Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Trainer, Thomas 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 2, 2008, 3:01 am

Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907

THOMAS TRAINER. Among the representative and enterprising agriculturists of 
Custer township may be classed Thomas Trainer, who at the present time is 
operating one hundred and eighty-one acres of well improved land. He was born 
on the Isle of Man, July 18, 1842, a son of William and Margaret (Moore) 
Trainer. The former was born in Whittle, Scotland, while the latter was born 
on the Isle of Man. In 1853 the father and his family took passage from 
England on the sailing ship, William Tafscott. During the voyage they 
encountered a severe storm, and another ship, which had on board eight hundred 
passengers, lost her masts, so that she was unable to continue the voyage, the 
passengers being taken on board the William Tafscott, making in all a company 
of thirteen hundred. The passengers which were rescued from the second steamer 
were suffering from cholera, so that the disease soon became prevalent and 
during the voyage to New York city from seven to eight people died each day. 
Mrs. Trainer died of that dread disease while on shipboard and was buried at 
sea in September, 1853, being at that time forty-five years of age. The father 
and his family of children, numbering four sons and one daughter, safely 
reached the harbor of New York, although they lost all their clothing, having 
only the garments they wore. They made their way at once to Cleveland, Ohio, 
where he left his children while he continued to Illinois, spending about one 
month in Wilmington in looking around for a permanent location. He finally 
purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land in Custer township, situated 
three miles from the village of Wilmington, for which he paid eight dollars 
per acre in English gold. He then returned to Ohio for his children and upon 
again arriving in Custer township settled on his farm. During his residence in 
the old country he was engaged in farming and in breeding horses, cattle and 
sheep but never engaged in the latter pursuit in this state. He was a member 
of the Church of England and died in Custer township in the eightieth year of 
his age. Thomas Trainer was a youth of eleven years when he accompanied the 
family on their emigration to the new world. He assisted his father in the 
development and cultivation of the new farm, so that he was well trained in 
all the duties connected with carrying on farm work. He remained with his 
father until he reached man's estate, when he started out in life on his own 
account and established a home of his own my his marriage March 5, 1874, to 
Miss Elizabeth McDonald, who was born in Ireland, December 2, 1832, a daughter 
of John and Mary (Laven) McDonald, both of whom were likewise natives of the 
Emerald isle. They emigrated to the new world in the early '30s and settled in 
Amsterdam, New York where the father died. His widow afterward came to Will 
county, Illinois, and her death occurred here in 1886, when she was seventy-
four years of age. Their family numbered five sons and three daughters, of 
whom five still survive, namely: Mrs. Trainer; Maria, the wife of Charles 
Shippy, a resident of Wilmington; John, a resident of Joliet; Edward, who 
makes his home in Lockport; and Anna, who became the wife of William Pike and 
is now a resident of Plainfield, Illinois. The father of this family followed 
farming, in the east and gave his political support to the whig party. Mr. 
Trainer is now operating a fine farm of one hundred and eighty-one acres in 
Custer township, and he was formerly engaged in breeding Clydesdale horses, 
South Down and Cotswold sheep and Poland China and Chester White hogs, but of 
late years he has abandoned his stock-breeding interests and now gives his 
entire time and attention to his farming. He is progressive in all that he 
does, keeping abreast of the most modern methods of carrying on agricultural 
pursuits, so that he is meeting with good success in his labors. Mr. Trainer 
gives his political support to the men and measures of the republican party 
but has never been active as an office seeker. He is numbered among the oldest 
settlers of Custer township, for he has resided here continuously since his 
emigration to America, covering a period of fifty-three years, and he has a 
very wide and favorable acquaintance. Both he and his wife are a most 
excellent and worthy couple, having gained the confidence and good will of all 
with whom they have been associated. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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