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Below is a family biography included in History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott, published by Iola Register, 1901.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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THOMAS M. HERDMAN was born in Jersey county, Illinois February 25, 1868, and is of Scotch-Irish lineage. His father, Thomas M. Herdman, Sr., was born in county Antrim, Ireland, and about 1845, bidding adieu to the Emerald Isle, sailed for the United States. Landing in New York, he there remained until the great gold excitement in California attracted to the Pacific coast, men from all parts of the country, when he joined the Argonauts bound for that state. He was very successful in his mining ventures there and remained in California for five years after which he returned to New York. In 1861 he removed to Illinois where he met and married Miss Margaret Parcell, a native of New Jersey born near Boundbrook. In 1870, Mr. Herdman came with his wife and children to Kansas, settling two miles north of the present site of Piqua. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, plowed and planted the fields and soon had a highly improved farm on which he resided until his death, which occurred in 1880, when he was forty-nine years of age. His wife survived him until March, 1900, when she passed away at the age of fifty-two years. This worthy couple were the parents of seven children.

Thomas M. Herdman, whose name begins this record, was the second in order of birth, and was about two years old when brought by his parents to this state. Here he was reared and educated, attending the district schools through the winter months and assisting in the work of the home farm through the summer season. He is now living on the old homestead and is engaged in farming and stock-raising. The heirs have one hundred and sixty acres of land, which is yet undivided.

On the 2d of December, 1891, Thomas Herdman was united in marriage to Miss Dellah Addleman, who was born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, and came with her parents to Kansas in 1887. She is the daughter of Robert and Barbara (Hoffman) Addleman, both of whom are natives of the Keystone state. Mr. and Mrs. Herdman now have two children: Floyd and Helen, aged respectively six and three years, and their presence adds sunshine and happiness to the home. Mr. Herdman holds membership with the Modern Woodmen of America. He is one of the industrious young farmers of Woodson County, and if he continues in his present industrious and honorable course will in a few years be ranked with the wealthy agriculturists of the community.

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This family biography is one of 204 biographies included in History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott, published by Iola Register, 1901, Iola, Kansas.  For the complete description, click here: Woodson County, Kansas History and Genealogy

View additional Woodson County, Kansas family biographies here: Woodson County, Kansas

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