Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County IL, 1878

A. S. THOMAS, farmer; P. O., East Wheatland; the subject of this sketch is one of 
the old settlers of Wheatland Twp., Will Co.; was born in Franklin Co., N. Y., 
June 26, 1809, and is the son of E. and Lepha (SMITH) THOMAS, who both died in New 
York; his father was a shoemaker, tanner and currier, by trade; Mr. THOMAS learned 
the shoemaking trade, and followed this and farming, while in New York; in 1837, 
he and Mr. Orland ROYCE started in a wagon drawn by two horses, for Illinois, then 
the Far West, taking them the whole of November to make the trip; they arrived in 
1837; Mr. THOMAS purchased 160 acres of the present farm at a Government land sale 
in Chicago, in 1839, at $1.25 per acre; he states there was not a house between 
his farm and Plainfield when he first came here, only a shanty standing on what 
is now known as Jacob FRY's farm and also says the first frame house built in this 
vicinity was on the farm now owned by Wm. KING. Mr. THOMAS married in 1872.


Additional Comments:
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.