Thomas Stewart

GILMORE, STEWART

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/13/2004 at 22:15:55

Thomas Stewart, Jackson twp., farmer, Sec. 3; P.O. Earlham; born in Washington county,
Pennsylvania, in 1808; engaged in blacksmithing at sixteen, which occupation he followed until 1849; he then removed to Fulton county, Illinois, and there engaged in farming; removed from thence to Madison county, Iowa, locating on a quarter section in Madison township; improved this farm with but few other settlers within a score of miles; he had to go to Panora to mill and to Des Moines for lumber; in 1860 he located in Jackson township, on section two; Jackson township at this time consisted of wild prairie, with but ten or fifteen inhabitants in the entire township; here he became a permanent settler; he was married to Jane Gilmore in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1827; his partner still survives, and is the mother of fourteen children, eleven of whom are still living: James, Samuel, William, Isaac, Martin, Thomas, Catharine, Mary, Elizabeth, Jane and Sarah Frances; Robert died February 6, 1850; Charles died June 1, 1859, John died November 11, 1863; he owns 130 acres of land; Mr. S. has been justice of the peace eight years; five of his sons were in the late war, one dying and four remaining until the close.

Taken from the book, "The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1879" page 634