For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 505
THOMAS C. KILLION....Thomas C. Killion, who is engaged in the livery business at Wilton Junction, Muscatine county, Iowa, and is known as one of its progressive citizens, is a native of Denver, Colorado, born October 29, 1867. Hi father, John Killion, was born in Rhode Island and his mother, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Doyle, is a native of one of the southern states. They were married at Davenport, Iowa, and later removed to Colorado, where Mr. Killion engaged for six years in the mining business. At the end of this time he came to Scott county, Iowa and purchased a farm which he cultivated until his death December 15, 1871. The mother is now living in Muscatine county at the age of sixty-five years. There were four children in the family : Ellen, now the wife of C. A. Rollands, of Muscatine ; Frank, who lives with his mother ; Mamie, the wife of Homer Hesselgesser, of Wilton Junction ; and Thomas C.At nine years of age the subject of this review began to provide for himself by working upon a farm, where he continued for six years. He had little opportunity for education as the waking hours of his youth were largely occupied in toil. After leaving the farm he was connected for ten years with the livery business and then he spent six years buying and selling horses. Later he entered the livery business on his own account at Wilton Junction and is now at the head of one of the most complete establishments of the kind in the county. He also owns forty acres of land in Moscow township and a substantial residence in Wilton Junction, which he has acquired by wise foresight and good judgment.
On the 1st of April, 1886, Mr. Killion was united in marriage to Miss Laura Hesselgesser, a native of Wilton Junction and a daughter of David and Delilah ( Shepard ) Hesselgesser. Her parents were both born in Pennsylvania and are now deceased. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Killion, the eldest of whom died in infancy. Homer died at the age of five years, and John, whose natal day was October 8, 1889, is living at home. The mother of these chldren having died, Mr. Killion was married August 13, 1907, to Miss Mary Reynolds, who was born at Muscatine in October, 1877. She is the daughter of Patrick and Margaret ( Axline ) Reynolds, her mother being a native of Iowa and the father of Ireland. Her parents have both passed away, the mother in 1883 and the father in 1903. There were three children in their family : Helen, now a resident of Wilton Junction ; Hattie, now Mrs. Theodore Hazen of Nichols, Iowa ; and Mary. To Mr. and Mrs. Killion a son was born but he died in infancy.
Mr. Killion gives his allegiance to the democratic party and fraternally is identified with Lodge No. 171, K. P., of Wilton Junction. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church. He has had many difficulties to overcome in the course of his life and he owes his prsent position of comfort and ease to an unalterable determination and a worthy ambition which has never yielded to discouragements. The lessons which he learned as a boy when striving for a foothold made a deep impression upon his mind and strengthened him for future conquests. He is recognized as a man of thorough integrity and is one of the responsible citizens of Muscatine county.
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