Thomas F. Mardis

CLARK, GROUT, MARDIS, MERRILL

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/13/2004 at 00:00:19

Thomas F. Mardis, who passed away in 1908, was a prominent contractor of Winterset and erected many of the best buildings of the city. He was born in Ohio on the 19th of November, 1837, and was reared in New Comerstown, that state, where he attended the common schools and laid the foundation of his education, later becoming a student in the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant. He learned the mason's trade under his father and in 1857 removed to Washington county, Iowa, where he resided for a year or so, after which he became a resident of Osceola. He worked there for some time and saved money enough to enable him to attend college for two terms. He then taught school for a similar length of time in his alma mater, after which he returned to Osceola and again took up the mason's trade. In 1874 he arrived in Winterset and soon established himself as a contractor and mason, building up an enviable reputation for thorough, honest work. He erected many of the leading business blocks and also a number of fine residences and would not tolerate any but good workmanship from his employees. In all of his business dealings he was honor' able and upright and he was ranked among the successful men of the city. He was active until a short time before his death, which occurred on the 7th of April, 1908.

On the 17th of October, 1860, Mr. Mardis married Miss Annie Clark, who was born in Fulton county, Illinois, on the 28th of July, 1841, and in 1855 accompanied her parents on their removal to Iowa. She began her education in Illinois, continued it in Van Wert, Iowa, and supplemented the knowledge acquired in the common schools by attending the Osceola high school. To Mr. and Mrs. Mardis were born four children: John C., who is a leading contractor of Des Moines; Hattie, who married Fred Grout, of Richardson, North Dakota; Fred, who is engaged in the coal business in Winterset, and of whom mention is made on another page of this volume; and Anna, the wife of Charles Merrill, of Des Moines.

Mr. Mardis was a republican, his political views coinciding with the principles of that party. Fraternally he was a thirty-second degree Mason, becoming a member of Bellport Lodge, No. 20, A. F. & A. M. at Osceola, in 1862. He was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was very popular not only in those organizations but among all of the residents of Winterset, his genial nature and large-heartedness winning him friends wherever he was known. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church and no good cause ever appealed to him in vain.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”