BIOGRAPHY: Wardall, Thomas
From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

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     THOMAS WARDALL was born in Thedilletthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, 
August 9, 1815.  In 1827 his parents came to the United States and 
settled at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served an apprenticeship as a 
cutter and was educated as a civil engineer, and also as a musician.  
He studied engineering under Dr. Ray, the author.  He served as 
engineer of the Whitewater Canal in Indiana, for two years, then 
traveled one year in Europe, returned to the United States, and in 1841 
was married to Miss Esther Aller, of Pennsylvania.  In 1842 came to 
Rock County, Wisconsin, settled on a farm and remained until 1854, when 
he removed to Springfield, Illinois, but came to Mitchell County, Iowa, 
in 1855, and has since resided in this county.  He built the first 
frame  house in the Village of Mitchell, and buried the first white 
child in the county.  Previous to his leaving Rock County, Wisconsin, 
Mrs. Wardall died, and he was married to Miss Martha L. Thomas, of that 
county.
     Since his residence in Mitchell County, he has made a specialty in 
experiments in horticultural interests and fruit growing, which have 
resulted in the discovery of many facts, and if fully published would 
be of great benefit to the farmers of Northern Iowa; all of which will 
be given to the public over his signature in a short time.  He has been 
a prominent citizen of the county since his first settlement and been 
as well a prosperous farmer.
     When he went to Rock County, Wisconsin, his earthly possessions 
were sixty-three cents, and now he can be safely estimated worth more 
than twenty thousand dollars.  Since his first beginning at farming in 
Mitchell County, he has kept a complete set of books between the farm, 
its different branches and himself, and finds at the present, on a 
trial balance an average accumulation of fifty-two cents a day since 
his commencement.  He is planting an orchard of eighty acres, and his 
purpose is to prove that fruit can be successfully grown in the 
northern part of Iowa.