WALLER, Rev. Thomas

WALLER, WOODS, SMITH, HOLMES, HISEY HAWKINS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/16/2014 at 10:10:41

Biography ~ Rev. Thomas Waller

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), Pp. 567-68:

REV. THOMAS WALLER, of Leon, has been a resident of Decatur County, since May, 1858. He entered 200 acres of land in Decatur Township, in 1854, at the same time entering eighty acres in Burrell Township. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, April 21, 1819. He served an apprenticeship at the razor-making trade, at Sheffield, which he followed until he came to America, in 1841. His father, THOMAS WALLER, Sr., was an exciseman of the Government of England, and a local minister of the Wesleyan Methodist church. He died when his son was three years old. When he came to America he was unaccompanied by any member of his father’s family. A sister, Mrs. ELIZA WOODS, with her husband, came six years later, and settled in Illinois, where her husband died soon after, of cholera. She now lives in Perkin, Illinois, where her children. When he first came to this country he settled near Jackson, Illinois, on a farm where an English settlement was already established. A year later he went to Greene County, Illinois, with the English family with whom he was living. Mr. WALLER began preaching as a local minister of the church of the Methodist New Connection, in England. He intended to become a missionary, but failed to complete his studies, from lack of means. He then resolved to come to America. He was married in Greene County, Illinois, December 8, 1842, to CATHERINE SMITH, born in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. In the fall of 1843, Mr. WALLER was appointed by the Illinois Conference of the Protestant Methodist church to a circuit. He was ordained by this conference and was engaged as a circuit preacher for several years. When the Methodist church divided on the question of slavery, Mr. WALLER concluded to unite with the Congregational church. He continued to preach for this church till after his removal to Iowa. In 1856 removed with a colony to Nebraska, and assisted in the organization of the Second Congregational Association of that Territory. He resided in Nebraska until 1858, when, as already stated, he came to this county. Soon after, he took a mission under the united auspices of the Congregational and Presbyterian churches. He worked on his mission till those churches divided on the question of slavery, and then united with the Methodist Episcopal church, where he has remained ever since. He continues to preach as a local minister. He resided on his farm until 1879, when he came to Leon. In December, 1860, he lost his wife by death, and in 1861, he married Mrs. LAVINA T. HOLMES, a native of the same county as her husband. Her first husband, EDMUND HOLMES, died in this county in 1859. Mr. WALLER’s first wife bore him six children, five whom are living – MARY, wife of JAMES HISEY, of Kansas; WILLIMA V., and THOMAS W., life on the homestead; ALFRED, resides in San Francisco, California, and SARAH A., wife of JAMES A. HAWKINS, of Leon. His eldest son - ALEXANDER K., was a member of Company D, Fiftieth Illinois Infantry, and was at the taking of Fort Donelson and Clarksville, and was killed the first day of the battle of Shiloh, April 1862. A son of Mr. WALLER, RICHARD HOLMES, entered the army as a drummer-boy, and died at the siege of Vicksburg, in 1863. In 1881, just forty Mr. WALLER left his native land, he returned to England on a visit. He found that marked changed had taken place, not only in the people, but great progress and had been made in the nation great progress had been made in the nation generally, in liberalizing thought, education of the masses, and general prosperity. He is one of the highly respected citizens of this county, and much esteemed as an honorable Christian gentleman.

NOTE: Catherine (Smith) Waller fell down a flight of stairs and broke her neck, which killed her on June 15, 1860. Catherine was buried in the orchard (Waller Cemetery) beside her 2 or 3 children who died of diphtheria.

Transcribed by Sara LeFleur, Decatur County Historial Society Musuem, January of 2014