work. Mr. Varble died in the house of our subject, and is buried at the Dunegan cemetery, as is also his wife, who died a year or two before him. Mr. and Mrs. John N. Thomasson were the parents of eight children, of whom seven are living — Sarah Posey, Sophia Jane, George Tilden, born July 4, 1872. John Norman, Parley Epler, Bertha Adeline, and an infant, not named. One, named Hendricks, died in infancy, Mr. Thomasson has about 300 acres of good land, all in Sees. 17 and 18, T. 9, R. 12. He and his wife are both members of the Mt. Gilead Baptist church, of which Mr. Thomasson has been a member for 30 years.

School district No. 1 has a building on the northwest quarter of section 12, known as Forest school, was built about the year 1878. It is a good sized brick structure, and cost about $1,500. J. C. White, the present county surveyor, taught the first term of school in this building. Samuel Reynolds is the present teacher. The first school house in this di.strict was of frame construction, built about 25 years since. It was afterward destroyed by fire. A log cabin was then removed from the farm of Elisha Varble, to the school house site of the district, but a few years afterward. It was also destroyed by fire, at which time the present brick structure was erected.

District No. 2, Rough Edge school house, is situated at the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of Sec. 24, T. 9, R. 13. It was preceded by a small log school house, which had been used for a dwelling. Prior, even to that, there had been used another log cabin, in which the first school of the district was taught. At the time it was used as a school, it had only one window, and that, with only one pane of glass in it, on the same side as one of the doors. Among the first scholars of this first school were: Sarah Miller, the Giberson children; John, Frances and Caroline Herring; James, Alex., and Eliza Gilliland; Hiram S. Miller; George and Joseph McCormick; Thomas Rayfield; Luther Connor; Mary and Catherine Walter; James and Lucy Rayfield. This first school was taught by Katie Cultimore, in 1861. The present school building was erected in 1863, and the first school therein, was taught by Maggie Clark. The directors are, Henry Borlin, John D. Varble and John T. Heron. Henry Borlin is clerk. The building is 18x24, and cost $500.

School district No. 3, known as Mt. Gilead, had the first school building, a brick one, erected in the district in 1851. It stood near the site of the present building, on the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of Sec. 7, T. 9, R. 12. This edifice was used for school and church purposes, until about June, 1878, when it was destroyed by fire, supposed to have been started by an incendiary. Another brick structure was built that same fall, at a cost of $1,395, which was used until 1882. In Sept., of that year it, too, was burned. The walls were not destroyed, however, and the building was rebuilt, at a cost of $1,239, including furniture.

The directors are: Willis Brooks, Perry C. Short, and Joseph C. Reynolds. The ground onwhieh this school house is built, was donated by James Short, and contains about one acre.

School district No. 6, is known as Sunrise. The school house was erected in 1866, and is about 18.\"24 feet in size. The contractor who built it was David Hartwell. It is still standing on the original site, on the southwest quarter of Sec. 20, T. 9, R. 12. The first teacher was a Mr. McNiitt, and the present one is Jasper Wright. The directors are: Geo. L. Scroggins, J. D. Anderson and Isaac Holmes.

The election for the organization under the township system, was held at the Pleasant Grove school house, in district No. 2, April 7, 1885. The judges of election W'ere: Jno. Borman, Sr., Perry C. Short and Willis Brooks. The election resulted in the choice of the following officers: E. B. Pegram, supervisor; Samuel C. JIartin, collector; E. D. Hutchens, town clerk; Wm. T. Short, assessor; Geo. Sturman, Wm. R. Heron and John B. Logan, commissioners of highways; J. S. Heron and Jno. Borman, Sr., justices of the peace; M. S. Ferguson and Robert Martin, constables.

The cemetery, on the southwest ([quarter of section 5, known as the Hutchens burying ground, was established about the year 1840, and contains about two acres.

As printed in History of Green and Jersey counties, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and township, educational, civil, military, and political history; (1885). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.