Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Culbertson, Thomas 1814 - 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 4, 2007, 9:20 pm

Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890

THOMAS CULBERTSON. 

This gentleman is numbered among the old settlers of Will County, in which his 
residence began in 1836, a few months after he had attained his majority. The 
long years which he has spent here have given him an extended acquaintance 
throughout the county, and he is well-known as one whose years have been spent 
in industry and good citizenship. He is the youngest of ten children who 
comprised the family of Thomas and Mary (Wood) Culbertson, parents and 
children being natives of New Castle County, Delaware. The eyes of our subject 
opened to the light August 23, 1814, and his boyhood was passed in the pursuit 
of knowledge and the home duties suited to his years. When sixteen years old 
he learned the miller's trade, at which he was occupied in his native State 
until he came to Joliet. Here he found employment in the McKee mill, in which 
he remained until August, 1838, after which he spent two or three months in 
the Norman mill, the dam of which was then taken out for the canal. He then 
went to Wilmington, finding employment at his trade in the mill of Dr. Bowen, 
and after twelve months spent there returned to Joliet and entered the Robert 
Jones steam mill. There he was engaged but a few weeks, leaving to settle on 
Hickory Creek, where he engaged in milling for himself. The old Red Mill 
having been begun but left unfinished, Mr. Culbertson rented and fin- ished 
it, operating it for two years prior to his purchase of the property, which he 
continued to manage until the summer of 1865. Since that time he has followed 
different occupations, having sold his mill a short time after he gave up 
operating it, and having since his marriage occupied the homestead on section 
12. His home is one of comfort, the dwelling being a cozy one, and the land 
which accompanies it sufficient in extent to furnish farm products "enough and 
to spare" for the use of the family. The little farm comprises thirteen acres, 
which under careful control is of more value than many estates much greater in 
extent. In March, 1850, having been attacked by gold fever, Mr. Culbertson, 
with several companions left Joliet to cross the plains to California. Their 
journey to the Eldorado and the experiences which Mr. Culbertson passed 
through in the four years of his residence upon the Coast, become very 
interesting when graphically pictured by himself, but it is not our purpose to 
attempt their recital here. Suffice it to say that the mining to which he 
devoted himself proved more lucrative than in the case of many who had left 
home and friends and exposed themselves to danger and privation in their 
search for the precious metal. On November 19, 1856, in Joliet Township, Mr. 
Culbertson was united in marriage with Miss Martha M., daughter of Lewis and 
Mary (Runyon) Kercheval. The bride was born in Preble County, Ohio, October 9, 
1824, and was six years of age when brought by her parents to the Prairie 
State, their settlement being made in New Lenox Township, this county, where 
they abode until death. Mr. Kereheval was a native of Virginia and his wife of 
Kentucky. They had ten children, of whom Mrs. Culbertson is the fifth in order 
of birth. She had the advantage of excellent home training, acquiring many 
useful arts, together with the qualities of disposition and character which 
make her respected and admired, and which have been a potent factor in the 
comfort of home life. She has borne her husband three children— Thomas E., 
Mary E. and Anne E. The son is now book-keeper for Sanger & Muody, in Chicago; 
Mary is the wife of Wilbur H. Smith, of Joliet; Anne died when about nineteen 
months old. Mr. Culbertson has served both as School Director and School 
Trustee, fulfilling the duties of the offices in a creditable manner, and 
evincing a deep interest in the progress of education. In politics he is a 
Democrat. Both himself and wife have many warm friends in the county, and 
although they are highly regarded for the labors of their earlier years and 
their record as old settlers, the respect in which they are held is due still 
more to their pleasant natures and upright characters. 

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

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