Biographical Sketch of Thomas LANCASTER (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, p. 839. "THOMAS LANCASTER, an industrious citizen and the proprietor of the Charles- town Flouring mills, is a son of Joseph C. and Lydia Stanley Lancaster, and was born in Bethel township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1864. His paternal grandfather, James Lancaster, was a native of Brandywine Hun- dred, county of Delaware, but resided after early manhood in Bethel town- ship, Delaware county, on the farm which he purchased there, and which is now known as the Lancaster homestead, as it has remained ever since in the possession of his lineal descendants. He was a tanner by trade, and owned a large tannery in Wilmington, which he operated for thirty-five years. At the end of that time he engaged in butchering and market gardening, which he followed with more or less activity until his death in 1890, at an advanced age. He was a democrat in politics, married and had a family of thirteen children, of whom nine died within two weeks during an epidemic of dysten- tery. "One of the four children who survived was Joseph Lancaster, the father of the subject of this sketch. Joseph Lancaster has always resided in his native township, where he has followed farming and butchering. He is a democrat in political opinion, and married Lydia Stanley. To their union were born five children, two sons and three daughters: Thomas, Lizzie, wife of William Hall, a blacksmith by trade, who owns and operates a large wheel- wright and blacksmith shop at Greenville, in Delaware county; Alfred B., who died in 1891, at twenty-one years of age; Isabella, who died in infancy, and Jennie H. "Thomas Lancaster grew to manhood on the home farm, received his education in the common schools of his native township and Charlestown graded school, and then learned the trade of miller, at which he worked for four years. At the end of that time he commenced business for himself, renting the Chester Valley mills, which he operated for one year. He then rented the Green Bank mill, which burned down a year later, after which he took charge of the Harrison Bernard mill, where he remained until 1890, when he pur- chased the Charlestown mills. His mills are situated in a good grain pro- ducing section of the county, and turn out an excellent grade of flour. Thomas Lancaster married Lizzie F. Tholo, daughter of John H. and Hannah Tholo. Mr. Lancaster is a democrat, of the Jeffersonian school. He is well qualified for the business in which he is engaged, and has acquired an enviable reputation for the high grade of flour that he manufactures."