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THOMAS HETHERINGTON was born
in Lycoming county, Pa., June 6, 1817. He is a son of David and
Elizabeth (Huff) Hetherington, the former of whom was a native
of Ireland, and the latter a native of New Jersey. The father
came to the United States when a young man, and settled in
Northumberland county, Pa., afterwards moving to Lycoming
county, that state, where he married, and thence moved to
Richland county, Ohio, in 1838, and there died in 1853, at the
age of eighty-four. He was a farmer throughout life, an
enterprising, industrious and successful one. The mother died
while the family was residing in Lycoming county, Pa., in the
year 1835, at the age of sixty.
To David and Elizabeth Hetherington were born eleven
children, of whom the subject of this notice is the sixth. Only
two besides our subject are now living: Ruth Ann, wife of
Alexander McElvane, and Asher, both residing near Mansfield
Ohio. The deceased brothers and sisters are: John, Mary, Ellen,
William, Eliza, Nancy, James and David.
Thomas, the subject proper of this notice, was reared in
his native county, in Pennsylvania, and had attained his
majority when his father moved to Richland county, Ohio. He
accompanied his father to Ohio, and settling in Richland county
resided there till 1844, when he went to Rock county, Wis. He
married in Rock county, and lived there till June, 1853, then
came to Iowa and settled in Delaware county. On locating in this
county he bought a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land
in Delaware township, for which he paid $6.50 per acre, and a
tract of forty acres in Coffin's Grove township, for which he
paid $75.00. He settled on the former tract, and engaged at once
in farming, and has been so engaged since. In fact, Mr.
Hetherington has been a farmer all his life, was reared on the
farm and has followed the pursuits for which he was trained in
youth with industry and has met with a fair degree of
success. He resided on his farm in Delaware township till 1880,
at which date he moved to Manchester, where he has since lived,
still retaining his farming interest, however. Coming to this
county at the date he did, Mr. Hetherington has seen most of
the changes which have marked the progress of his adopted home,
from a wild prairie to a country of well improved farms, and in
the labor of bringing about this great change he has faithfully
borne the part that has fallen to his lot, in connection with
his own locality. He has served in the usual number
of local offices, the duties of which he has discharged with
credit to himself and satisfaction to those concerned. He has
taken no particular interest in any matter of a political
nature, but for the upbuilding of the social, industrial and
educational interests of his community he has always been
active, and his name has ever stood pledged for the enforcement
of the law and the preservation of order and good government in
the vicinity where he has resided.
Mr. Hetherington married January 6,
1846, taking to wife Miss Susanna Crall then of Richland county,
Ohio, where also she was born, March 18, 1827. The wife of his
youth abides with him, having borne him a faithful and
affectionate companionship for more than forty-four years. Mrs.
Hetherington is a daughter of John and Sarah (Lacer) Crall,
her father having been a native of Dauphin county, Pa., where he
lived for many years. He died in Rock county, Wis., in February,
1876, having attained the seventy-third year of his age. He was
a farmer and was always engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was
a son of Matthias Crall, who was a Pennsylvanian by birth and
who lived most of his life in his native state, but died in
Richland county, Ohio, at the age of seventy-five. Mrs.
Hetherington's mother was born in Perry county, Pa., and
died in Richland county, Ohio, in 1860, at the age of
fifty-four. She was a daughter of Christian Lacer, a
Pennsylvanian, who died in his native state in 1855, aged
seventy-one years.
Mr. and Mrs. Hetherington are the parents of eight
children. Maria, their eldest, was born February 20, 1848. She
is now the wife of Andrew Hesner, and lives in Weaver, Minn.
Russell, their next, was born October 8, 1849. He married Addie
Hudson, of this county, and she afterwards dying, he married
Nellie O'Donnell, also of this county. He lives in Rawlins
county, Kans., and is a miller. John was born April 27,1853. He
married Mary J. Thornburg, of this county, and now resides here,
the father of two children: Harry Ernest and Florence Belle.
Amos B. and Asher F., Mr. and Mrs. Hetherington's next two
children, are twins and were born June 1, 1856. The former
resides in this county and a sketch of him appears in this work.
The latter is in Black Hills, Dak. Matilda was born February
13, 1858, and still resides with her parents. Mary Jane was
born August 5, 1863, and is also with her parents. Amanda was
born March 3, 1866, and is the wife of Albert Acers, of this
county.
While Mr. Hetherington has never taken much interest in
partisan politics he has not neglected his duties as a citizen
and voter. In earlier years he was a Whig and supported the Whig
ticket with much zeal. On the disappearance of the old party
lines, he cast his political fortunes with the republican party,
and he has maintained a steady allegiance to the teachings of
that party since. He is an intelligent and public spirited
citizen and in the progressive town of his residence a worthy
personage and important factor. |
