My Genealogy Hound

Henry H. Thurmond, a son of Bennett and Forlena (Calvert) Thurmond, was born in Franklin County, Mo., in 1856. He was reared on a farm and received a good common-school education; he was his father’s assistant postmaster, at Stanton, Mo., for a considerable time, and remembers when Sullivan, Franklin County, had only one store, which place now supports fourteen business places, including three blacksmith shops, shoe shop and mill, all doing a fair business, and the town rapidly increasing in population. Henry H. Thurmond was married January 12, 1887, to Eliza J., daughter of Samuel Johnson. The result of this union is one child, a daughter, Olive, born October 6, 1887. Mr. Thurmond engaged in the stock business in 1884, and now owns 60 head of cattle, 50 hogs, 10 horses and 240 acres of land. Politically, he is a Democrat. Bennett Thurmond, father of our subject, is a prominent farmer and leading merchant of Sullivan; he was born in Washington County, Mo., May6, 1818, and is the fifth of eight children, six sons and two daughters, born to John and Nancy (Burns) Thurmond. He remained on the farm until twenty years of age, his educational advantages being of the poorest, attending school only three weeks in his life; he has always been industrious, and by close application to study at home received sufficient education to carry on business. In 1839 he was married to Forlena, daughter of Thomas Calvert, and by this union twelve children were born, two of whom are deceased: John T., Bertha and Phillip (the latter two deceased in childhood), William W., Nancy J., Peter C, Newton H., Edward, Henry, Mary E., Fanny A., Bennett D. After his marriage his father gave him a farm of 120 acres, which he at once settled upon. He ran a wagon to St. Louis, hauling goods for the merchants throughout the neighborhood, and at one time bought for Calvert & Hewitt, merchants, a bill of goods to the amount of $150, which he paid for with his own means; when he returned the firm had failed, leaving the goods on his hands. With this stock, in 1855, he engaged in merchandising, and by strict economy and close application to business met with success. At the outbreak of the war he closed out his stock and joined the Home Guards. When the war closed he resumed business at Stanton, Franklin County, in the upbuilding of which place he has been an important factor: he built the first house, has built all the business houses and most of the residences. In 1875 he moved to Utah Territory, where he remained five months, and then returned to Stanton for nearly a year; he next removed to Kinsley, Kas., where he built a hotel, but remained only six months, when he rented the hotel and again returned to his native State, where he engaged in mercantile business in Christian County, remained there a year, and still owns property in the county, but removed from there to Stanton, his former home, and subsequently built a hotel at Ponce de Leon, Stone Co., Mo., which he afterward sold. In 1879 he bought his present homestead in Sullivan, Franklin County, where, in 1885, in partnership with his son Edward, he opened a general store, and is one of the leading merchants in the place. He is a stanch Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren. He served several years as postmaster of Stanton, and was also express agent for some time. He owns eight town lots with good buildings in Sullivan, and is a highly respected citizen. Mrs. Thurmond is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.