THOMAS E. CAREY, MASSENA TOWNSHIP.

Thomas E. Carey, who is among the up-to-date agriculturists of Cass county, was born in Louisa county, Iowa, on the 6th of September, 1861. His parents, John and Eliza (Winder) Carey, were natives of Harrison and Ross counties, Ohio. The father, who was a farmer and drover, followed these occupations in the Buckeye State until 1852, when, still in early manhood, he accompanied the family to Iowa, making the journey with teams and locating in Louisa county. There Thomas Carey, the grandfather, had entered 700 acres of Government land, which, with the assitance of his sons, he improved so that it became valuable farming property; there, also, he passed the balance of his life. He served in the Black Hawk war and was widely known in that section of the State.

John Carey, the father of our subject, resided upon the Louisa county homestead until 1876, when he accomplished another overland journey with teams, arriving at his destination in Lincoln township October 27th, of that year. Locating his family on his wild prairie farm, he promptly commenced to break land and make other preliminary improvements in the already familiar task of founding another family homestead. Happily, he lived to see that property among the most valuable in the county, well cultivated and bearing permanent groves, as well as bountiful annual crops. He erected a comfortable residence, and the barns and other outbuildings were substantial and modern. The last few years of his life, however, he passed at Anita, where he died March 16, 1900, and his widow is still a resident of that place. In his religious belief the deceased was a Dunkard. The family born to Mr. and Mrs. John Carey consisted of eight sons, all of whom are living and, except one, reside in Cass county.

When the family came to this county Thomas E. Carey was sixteen years of age. He assisted in breaking out the home farm with ox teams, and remained on the family homestead until he became of age, after which he farmed on rented land for about four years. He was then enabled to purchase a farm in Massena township, upon which he resided for three years prior to buying his present property. Mr. Carey erected a nice residence, large barns and outbuildings, and provided his farm and his home with modern conveniences, and is now placed in the enviable class of "well fixed."

In 1885 Mr. Carey was united in marriage with Louie Elliott, daughter of Ohio H. Elliott, the father settling in Lincoln township in 1876, and still residing there. Our subject is the father of four children--Omer S., Harvey M., Elmo L., and Hugh T., all of whom are alive. In politics he is a Democrat, and as a citizen has the highest respect of the community.

From "Compendium and History of Cass County, Iowa." Chicago: Henry and Taylor & Co., 1906, pp. 290-291.