Thomas Page

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Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/10/2010 at 10:36:26

Since the fall of 1910 Thomas Page has made his home in Luther, where he is now living retired, having, previous to this time, devoted his attention largely to agricultural pursuits. His early home was in Ohio, for he was born in Clinton county, that state, June 30, 1837, his parents being Wesley and Matilda (Crispen) Page. His father, who was also a farmer by occupation, died when a young man and was long survived by his widow, who was about seventy years old at the time of her death, which occurred in Clinton county, Ohio. They were married in that state, though he was a native of Virginia and she of Pennsylvania. After her husband’s death she spent some two or three years in Illinois, but finally returned to Ohio. In their family were six children, five sons and one daughter, our subject being the next to the oldest. The others were: Mason who is still a resident of Ohio, Silas, twin of Thomas, the former now deceased, William and Lucinda also twins, both of whom are deceased, and Wesley a retired farmer living in Luther, Iowa.
Thomas Page spent his early life in Oho and received a good practical education in the common schools of that state. At an early age, however, he began earning his own livelihood and started out in life for himself empty handed. In the fall of 1861, he left his native state and removed to Sangamon county, Illinois, where he had a brother and sister residing, but on March 1, 1864, he became a resident of Boone county, Iowa. At that time the city of Boone was the terminus of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. His brother Wesley had located here the year previous. Thomas Page located on the Peterson place in Worth township, being then in the employ of J H Norton for about one year. The following two years he worked for John Jennings, at the end of which time he was married and rented a farm, which eh operated for the same length of time. He then purchased 40 aces of land one mile north of the present site of Luther from L and H Goeppinger. There was a house standing upon the land, but otherwise it was unimproved, and to its cultivation and development he at once turned his attention. Subsequently he trade that property to Philip Hull for 120 acres three miles eat of Wroth, in what is now Colfax township. He also improved that farm, which he finally traded for a place of 111 aces in Des Moines township. It is today one of the best improved and most productive tracts in the locality and to its cultivation Mr Page devoted his attention until 1910, when he retired form active labor and removed to Luther. Here he has built a good comfortable residence and also has 20 acres of land which he rents. At one time he owned considerable property, but has disposed of much of this, felling that he is entitled to a well earned rest. He followed general farming, and the success which attended his efforts was due entirely to his own careful management and industrious habits.
In the fall of 1866 Mr Page was married in this county to Miss Alice Boone, a daughter of William Myrtle Boone, a prominent pioneer of this county shoe sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Both Mr and Mrs Page are now well advanced in life, she having reached the age of seventy-tow years, while he is seventy-seven. Of their three children, William who is a farmer by occupation resides near the des Moines river in Worth township. He married Miss May Thompson and has a large family, including two daughters who are married and three sons and two daughter who are single. Bertha, the second child of our subject is at home. V A is a farmer by occupation.
In early life Mr Page was a member of the Homes Guards in Ohio and since attaining his majority has always affiliated with the republican party, but has never accepted office. Atone time he was a member of the New Light or Christian church and still favors that denomination. He is a man of upright character, whose life ahs been such as to gain him the confidence and high regard of those with whom he has been brought in contact.

1914 Boone County History Book