Transcribed and sent to me by Debbie Champion.
Elizabeth Watkins was her ancestor and was a sister of my William Watkins.
My branch of the Watkins family also lived in Green Hill, Warren Co., and
the Battle Ground area of Tippecanoe Co., IN.
Adina Dyer
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From Portrait and Biographical Album
Published by Chapman
Brothers in 1890
Sent to me by Wamego Public Library, Wamego, KS
JOHN THOMAS, who is engaged in general farming and stock-raising in
Pottawatomie County, has been a citizen of this State since 1875, when he
came from Indiana and secured eighty acres of land in Mill Creek Township,
subsequently obtaining an additional eighty, and improving the whole and
making thereon a very comfortable home. The farm is well watered by good
springs and is a fertile and productive tract of land. MR. THOMAS is of
English descent, his grandfather having come from the mother country to
America during the War of 1812, as barber to an English General. After the
war he married a Pennsylvania lady of the old Holland stock, who after his
decease married again, her second husband being a Mr. Gray.
To this couple was born a son, Samuel, the place of his birth being ROSS
COUNTY, OHIO. He learned the trade of a shoemaker but before many years
abandoned this occupation and acquired the cooper's trade under his
step-father, MR. GRAY. In his native county he was married to MISS ASENATH
ODEL, who was born in the Buckeye State, Jan. 13, 1800, and was a daughter
of RICHARD and ELIZABETH ODEL, who after having lived many years in Ohio, in
their later life moved to WARREN COUNTY, IND., dying there when about
four-score years of age. After his marriage Samuel Thomas continued to
reside in his native State until after four children had been born to
himself and wife, when they went to WARREN COUNTY, IND. There our subject
was born Dec. 25, 1829. The parents purchased a new farm in Adams Township,
being among the early settlers in the county, and after having made some
improvements upon the land and lived upon it for a time, they removed to the
town of Independence, where the father followed his trade until his death,
Feb. 8, 1843. At the time of his decease he was about forty-six years old.
His widow survived until September 1873, when she died in Pine Village,
being then about three-score and ten years old. Both the parents were
members of the Methodist Church and took an active part in every good work,
their home being a stopping place for the itinerant ministers for many
years.
Our subject is one of a family of seven sons and six daughters, of whom
seven reached mature years and married. Of the entire family, only five
sons and four daughters are now living. The early years of our subject were
spent on his father's farm and his education was obtained in the district
schools. He was married in his native county to MISS ELIZA A. TAYLOR, an
intelligent and estimable lady, who was born in SUSSEX COUNTY, DEL., March
24, 1833. MRS. THOMAS is a daughter of ROBERT and ELIZABETH (WADKINS)
TAYLOR, who were natives of the same State in which she first saw the light,
and were members of Pennsylvania families of the old Holland stock. After
the birth of two children, of whom MRS. THOMAS is the eldest, ROBERT and
ELIZABETH TAYLOR moved to ROSS COUNTY, OHIO, and there the mother died Nov.
30, 1844, at the age of thirty-four years. The father afterwards went to
INDIANA and in WARREN COUNTY married his second wife, MRS. AGNES WORLEY
TIMMONS, nee SMITH. MR. TAYLOR and his second wife subsequently located in
TIPPECANOE COUNTY (IND.), where the former followed his trade as a carpenter
until his death at the age of forty-four years. His second wife survived
him some years.
The rites of wedlock between our subject and MISS ELIZA TAYLOR, were
celebrated Feb. 15, 1855, and their union has been blessed by the birth of
thirteen children: ELIZABETH, JAMES, FRANCIS and ARTHUR died while quite
young; MARY A. is the widow of JOHN F. GIBSON and lives in this township on
a part of her father's farm; ELIZA J. is the wife of GEORGE W. DEGRAW, a
farmer in this township; CHARLES E. married MISS NELLIE PORTER and their
home is on a ranch in ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COL.; DAVID S., owns a claim in
COLORADO on which he is living; JOHN H. is still at home; WILLIAM E. is a
telegraph operator; ALBERT C., EMMA, and HATTIE A., complete the group
around the family hearth.
MR. and MRS. THOMAS take quite an active interest in everything which will
tend to the improvement of the township, and in the education of their
children have done all that parental love and pride could compass and their
means would allow. MR. THOMAS is a Republican. Intelligent, enterprising,
kindly and of good principles, he is regarded with respect by neighbors and
fellow-citizens, and his wife shares in their good will.