416                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

sent to the hospital, where he remained until discharged at the close of the
Civil war. After coming home he continued to farm on the home place
until his marriage in August, 1869, to Catherine Englehart, daughter of
George and Catherine Englehart, of Jackson township, Clay county,
Indiana. She died in January, 1874, leaving three children Elizabeth,
wife of Albert Albright, of Terre Haute Florence, wife of W. Snow, of
Sugar Ridge township ; and Oma, who died aged nineteen in 1893. On
August 9, 1875, Mr. Jenkins married Mrs. Adaline Fisher, widow of Will-
iam Fisher, of Clay county, and the daughter of Zebeline and Hannah
(Moore) Loveall, natives of Clay county, residing near Stanton. Mrs.
Fisher had one son, Charles J. Fisher, now of Jasonville, Indiana. 
    At the time of his marriage Mr. Jenkins lived on and owned twenty
acres of his father’s old place, where he now resides; later he purchased
twenty acres more each of two brothers, making at present sixty acres.
When he acquired title to this land it was mostly virgin timber land, which
he has cleared up and finely improved. He follows diversified farming,
finding it more profitable and certain, as well as better for the land.
    Mr. Jenkins is the father of seven children, three sons and four daugh-
ters; the sons and one of his daughters are living, as follows: Lewis, of
Hoosierville, Clay county; Edward, at home; Elmer, at home; and Anice,
at home.

    Thomas A. THOMPSON.-The development of a city depends not
upon its machinery of government or the men who fill its offices, but upon
those who are the promoters of its industrial and commercial activity, in
which connection Thomas A. Thompson is worthy of more than passing
notice in this volume. He has for a long period been connected with com-
mercial circles in Brazil and is now partner in one of the leading grocery
establishments of the city. He was born here October 27, 1871, and his
life history is well known to his fellow townsmen, who admire him for
what he has accomplished and for the honorable business methods he has
followed in all of his trade relations. His parents, James and Mary A.
(Spoor) Thompson, were both natives of England, but coming to America
in early life were married in Hancock county, Kentucky. The father
crossed the Atlantic on a sailing ship, and making his way into the interior
of the country, settled in the Blue Grass state, where he became a mining
superintendent. He afterward removed to Newburg, Indiana, there resid-
ing from 1868 to 1870, when he came to Brazil. Here he accepted the
superintendency of the Maston coal mine, but afterward removed to
Hoosierville, Indiana, where he became superintendent of the mines of
Woodruff & Company, and also of the Ashley mines. His entire life was
thus devoted to the development of the natural resources of the localities
in which he lived, but at length he retired with a competence which he had
won through his well directed labors, supplemented by his judicious and
careful expenditure. He passed away November 9, 1897, and was sur-
vived for several years by his wife, who was born in England in 1825, and
died November 20th, 1904. Their marriage was celebrated on the 30th
of March, 1855, and unto them were born six children, but only two are
now living, the elder being Ellen, the wife of Allen W. Bolin, a resident of
Brazil. The father was an exemplary member of Brazil lodge, No. 215,
I. 0. 0. F. He was also a consistent and faithful member of the Presby-
terian church, and after becoming a naturalized American citizen he gave
unfaltering allegiance to the Republican party.