Thomas Early (1921)
EARLY, SLOAN, SULGROVE
Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 5/15/2007 at 09:48:12
The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, March 23, 1921DEATH OF THOMAS EARLY
Thomas Early died on Tuesday afternoon at his home on Pleasant street in Des Moines, following ten days illness from pneumonia. Funeral services will be held at his home on Thursday afternoon at half past one o'clock.
Thomas Early, who was past 76 years of age, had a large experience in Madison county affairs. His father came here in 1855, when Winterset was young, and located in Jackson township on raw prairie land.
His son, Thomas, attended school in the first school house in Jackson township, and in 1864, enlisted in the 47th Iowa Volunteers. On returning from the army, he pursued farming and stock raising, displaying unusual ability. His land holdings became heavy as the years passed. When he had a stroke of paralysis, in 1908, he disposed of much of his farm land and retired, moving to Des Moines, from Earlham where he had for years been president of the Bank of Earlham.
Mrs. Early died twenty years ago. His daughter, Aletta, kept the home for him until her death, about two years ago. His only son, Orson, is a resident of Oklahoma.
Early Chapel takes its name from Thomas Early, because of his part in building this branch of the Church of Christ. He possessed exceptional talents, and enjoyed the fullest confidence of his neighbors and business associates, who will recall him as a man of great usefulness.
________________________Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, March 24, 1921Earlham Pioneer Called Home
Death Calls Mr. Thomas Early After Brief Illness. Was Closely Associated with Local Business and Financial Interest of Past Years.
Mr. Thomas Early, son of one of Madison county’s earliest settlers, and a man very actively identified with the early history of Earlham, passed away Tuesday evening at his home on Pleasant St., Des Moines after a short illness with pneumonia. A week before his death he suffered a fall while in his room dressing, an injury that induced the illness that caused his death. He would have been 77 years old on the 11th of the coming November. He has not seen his home here for a number of years, living with his daughter, Alletta Sloan at the home in Des Moines during the past four or five years. However he has maintained a certain interest in local affairs in spite of feeble health caused by a paralytic stroke several years ago. He came here occasionally and remained until the time of his death, President of the Bank of Earlham. This office he has held continuously since the reorganization of the bank in 1909.
Mr. Early is survived by one son, Orson L., his daughter Mrs. Alletta Sloan preceding him death almost exactly a year. A sister Mrs. Minerva Sulgrove, of Greenfield, is the next nearest of kin.
Mr. Early was one of these fine steadfast characters who are the foundation stones of the best American communities. He took a deep interest in the social and religious life of the town and country, and Early Chapel Church is a monument in the man who was one of its founders and generous supporters.
The funeral service was held at the late home this (Thursday) afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery. Six old neighbors and friends from Earlham, N. A. Packard, W. J. Eisele, Ferd Bilderback, John Drake, H. A. Foster and M. H. McCorkle, served as pall bearers. A number of other Earlham people including Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Thomson and C. O. Clements were present.
The following facts concerning Mr. Early’s long and useful life were secured from the Madison County history:
Thomas Early was born on the 11th of November, 1844, in Trumbull county, Ohio, a son of John and ----- (McMurn) Early.
(This paragraph was very hard to read from the microfilm) His father came to Madison county in ----- by way of Eddyville. Winterset was then a small village and it was necessary to travel by stage in order to reach it. Much of the ---- county was still in the possession of the government and the vast unbroken prairies gave little ----- the thickly settled agricultural region of today. Mr. Early bought raw prairie land in Jackson township and continued to reside upon his farm until his death. During the big snows of the winter of 1866-7, the family endured heavy privations, as it was almost impossible to get supplies from the outside world, but they were not discouraged and as the years passed on and the country became settled and land increased in value, they reaped the reward of their courage and determination.
Thomas Early pursued his education in the first school house built in Jackson township. He sat on a slab bench and considered himself fortunate to have a desk, even though it was made of slabs. He did his part in the work of developing a farm from the virgin prairie and in assisting his father learned practical methods of agriculture.
On the 4th of May 1864, when not quite twenty years of age, he enlisted in Company F, Forty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry and was made fourth corporal. Upon the close of hostilities he returned to Jackson township and for a short reside under the parental roof. He then bought land, paying nine and ten dollars per acre, and began farming and raising stock upon his own account. He early displayed marked financial ability and as he was an energetic and efficient agriculturist his capital increased rapidly. He invested heavily in land becoming the owner of twenty-two hundred acres. He found the stock business especially profitable and bought and fed many head annually, one year shipping seven hundred and sixty carloads of stock. In 1908 he suffered a paralytic stroke and then sold most of his land, wishing to be relieved of the responsibility of managing it.
In 1868 Mr. Early married Miss Harriett Matthews, who was born in Indiana, a daughter of Calvin and Louisa Matthews. The father was a land owner and farmer in the Hoosier state and was quite active in public affairs in his locality. His daughter Harriett came to Iowa with relatives and taught school in this county previous to her marriage. She was a woman of true Christian character and was beloved by all who were privileged to know her. She passed away in 1900, leaving two children, Lottie F. the wife of Dr. J. H. Sloan, of Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Orson L., who was formerly in the implement business in Earlham, now living in Des Moines.
________________________The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, March 30, 1921
Page 1, Column 3THOMAS EARLY PASSES AWAY
Former Well Known Resident Dies in Des Moines. Was Stock Buyer.
Thomas Early, pioneer citizen of Madison county, one of the members of the old Early family prominent in Madison county affairs and in its live stock business, died at his home in Des Moines Tuesday, March 22.
The Register says: Thomas Early, 76 years old, died at his home 1621 Pleasant street yesterday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock.
Mr. early was president of the Bank of Earlham since 1909, and was one of the organizers and chater members of the Church of Christ known ad the Early Gospel.
He served during the civil war with Company E, Forty-seventh Iowa volunteers. At his return from the service he engaged in the livestock business of Madison county.
Several years ago Mr. Early suffered a stroke of paralysis which left him an invalid. On Monday, while in his room he fell, injuring his hip and side. A few days confinement to his bed and pneumonia set in, resulting in his death.
He is survived by on son, Orson L. Early, Des Moines and a sister, Mrs. Minerva Sulgrove of Greenfield, Iowa.
The funeral was held at the residence Thursday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock, interment at Woodland cemetery.
Link to Gravestone Photo
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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