Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Thom, William 1834 - 1907
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Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908)

  WILLIAM THOM (1834-1907). During a residence of thirty-five years in Nobles

county, the late William Thom, of Olney township, was one of the most highly

respected residents of central Nobles county. When he came to the county in 1872

he was possessed of very little means, and during the grasshopper period these

were reduced to almost nothing. He stayed with the country, however, and became

one of the largest landowners in his vicinity, at the time of his death in 1907

being the owner of 1,500 acres of land in Nobles county; also a tract in Canada

and a quarter section in North Dakota.



  William Thom was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Sept. 9, 1834, and in his native

land was reared and educated. In 1854 he severed home ties and sought his

fortune in the new world, landing in America in the spring of that year. He was

then without means, but had plenty of pluck and ambition. Immediately upon his

arrival he went to Kenosha, Wis., where for three years he worked on his uncle's

farm. In the spring of 1857 he moved to Steele county, Minn., preempted 160

acres of land, upon which he settled and lived until 1865. He then disposed of

his property in Steele county, moved to Houston county, purchased a farm there,

and engaged in farming until his arrival in Nobles county.



  In May, 1872, Mr. Thom came to this county, took a claim of eighty acres, in

Olney township (the west half of the southwest quarter of section 12), and soon

thereafter became a resident of the county. He erected a house on his claim in

1873, and the following year brought his family to the new home. On that place

he resided until his death on Jan. 20, 1907. He took a commendable interest in

local affairs, directing his influence along the line of progress and for the

good of the community. For many years he held office in his township. He was a

charter member of the Rushmore Presbyterian church, of which he was ruling elder

at the time of his death. He was one of the founders of the First National Bank

of Rushmore, which came into existence in 1903, and was its president from the

time of organization until his death. He owned the majority of the stock of that

financial institution.



  Mr. Thom was united in marriage at Houston, Minn., March 20, 1865, to Miss

Eliza Mitchell. She was also born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and came to America on

the same ship that brought her future husband. She was born May 20, 1848, and

died April 20, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Thom were the parents of eleven children, of

whom seven are living. The children are Annie M., died April 13, 1894, aged 29

years; Frank V., residing in Olney; James A., died in 1899, aged 30 years;

William C., banker of Rushmore; John D., died April 10, 1896, aged 21 years;

Arthur G., Olney; Roy C., Olney; Bertha M. (Mrs. W. R. McChord), Olney; Lillian

B., Olney; Robert R., died March 2, 1905, aged 16 years; Pearl E., Olney.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:



AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY

MINNESOTA

BY

ARTHUR P. ROSE



NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA 

PUBLISHERS

1908



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