Hopkins Co., TX - Obit - Thomas M. Eldridge ***************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: June E. Tuck USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************** From the files of June Tuck ELDRIDGE, THOMAS M. - Died September 9, 1916, at his home in Dike, in his 86th year. He was born near Huntsville, Alabama, in 1830. Came to Texas with his parents when only six years of age, the family locating in Bowie County. Mr. Eldridge went to Jefferson at the age of 16 years working as a clerk in one of the large stores there for a number of years. He developed into a splendid salesman and later on accepted a position as traveling salesman. That was in the early days before we had railroads and he traveled all over Texas on horseback. After five years on the road as a drummer, he came to Hopkins County locating at Old Tarrant in 1851, and establishing a first store there. During his residence at Old Tarrant, Mr. Eldridge was married to Miss Chelsea Compton of Lamar County. Their union was blessed with nine children, six daughters and three sons, only two of whom survive, Mrs. W. E. McLaughlin of Dike and Mrs. J.O. Hatchett of this city. After five years of successful merchandising at Old Tarrant, "Uncle Tom," as he was known for many years, took up 1400 acres of land 1 1/2 miles west of Dike, where he lived for almost half a century. He made a record as a farmer perhaps unexcelled, making forty- nine crops on one farm, without a single failure. He gave up farming a few years back and moved to Dike, where he resided at the time of his death. He had been a member of the Methodist church for sixty-five years. (Sulphur Springs Gazette)