68                      HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

and studied under Doctor Joseph Eastman of Indianapolis, Indiana. He
graduated from Central College of Physicians and Surgeons at Indianapo-
lis, with the class of 1898, since which date he has been actively engaged
in the practice of his profession at Brazil, where he has won an enviable
reputation as a medical practitioner and a skilful surgeon. In his politi-
cal affiliations, Dr. Dilley is a Republican. He is a worthy member of
the Indiana State Medical Society and American Medical Association.
and in 1908 he was elected president of the Fifth Councilor District of
the Indiana State Medical Association. In civic societies he is numbered
among the active members of the Benevolent Protective  Order of Elks,
Brazil Lodge, No. 762, of which he is now the exalted ruler. He is
also a member of the Brazil Lodge, No. 38 Knights of Pythias order; and
the Home Defenders of America. At this date (summer of 1908) he is
secretary of the Brazil city board of health, in which position he is prov-
ing himself highly efficient.
    Of his domestic relations it may he stated that Dr. Dillev was married
March 14, l900, to May E. Leavitt, a native of Clay county, Indiana,
daughter of William and Margaret (Lewis) Leavitt, both natives of
Ohio and now residing in Brazil, Indiana. Dr. Dilley’s wife is the fourth
child in a family of six children now living.

    KINNEY THOMAS, superintendent of the county farm of Clay county,
Indiana, which is located near Center Point, in Washington township,
has been all his life a resident of that locality, engaged in agricultural
pursuits during most of his mature life. He was born in Washington
township on the 3rd of October, 1866, and received his education at the
Center Point schools. His parents are Lewis S. and Mary A. (Lucas)
Thomas, the mother being born in Montgomery county, Indiana, on the
4th of May, 1837, and the father on the old Thomas farm in section 13
of Washington township, January 5, 1839. They are now living in Vigo
county, Indiana, the parents of four children, of whom Kinney T. is the
oldest.
    Mr. Thomas lived on the farm in Washington township with his
parents until he was sixteen years of age, when he began work on his
own responsibility as a farm hand. He was thus employed for about five
years ,split staves for another two years and then married and rented
a farm of ninety acres. After operating this for some two years he rented
a farm of about one hundred and sixty acres of W. B. Ringo in Cass
township, and made that his homestead for four years and a half. On
March 1, 1896, Mr. Thomas purchased one hundred and five acres in
Sugar Ridge township, and two years afterward bought forty acres
adjoining it. In October, 1902, he sold that farm and a year after bought
one hundred and sixty acres in sections 22 and 27, Perry township,
where he resided until Jtine, 1907, when he was appointed by the com-
missioners of Clay county as superintendent of the County Infirmary
or Poor Farm, assuming the functions of his office September 1st of that
year. He has long been active as a Republican. After selling his farm
in Sugar Ridge township Mr. Thomas rented it and worked the land
in connection with his Perry township farm. He had no specialty, but
was a general farmer and stock raiser. His experience and training,
therefore, have specially adapted him for the responsibilities of his pres-
ent office.
    On August 13, 1890, Mr. Thomas was united in marriage with Miss