Lea, Thomas R.

LEA, MORTON, CONE, ROBERS, PIERSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 1/28/2003 at 14:14:36

THOMAS R. LEA.

Thomas R. Lea, who for thirty-three years ahs been a resident of Clinton, was born in Birmingham, England, December 11, 1858, and is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Morton) Lea, both natives of England. The family came to America in 1858 and settled in Clinton, Iowa, where the father followed milling until his death, which occurred in the fall of 1899, when he was seventy-six years of age. His wife died while on a visit to the scenes of her early childhood in England. They were the parents of the following four children: William H., who is working in a mill in Clinton; Thomas R., the subject of this sketch; Fred, a farmer living in Bellevue, Nebraska; Fred Morton, an engineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway and a resident of Chicago. These children all received their education in the schools of Clinton.

In 1880 our subject, upon leaving school, went to work for the railroad company as brakeman, and this position he filled with credit for eighteen months. He was fireman on an engine for about five hears and was then promoted to engineer. He made his first trip in that capacity September 17, 1887, and since that time has been running fast freights and extra passenger trains between Clinton and Boone. His number as an employee of the railway company is 106.

In 1881 Mr. Lea was united in marriage with Miss Georgia Cone, who is a native of this county, born in 1862, and daughter of Frederick and Emma (Roberts) Cone. The parents of the latter came to Clinton county in 1838 and entered land from the government and became quite wealthy. The year of their emigration to this state was one in which many Indians were passing back and forth through his district, and the Roberts homestead was many times their stopping place. Mrs. Cone was born in 1841, the second white child born in this county, in a house at the end of Fifth avenue, and is still living. Mr. Cone was a native of Connecticut, and before coming to Iowa lived for a time in Ohio. Mr. Cone passed away in 1894, mourned by all who knew him and leaving his wife and children. Besides his wife, Mr. Cone left surviving him the following five children: Mrs. Sadie Pierson, a resident of Clinton; Mrs. Lea, wife of our subject; Charles, a conductor on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, running between Chicago and Clinton; Carl, manager of a machine shop in Clinton; and Minnie, who lives with Mr. Lea, and is a stenographer in the People’s Bank. To Mr. and Mrs. Lea have been born two children: Fred C., born in 1883, who took a thorough business course in Clinton College; and Mabel E., born in 1886, who is attending high school.

 In 1894 Mr. Lea purchased the old Cone homestead, which is finely situated in the town of Clinton and has every modern convenience. He has held the position of engineer on the Northwestern Railway for many years, and by his ability and faithfulness to duty has won for himself a high place in the estimation of his employers. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Division No. 125.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.