My Genealogy Hound

THOMAS HOLCOMB.
On the list of Union county’s early settlers appears the name of Thomas Holcomb, who is living on section 26, Jones township, and is numbered among the prosperous farmers there, having conducted this farm for twenty-four years. He has lived in the county since 1877 and is one of the worthy citizens furnished by Ohio. His birth occurred in Perry county of the Buckeye state, February 17, 1840, and there he was reared to manhood upon the home farm, assisting in the work of the fields from the time that he was old enough to handle the plow. His educational privileges were those afforded by the common schools and, thus equipped like the great majority of American men, he started out in business life on his own account. But whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own labors, for he had no capital and placed his dependence on the substantial qualities of determination and diligence.

On the 31st of August, 1864, Mr. Holcomb was married to Miss Anna Rusk, who was born and reared in Ohio and was a daughter of John Rusk, a brother of Secretary Jeremiah Rusk, of cabinet fame. Following his marriage Mr. Holcomb carried on farming in Ohio for a number of years and in 1877 came to Iowa, settling in Union county, where he rented land and devoted his time and energies to the tilling of the soil for a few years. He then invested his capital in forty acres of land, which is now a part of home place. It was raw prairie on which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made but he soon broke the sod, erected buildings and carried on the work of development until his labors were annually crowned with rich harvests. He also rented and farmed other lands and has carried on general agricultural pursuits until his energy and capable management resulted in the acquirement of very desirable success.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb were born three children but they lost their first child, Luna E., who died in his fourth year. Edgar, a young man who now owns and operates the old homestead, was educated in Jones township and afterward started in life on his own account. He purchased his father’s farm and subsequently bought more land and now owns one hundred and twenty acres, constituting a well improved property. He tills the soil in producing crops of the cereals best adapted to climatic conditions here and he also raises high grades of cattle, hogs and horses, annually making extensive shipments of hogs. He erected a dwelling and outbuildings and now has a good farm and is numbered among the successful and progressive agriculturists of the community. Another member of the family is Effie Holcomb, now the wife of Joseph McClure, a successful agriculturist of Jones township, mentioned elsewhere in this work.

Politically Mr. Holcomb and his son are stanch republicans, but he has never had desire for office. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. More than three decades have come and gone since Thomas Holcomb arrived in Union county and as the years have gone by he has demonstrated his right to be classed with the representative citizens, not only because of the success he has achieved but also because of the straightforward, honorable business methods he has ever followed.