THOMAS
O'BRIEN, farmer and stock raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in
the city of Philadelphia Feb. 18, 1830; he is a son of John and
Mary O'Brien; his father was born at Mt. Maleck, Queens Co.,
Ireland, in February, 1801; up to the age of 18 years, he worked in
his father's tailor shop; he then went to London, Eng., and
afterward to Leeds, spending seven years in the two cities; after
paying a brief visit to his native place, he came to America at the
age of 25; his first settlement was in Philadelphia, where he was
married Mar. 18, 1828, to Miss Sarah Campbell, a native of
Philadelphia; she was born May 1, 1808; he worked as a journeyman in
Philadelphia until 1832, when he removed to Cincinnati, and there
followed his trade five years; he then removed to Terre Haute, Ind.,
where he began business for himself; in 1849, he came to Ashmore and
settled on a farm, containing 435 acres of wild land which he had
purchased the year before. About twenty years ago, he removed
to the village of Ashmore, where he resided till his death, Sept.
26, 1873, and where his widow still resides. He was a man of
strictest commercial integrity, and highly respected as a citizen;
he left seven children, five of whom are living; the eldest son,
Thomas, was employed in his father's shop in Terre Haute for
about three years before the family removed to Coles Co.; he
remained on the farm until 1855, when he came to the village and
engaged in merchandising, in which he continued till 1873, since
which time he has devoted his attention to stock business; he owns a
farm of 130 acres in the corporation and forty-three acres in
another part of the township. He has been a member of the Town
Board of Trustees or Board of Education most of the time during his
residence here. He was married Jan. 10, 1855, to Miss
Amanda Wells, a daughter of James Wells, of Ashmore; they
have two children - Capitola and Grace.
Source: History of Coles County, Illinois - Chicago - Wm. LeBaron,
Jr., & Co. - 1879~ Page 602 |
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