Vermilion County IL Archives Biographies.....Armstrong, Thomas 1826 - 1895
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 May 4, 2022, 12:46 pm

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Vermilion and Edgar Countiers, Illinois (1889)
Author: Chapman Brothers

THOMAS ARMSTRONG. It is usually safe to judge of a man’s character by what he has
accomplished, both as a financier and a member of the community. We find Mr.
Armstrong occupying one of the most beautiful farms in Ross Township, where he has a
choice body of land well drained and very productive; indeed, it stands second to
none in this part of the county and has been brought to its present condition solely
by the unflagging industry of its proprietor. Mr. Anderson labored early and late
during the first years of his residence upon it, expending a large amount of time
and money, and is now enjoying ample returns. At the same time, while having
extensive interests of his own to look after, he has distinguished himself as
liberal-minded and public-spirited, encouraging the enterprises calculated for the
best good of the people around him and keeping himself well posted upon matters of
national interest. During the progress of the Civil War he took an active part in
raising funds to prosecute the struggle for union and liberty, and this in itself is
n lasting honor to his name.

In looking at the antecedents of our subject we find that he springs from an
excellent family, being the son of Robert Armstrong, the son of James Armstrong, who
was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., and when a young man emigrated to Kentucky. A
few years later he pushed on into Ohio, settling in Chillicothe, where he employed
himself considerably as a carpenter and assisted in the erection of the first house
built in that city. He also operated as a surveyor and was one of the Commissioners
who located the city of Columbus and assisted in the laying out of the town. He was
recognized as a useful and intelligent citizen, and after filling other positions of
trust and responsibility, was elected Associate Judge of one of the courts and is
still remembered by his grandson as making a dignified appearance on the bench.

The parents of Grandfather Armstrong were buried three miles north of Chillicothe on
the old Armstrong farm. Grandmother Armstrong and her children were at one time
captured by the Indians and held prisoners three years, this being prior to the
birth of her son James. Her husband had gone to the mill and upon returning he found
his house burned to the ground and his wife and four children missing. Grandmother
Armstrong finally made her escape and walked the whole distance of about 500 miles
to her home in Pennsylvania, where she and her husband were reunited. After the
birth of their son James, the grandfather of our subject, the family removed to
Kentucky, and in company with a party of six men went up the Ohio and Sciota rivers
in a keel boat to Chillicothe, where the grandparents spent their last days.

It is believed that Grandfather James Armstrong was married in Westmoreland County,
Pa. His wife was Nancy Fulton, a near relative of Robert Fulton, the inventor of the
steamboat. They became the parents of seven children, namely: John, Robert, the
father of our subject, James, Jr., Jane, Maria, Eliza and Rachel, all of whom are
now deceased. The great-grandfather was born in England and emigrated to America at
an early date. The Fulton family was of Irish ancestry. Robert Armstrong was born in
Ross County, Ohio, in 1801, on the old farm three miles north of Chillicothe and was
there reared to manhood. He married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Rhoda
Earl, in 1824. The young people soon afterward removed to Madison County, that
State, and settled upon a farm. There were born to them ten children, the eldest of
whom, Fulton, is now the owner of the old homestead; Thomas, our subject, was the
second child; Maria married Edward Cowling, and died in Ohio; Albert came to this
county, and died in 1853; Robert is a resident of Missouri; Elizabeth married John
McMillen, and lives in Kansas City, Mo.; William is a resident of Bloomington, Ill.;
James lives in Henry County, Mo.; John F. is in Livingston County, this State; Mary
J. married Riley McMillen, and lives in Henry County, Mo.

Mrs. Elizabeth (Earl) Armstrong, the mother of our subject, departed this life while
a young woman, in 1844, and was buried at London, Ohio; the father survived for a
period of twenty-two years, dying in 1866. Thomas, our subject, was born April 18,
1826, and reared in Madison County, Ohio. In 1848 he made his way to this State and
settled in Hancock County, where he lived two years, and upon his removal thence
came to this county. Here he formed the acquaintance of Miss Nancy Smith, daughter
of William Smith, to whom he was married August 24, 1860. They have four children
living, the eldest of whom, Isabelle, was first married to Calvin Lamb, in March,
1878. He died, and she was then married to James Allison, in March. 1888; they are
living at Armstrong, this county. Thomas J., James L. and Catherine M., Mrs. Charles
A. Baker, remain upon the homestead. The deceased are, Mary, who died in the
fourteenth year of her age, and an infant son who died unnamed; the wife and mother
departed this life, Nov, 27, 1878.

Our subject was soon recognized as a valued addition to the community of Ross
Township and was tendered from time to time nearly all the local offices. He,
however, had about all he could attend to in the management of his farm, and simply
discharged the duties of Tax Collector for a number of years, declining other
responsibilities. He is one of the most extensive land-owners in the county, having
in his home farm 1,546 acres, in a high state of cultivation. He came to this county
with a capital of $1,500 given him by his father, and aside from the farm mentioned
has 775 acres, upon a part of which the village of Armstrong, in Middle Fork
Township, is now located. For the last few years he has been largely interested in
live-stock, mainly cattle and swine. On his home farm are five tenement houses
besides his own private residence, which is beautifully situated about forty rods
from the road, with a handsome drive and a beautiful lawn with shrubbery and
ornamental trees. The graded road which leads from his house to the village of
Rossville, about one mile distant, is the result of his enterprise.

Mrs. Armstrong was a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church, and in
politics our subject is an ardent Republican. No man has done more in the building
up of his township than he. He put up the first two houses in the village of
Rossville, the site of which was donated by Alvin Gilbert and Joseph Satterthwaite,
in 1858. That first house is still standing, but the other was removed a few years
ago. Upon the farm of our subject is a tile factory, from which Mr. Armstrong has
manufactured $15,000 worth of tiling, the most of which has been used in the
drainage of his home farm, while on his other farm he has laid $10,000 worth.

On the 26th of September, 1864, at a meeting held in Rossville a committee was
formed to solicit funds for the prosecution of the Union cause. Alvin Gilbert was
chosen Chairman and Mr. Armstrong one of the members. The committee raised by
subscription in Ross and Grant townships the sum of $7,768.50, and Mr. Gilbert gave
his check for enough to swell the amount to $8,000. We give below the names of
contributors and the amount they thus donated, and which is sufficient comment upon
the spirit of that time and place:

Alvin Gilbert...................$60
S. D. Thompson.................. 30
T, R. Bicknel................... 30
Miller Finley................... 50
L. S. Metcalf................... 30
Thomas Armstrong................ 60
Abram Mann...................... 90
John Mann........................90
Richard Bicknell............... .30
James B. Davis.................. 30
J. J. Davison..................  30
Z. B. Holliway.................. 30
Perry Cossatt................... 30
William Sperry.................. 30
H. Cossett...................... 30
Hugh McGrannahan................ 30
William Anderson................ 10
J. H. Fairchilds................. 5
William H. Martin............... 30
John Martin..................... 30
Curtis Elliott................... 5
Charles Havanna..................30
John D. Collet.................. 30
Thomas Smith.................... 30
James Haas...................... 30
John Cork....................... 30
Wesley Swisher.................. 30
Elijah Hale..................... 30
Thomas Edward................... 30
William Harrison................ 30
Fulton Armstrong................ 40
E. S. Towersen...................30
Fred Grooms..................... 30
R. B. Ray....................... 30
William Pilkerton............... 30
Thomas Williams................. 30
James Carter.................... 30
Parker Satterwhite.............. 30
J. A. Bradley................... 30
Wesley T. Harris................ 30
Samuel Thomas................... 30
George Steely................... 30
Mahlou Lewen.................... 30
George Ruth..................... 30
William Smith................... 30
Frederick Tilton................ 30
John S. Townsend................ 30
Abel Tilton..................... 30
Samuel Bennett.................. 30
Simon Bennett .................. 30
S. W. Gatckes................... 30
William Edwards................. 30
V. R. Board man................. 30
J. R. Hoover.................. . 30
Davis Pervines.................. 30
James H. Petty.................. 30
W. H. Compton................... 30
Edward Fisher  ................. 30
S. V. Davison................... 30
James R. Crandal................ 30
Johnson Henderson............... 30
James Conel..................... 30
Henry Boyd  .................... 30
Isaac Cruder.................... 30
William I. Allen................ 30
Thomas Campbell................. 30
John Yates  .................... 30
John Litle...................... 30
Chancy Dayton..................  30
George R. Messie................ 30
John Putnam..................... 30
Al Davis........................ 30
Frank May....................... 30
Ephraim Edwards................  30
Samuel Merchant................. 30
John Bivens..................... 30
John Smith...................... 30
W. D. Foulke...................  30
Andrew Kerr..................... 30
William Ludlow.................. 30
William York.................... 30
L. M. Thompson.................. 30
John Sines...................... 30
Thomas McKibben................. 25
Van B. Hass..................... 30
Bennet B. Crook................. 30
J. R. Stewart................... 10
C. O. Davis..................... 30
John Ellison.................... 30
Harry Brown..................... 30
William Ross.....................30
Jacob Bottroff  ................ 30
William Vining.................. 30
R. Pendergrass.................. 30
Henry Dayton.................... 30
Watts Finley.................... 30
E. B. Jenkins................... 30
John Bridgemn................... 30
D. F. Baker..................... 30
Philip Holmes....................30
G. C. Davis..................... 30
Daniel Knight................... 30
W. A. Boardman .... ............ 30
James Dayton ................... 30
A. H. Grenana................... 30
W. D. Hanley.................... 30
A. M. Davis..................... 30
George Inglas................... 30
John Davidson................... 30
W. W. Harris.................... 30
E. F. Yates..................... 30
Brien Carter.................... 30
Jacob Dale.....................  30
G. P. Stufflebeam .............. 30
Miles Stufflebeam ... .......... 30
George A. Collins... ........... 30
Henry Calarsttern... ........... 30
Isaac Dale.....................  30
Josiah Rivens................... 30
James M. Lane................... 30
Andrew Lane..................... 30
Joseph Lane..................... 30
Enoch Watkins .................. 30
Henry Conner ................... 30
Isaac Clapp .................... 30
William Kight................... 30
John Holmes..................... 30
Ed Foster .....................  30
J. W. McKibben...................30
William H. Collins ............. 30
John W. Collins................. 30
M. M. Allison................... 30
E. McElhaney.................... 30
John Ellwell.....................30
J. J. Grant .....................30
S. Andrews ......................30
Lemuel S. Bigges .. ............ 30
William P. Hanah.... ........... 30
J. W. McTagget .... ............ 30
John A. Clapp................... 30
William Salmons................. 30
J. H. Johnston.................. 30
F. A. Randolph.................. 30
Enoch Bullock................... 30
Bernard Pullers................. 30
Thomas J. Jones .... ........... 30
J. J. Jones .....................30

There were a few more whose names are not herein mentioned and whose contributions
were obtained on the second round, nearly every one of whom gave as much more as is
mentioned in the foregoing list, until the desired sum was raised to clear the
township from a draft. Prior to this there had been raised about $5,000 in the
township in the way of bounties.

Mr. Armstrong has always taken an active part in the support of the schools and
churches of Rossville and all the other measures calculated for the advancement of
the people, socially, morally and financially. He controls the operations of his
farm, hiring the men who live in his houses for cash and each one paying his rent in
the same way. The work is let out by the job, and accordingly the man who works the
hardest makes the most money. The plowing is done by the acre, the corn cultivated
in the same manner and gathered by the bushel. Each man furnishes his own team and
implements. Mr. Armstrong pays for breaking, $1 per acre; cutting of corn-stalks, 15
cents per acre; harrowing, 15 cents per acre; planting, 17 cents per acre;
cultivating, 35 cents per acre for each time gone over. Mr. Armstrong determines as
to the time and manner in which all the work shall be done. This simple method of
transacting business is at once understood by all concerned and settlements are made
without any trouble. The career of Mr. Armstrong has been from the start,
distinguished by this systematic manner of transacting business, and thus he knows
at all times how he is standing financially.


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