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CLINTON THOMAS was born in Boone County, Ind., Oct. 31, 1846. He came with his mother to Iowa in 1856, and yet makes his home with her, residing in Canton Township. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. He now owns 253 acres of land in the above-named township. Since attaining his majority he has given but little personal attention to his farm, renting it out year by year. In 1872 he formed a partnership with the Rev. R. Bowe, and under the firm name of Bowe & Thomas established a hardware and agricultural implement store in Shellsburg, with which he was connected one year. He then became a traveling salesman for an agricultural implement house. In 1877 he purchased the general mercantile business of J. H. Miller, and engaged in that trade for two years. He next engaged in the live-stock trade, and Feb. 1, 1885, he purchased from the estate of J. R. Porter the hardware store established by that gentleman in Shellsburg. He conducted the business about seven months, then sold to Bixby & Briggs.Mr. Thomas is a member of the I. O. O. F., both of the subordinate lodge and the encampment. In politics he is a Republican.
Abram Thomas, deceased, father of Clinton, was born in Ohio, but at an early age moved to Montgomery County, Ind., where he resided some years. In 1844, in Clinton County, Ind., he married Sarah Bell, born in Butler County, Ohio, Aug. 31, 1810. After marriage he moved to Boone County, Ind. His death took place in Indiana in 1851; he left a widow with five small children to mourn his loss. One child died soon afterward, and in 1856 Mrs. Thomas, with her four children, came to Iowa and located in Vinton, where she resided about five years. In 1862 she purchased land on section 21, Canton Township, where she still resides, and now owns 125 acres of land. One of her sons, John B., enlisted in Co. K, 40th Iowa Vol. Inf., and died while in the service. The children surviving are Angeline, wife of Milton Richey; Elmira, wife of Thomas Black, and Clinton.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 233-234.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on January 28th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
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