JEFFERSON, Thomas H. from the "Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa"

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THOMAS H. JEFFERSON, a prominent farmer of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, 
is a son of William Jefferson, who was born in 1801, and was married 
to Elizabeth Hewett, daughter of John Hewett, a native of England.  
Mr. Jefferson came to America in 1823, and settled in Trumbull County, 
Ohio, where he was among the early settler.  He was the only member of 
his family that ever came to this country.  He was engaged first in 
driving a stage for the Ohio Stage Company for sixteen years, and next 
in clearing a farm from heavy timber.  The country at that time was 
covered with giant beech, oaks, walnut, maple, hickory and almost all 
kinds of timber native to that State, and wild beasts were also 
plentiful.  To Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson were born five children:  
William, Mary, Thomas, Edward, and one who died when young.  The 
father lived on his farm for many years, where he was a well-known and 
prominent man, and both he and his wife were members of the Church of 
England.  In 1863 he went to Black Hawk County, Iowa, where he lived 
the remainder of his days, dying at the age of seventy-six years.  He 
was a hard-working and upright man.

Thomas H. Jefferson, our subject, was born February 23, 1839, and 
after his marriage was engaged in the oil country in Warren and Erie 
counties, Pennsylvania, for three years.  In 1867 he came to Iowa, 
settling in Black Hawk County, where he remained two years; he next 
lived on the Missouri line in Polk and Cedar counties, and in 1872 he 
came to Belknap Township, Pottawattamie County, settling on wild land.  
There was but one house between him and Big Grove, now Oakland, which 
then contained a store, blacksmith shop, and a saw-mill and three 
small cabins.  In 1881 he came to his present fine farm of 320 acres, 
one-half o which is in Belknap Township.  Politically he is a Democrat, 
and stands deservedly high as a straightforward and honorable man.

Mr. Jefferson was married in 1863, in Pennsylvania, to Rose Stewart, 
daughter of Simeon and Hannah (Blakesley) Stewart, and they have three 
children:  Stewart, Charles C., and Tommy.  Simeon Stewart was born in 
New York State, and was the father of five children:  Tryphenia, 
Calphurnia, Perry, Rose and Dora.  He was a carpenter by trade, but 
owned a farm in the woods of Erie County, Pennsylvania, where he lived 
for many years, and where he was a pioneer settler.  He went thirty-two 
miles to Erie on horseback for his flour.  He was a soldier in the war 
of 1812, and lived to the age of eighty-two, dying on his farm.  He was 
a member of the Masonic order, and a man well known and respected in 
his county.  He kept a hotel on the road from Oil City to Corry, 
Pennsylvania, and during the oil exitement [sic] did an immense 
business, accumulating a handsome property.

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If you would like more information about anyone mentioned in this
biography, please write to the Pottawattamie County Genealogical
Society at:

PO Box 394
Council Bluffs, IA 51502-0394

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