Thomas Taplin (1840-1910), 1910 Biography

TAPLIN, COOK, BREWEN, SMITH, COTTER, GRAY, MARTIN

Posted By: LuAnn (Wentworth) Goeke (email)
Date: 6/10/2011 at 21:23:00

THOMAS TAPLIN.

An excellent farming property of five hundred acres in Iowa township is the visible evidence of the energy, perseverance and thrift of Thomas Taplin, who, having gained by close application and careful management a substantial competence, is now able to live retired and enjoy the fruits of his former labor. He was born in England in 1842 and was about eighteen years of age when, in 1860, his parents decided to come to the United States, fully aware that larger opportunities for advancement could be obtained in this land of freedom. They located in Iowa township, Jackson county, Iowa, and spent the rest of their lives upon the farm Mr. Taplin purchased. He was called to his final rest in 1898, while his widow lived until 1906 and was eighty-five at the time of her demise. Thomas Taplin of this review was their only child.

From his boyhood Thomas Taplin has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He acquired a fair common-school education in the land of his birth and obtained practical preparation for the responsibilities of later years as an assistant to his father in his work. A young man of eighteen when he came to this country, with characteristic energy he began to cultivate the fields of the home farm, for he realized early that unusual advantages were presented in the appreciation and freedom of the new world and in the fertility of Iowa's land. In course of time his fields were producing rich and abundant harvests, which netted him a comfortable competence, and, realizing that real estate is the safest investment, he continually bought land until his property aggregates five hundred acres, all lying in Iowa township. He also engaged extensively in the stock business, raising and feeding large numbers of cattle and hogs for market, and as this proved a profitable enterprise he devoted more and more time to it until he attained to a front rank among the stockmen of this county. Now he has relinquished the heavier duties of life and lives retired upon one of his farms, having every reason to be satisfied with the result of his diligent efforts of former years, for surely they have brought him a large measure of success.

Mr. Taplin has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth Cook, also a native of England, and their union was blessed with eleven children, as follows: Harriet, now the wife of John Brewen, of Clinton county, Iowa; Mary, the wife of Fate Smith, of Wisconsin; John, who is living in Nebraska; James, a resident of this county; George and Lee, who also live in this county; Mattie, the wife of John Cotter, of Jackson county; Luella, the wife of John Gray, of Iowa township; Alfred, also a resident of that township; and two who have passed away. For his second wife Mr. Taplin wedded Mrs. Sarah Martin, who was born in Ireland and came to America when she was about seventeen years of age. By her first marriage she had three children, namely: Henry John Martin; Asa, a graduate of the Miles high school; and Martha, deceased.

Mrs. Taplin is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and interested in its work and welfare. Mr. Taplin is a democrat in his political views, and while not an aspirant for office, he has always supported measures which would prove of the greatest value to the community. Being a stanch friend of education, his service on the school board was marked by progressive measures for raising the standard of the local schools. He has had no reason to regret having come to this country, for here he found the opportunities, of which he had heard, and, possessing the energy and enterprise necessary to develop them, he has gained a success of no small dimensions. It has been won by honorable means, too, so that the general respect and esteem in which he is held is well merited. - 1910 History of Jackson County, Vol. 2, pgs. 473-474.