This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Thomas, DeGraw, Gibson, Odel, Porter Taylor, Watkins, Worley, Timmons Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Hi.2ADI/1745 Message Board Post: I am related to this family indirectly. John Thomas' wife was the daughter of Robert Taylor and Elizabeth Watkins of Sussex Co., Delaware. Elizabeth Watkins was the sister of my 3rd gr. grandfather, William Watkins. After the death of Elizabeth, Robert Taylor remarried and removed to Lafayette, where he died at about the age of 44. It is thought he might have been buried in Greenbush Cemetery. This biography was sent to me by a descendant of Robert and Elizabeth Watkins Taylor. ________________________________________________________ Portrait and Biographical Album Published by Chapman Brothers in 1890 Sent to me by Wamego Public Library, Wamego, KS JOHN THOMAS, who is engaged in general farming and stock-raising in Pottawatomie County, has been a citizen of this State since 1875, when he came from Indiana and secured eighty acres of land in Mill Creek Township, subsequently obtaining an additional eighty, and improving the whole and making thereon a very comfortable home. The farm is well watered by good springs and is a fertile and productive tract of land. MR. THOMAS is of English descent, his grandfather having come from the mother country to America during the War of 1812, as barber to an English General. After the war he married a Pennsylvania lady of the old Holland stock, who after his decease married again, her second husband being a Mr. Gray. To this couple was born a son, Samuel, the place of his birth being ROSS COUNTY, OHIO. He learned the trade of a shoemaker but before many years abandoned this occupation and acquired the cooper's trade under his step-father, MR. GRAY. In his native county he was married to MISS ASENATH ODEL, who was born in the Buckeye State, Jan. 13, 1800, and was a daughter of RICHARD and ELIZABETH ODEL, who after having lived many years in Ohio, in their later life moved to WARREN COUNTY, IND., dying there when about four-score years of age. After his marriage Samuel Thomas continued to reside in his native State until after four children had been born to himself and wife, when they went to WARREN COUNTY, IND. There our subject was born Dec. 25, 1829. The parents purchased a new farm in Adams Township, being among the early settlers in the county, and after having made some improvements upon the land and lived upon it for a time, they removed to the town of Independence, where the f! ather followed his trade until his death, Feb. 8, 1843. At the time of his decease he was about forty-six years old. His widow survived until September 1873, when she died in Pine Village, being then about three-score and ten years old. Both the parents were members of the Methodist Church and took an active part in every good work, their home being a stopping place for the itinerant ministers for many years. Our subject is one of a family of seven sons and six daughters, of whom seven reached mature years and married. Of the entire family, only five sons and four daughters are now living. The early years of our subject were spent on his father's farm and his education was obtained in the district schools. He was married in his native county to MISS ELIZA A. TAYLOR, an intelligent and estimable lady, who was born in SUSSEX COUNTY, DEL., March 24, 1833. MRS. THOMAS is a daughter of ROBERT and ELIZABETH (WADKINS) TAYLOR, who were natives of the same State in which she first saw the light, and were members of Pennsylvania families of the old Holland stock. After the birth of two children, of whom MRS. THOMAS is the eldest, ROBERT and ELIZABETH TAYLOR moved to ROSS COUNTY, OHIO, and there the mother died Nov. 30, 1844, at the age of thirty-four years. The father afterwards went to INDIANA and in WARREN COUNTY married his second wife, MRS. AGNES WORLEY TIMMONS, nee SMITH. MR. T! AYLOR and his second wife subsequently located in TIPPECANOE COUNTY (IND.), where the former followed his trade as a carpenter until his death at the age of forty-four years. His second wife survived him some years. The rites of wedlock between our subject and MISS ELIZA TAYLOR, were celebrated Feb. 15, 1855, and their union has been blessed by the birth of thirteen children: ELIZABETH, JAMES, FRANCIS and ARTHUR died while quite young; MARY A. is the widow of JOHN F. GIBSON and lives in this township on a part of her father's farm; ELIZA J. is the wife of GEORGE W. DEGRAW, a farmer in this township; CHARLES E. married MISS NELLIE PORTER and their home is on a ranch in ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COL.; DAVID S., owns a claim in COLORADO on which he is living; JOHN H. is still at home; WILLIAM E. is a telegraph operator; ALBERT C., EMMA, and HATTIE A., complete the group around the family hearth. MR. and MRS. THOMAS take quite an active interest in everything which will tend to the improvement of the township, and in the education of their children have done all that parental love and pride could compass and their means would allow. MR. THOMAS is a Republican. Intelligent, enterprising, kindly and of good principles, he is regarded with respect by neighbors and fellow-citizens, and his wife shares in their good will.