Joseph E. Thomas

As printed in 1910

JOSEPH E. THOMAS (1858), now a resident of Windom, was one of the very earliest residents of Jackson county, and there are few men living who gazed upon the country of Jackson county before he did. It was in the spring of 1858 that our subject, then a boy nine years of age, accompanied his parents to the all but deserted Jackson county country and settled on the Des Moines river within the present incorporate limits of the village of Jackson. He grew up with the country and took part in many of the thrilling events of pioneer days.

Joseph E. Thomas was born in New York state March 11, 1849, the son of those well known pioneers of the county, Joseph and Jane (Van In Wegin) Thomas. When he was three years of age the family moved to Freeport, Illinois, and in 1855 they came farther west and located at Newton, Iowa. In 1858 they pushed out farther onto the frontier and settled on what is now known as Thomas hill, across the river from the business section of Jackson. For a number of years the family lived in a cabin, which had been deserted by an earlier settler.

Our subject grew up amid the surroundings of typical frontier life. Four years after the family had established their home came the Sioux war and the Thomas family were obliged to temporarily desert their home, living one year in Spirit Lake. Joseph received a meager education in the frontier school and at the age of fifteen years began driving stage. For two years he drove the Jackson-Blue Earth City stage, and for six years drove the stage between Jackson and Madelia. During these years he gained a reputation as a stage driver excelled by no one. On only one occasion did he miss a trip, and then it was not his fault, but owing to the inability to cross Elm creek in the early spring.

After growing up Mr. Thomas engaged in farming. In 1890 he moved to the vicinity of Windom, where he engaged in farming until 1906, when he retired from active life, since which time he has lived in Windom. For ten years Mr. Thomas served as constable of Jackson and for two years he was a school director. He is a member of the Episcopal church.

Mr. Thomas was married September 22, 1878, to Ella M. Miner, a native of New York state and a daughter of Aiken Miner, a pioneer resident of Jackson and later of Worthington. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have been bom the following named children: Lulu, deceased; Edgar, Nellie, deceased; Mae, Alice, deceased; Eva, deceased; Francis.

As printed in An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.