THOMAS J. GARRISON

FROM: The History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887).  P. 696-697.

          Thomas J. Garrison, farmer, was born May 30, 1844, in Hamilton County, one mile from his present home. He is the son of Jefferson and Frances (Drew) Garrison. The father, a farmer, horn in 1811 in East Tennessee, came when a boy to Shawneetown where he was reared and married In a few years' he moved to Hamilton County, and located in Section 29, Beaver Creek Township, where he passed his life. He laid out the town of Jefferson City on his farm, and built a storehouse, and carried on merchandising for many years. He was a successful man and a Christian, and died in 1873. He owned 240 acres of land. His wife, born in 1811 in Coles County, ILL., was twice married, her first husband being Abner Ellis. Their one living child is Caleb. By her second marriage she had five children, our subject being the third, who was educated, besides ill subscription schools, at Bloomington, Il, and four months at a commercial business college in Chicago. When twenty he taught four terms. October 13, 1866, he married Elsie J. Lane, who was born in McLeansboro, IL Their children are Eda, Ida, Mary, George, Susan and Walter. In 1872 he located on his present farm of 170 acres of fine land. In 1869 he began with a horse-power threshing machine, and for the last three years has been running with steam power, making from $600 to $1,000 per annum. For a year he has also been engaged in saw-milling. He is a Democrat and an influential man. In 1886 he was tax-collector. He is president of  Lodge 155, F. M. B. A., and for twelve years has been deacon in the Christian Church, of which his wife and one child are members.