THOMAS, William 1923-1902

THOMAS, BAKER, TRIPP, ROOT, MOBBS

Posted By: Nettie Mae (email)
Date: 5/25/2024 at 01:24:14

Clinton Morning Age, May 1, 1902

Wm. Thomas died yesterday afternoon at his home on Camanche avenue at 2 o'clock. The cause of his death was pneumonia which he contracted a short time ago when he was visiting a brother who was afflicted with the same disease. Wm. Thomas was born in Hercimer county, N. Y., in 1823. He came west and settled in Chicago in 1835. In 1837 he came to Clinton and had resided until his death. Three sons, four daughters, two brothers and three sisters are left to survive him. The funeral will take place Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock, with burial in the Hess cemetery beside the graves of his wife and a son.

The Clinton Herald, 03 May 1902

WAS AN IOWA PIONEER
Late William Thomas Lived in this Vicinity 65 Years
Interesting Biography of one of the First Settlers of the Region -- Came Here Before the Territory Was Organized -- Funeral Was Held Friday.

The funeral of the late William Thomas, whose death has been announced in The Herald, was held Friday afternoon, from the residence. Interment was made Oakland cemetery. (This should say Hess Cemetery. His wife is buried there as well.)

The following biographical sketch of the deceased has been given The Herald for publication:

William Thomas, whose death occurred April 30, 1902, was born in Herkimer county, N. Y., April 11, 1823. In 1844 he was married to Clarissa M. Baker, who died in 1893. They raised to manhood and womanhood nine children, seven of whom are still living. Besides his immediate family he leaves two brothers, George N. and Charles of Clinton and two sisters, Mrs. Jane Baker of Etna Mills, Cal., and Mrs. Maria Tripp of Madison, Kans., one brother and one sister, Silas and Eliza A. Root, having passed on before. The deceased with his father's family moved from New York and settled where Chicago now stands, then Ft. Dearborn. In 1837 he, together with his father, Robert Thomas, sister Jane and her husband George Mobbs, in company with nine others came from Chicago over land driving an ox team and landing the 27th day of February at Savanna, came down the river to Lyons and crossed over on the ice. His father immediately took up a claim just west of where Clinton now stands on the Bluff Road this side of Mill Creek, hewed logs and put up a cabin. The following July, William, then a lad of only 14 years, went back with the ox team at his father's request to bring his mother and the rest of the family. He crossed to get back at Albany in a "scow" boat made by his father and a neighbor, the first boat that had crossed the Mississippi river at this point. After being out six nights, sleeping alone with his oxen that his father had commanded him not to unyoke for fear of their getting away, he landed safe at Chicago, got his mother, sister Maria, and brothers Silas and Robert and brought them safe to his father, leaving his brother Charles in a factory to finish his term of service as an apprentice and also his sister Eliza Ann teaching school, she being the first teacher in Cook county, Ill., outside of Chicago. The next year their father and mother returned and brought them west, having now their entire family excepting George N., who came with his family twelve years later.

Mrs. Jane Thomas Mobbs and husband lived one year in the second house built in Camanche, Iowa, James Claiburn being the first settler. The next year they built a log house on their claim just west of Mill Creek opposite where their father had settled. In this log cabin in 1839 Mrs. Mobbs, now Mrs. Jane Baker taught the first school in what is now Clinton county. This was one year before Iowa territory was formed in 1840.

Four of this pioneer family still survive, whose respective ages are 90, 88, 81 and 77. William Thomas was possessed of a remarkable memory and mind when in health, and having the material ability to express his thoughts clearly and fluently made himself an entertaining companion.