Bio: Hon. Thomas Price, Claiborne Parish, LA
Source:  Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted by: Gwen Moran-Hernandez

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Hon. Thomas Price is a native of the State in which he is now residing, his 
birth occurring in what is now Bienville Parish, October 2, 1829, a son of 
John Price, a native of Georgia, who came to Louisiana when a young man, and 
was married to Miss Catherine Andrews, a native of Arkansas.  Mr. Price opened 
a farm here, and resided in this parish until 1851, at which date he removed 
to Texas, and there passed from life in 1856, his widow surviving him several 
years.  Thomas remained with his father in this parish until he attained manhood, 
but in 1849 made the overland trip with him to California in search of gold.  
They were eight months in reaching their destination, and after spending about 
the same length of time in the gold mines of the west, they came to conclusion 
that the wealth, if there, was not for them, and returned home by the Pacific 
and Central America route to the Gulf of Mexico, which they crossed to New Orleans, 
thence up the river to their home.  Mr. Price was married in 1852 to Miss Martha J. 
Kirkpatrick, a native of Tennessee, and a daughter of Thomas J. and Ann Kirkpatrick, 
and soon after engaged in farming, a calling he followed for several years, but which 
he put aside in 1862 to swell the ranks of the Confederate Army, becoming a member of 
Company G, Twelfth Louisiana Infantry, as orderly sergeant.  In June, 1863, he was 
promoted to captain of his company, and served in that capacity until the war was over.  
He participated in a number of important engagements, among which may be mentioned: 
Baker's Creek, Peach Tree Creek, second battle of Corinth, and Franklin, Tenn., but 
was also in a number of engagements of lesser importance, and numerous skirmishes.  
During one engagement he was wounded in the thigh by the explosion of a shell, was 
taken prisoner, and was kept at Johnson's Inland, Ohio, until the final surrender, 
then returning to Louisiana, settled down once more to farm work.  He was soon elected 
assessor of Claiborne parish, and at the expiration of one term of two years he was 
re-elected.  In 1872 his many estimable qualities were recognized, and he was elected 
by his numerous friends to the State Legislature, and served with honorable distinction 
in that body during 1873-74.  After remaining out of office until 1884, he was once 
more elected to the General Assemble of the State, and made a pure and intelligent 
legislator.  He has been identified with the Farmers' Alliance, and has taken an 
active part in the deliberations of that body during the past year.  He located on 
his present farm in 1869 near Haynesville, which consists of about 400 acres, of 
which about 150 acres are open and under cultivation, well improved with good building 
and a cotton-gin.  Mr. and Mrs. Price have a family of five children: Phineas E., 
William S., Walter Lee, Martha J. and Mollie Jackson.  Mr. Price and his wife are 
Cumberland Presbyterians, and he belongs to the A. F. & A. M.