My Genealogy Hound

THOMAS A. WAKEFIELD, railroad contractor, was born in 1839, in Franklin county, Tennessee. His father, Charles Wakefield, was a native of Tennessee, who came to Polk county, Missouri, in 1840, where he still resides, a man weighing 325 pounds. His mother’s maiden name was Thompson, a native of Tennessee, who died in 1858. T, A. Wakefield was reared and educated in Polk county, Missouri, In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Federal army, in Company A, Eighth Missouri Cavalry, and served until August, 1865, being mustered out as first lieutenant, after which he was commissioned as captain of Company B, of the Seventeenth Missouri Militia, where he still retains a membership. After the war he engaged in mercantile pursuits, at Fair Play, Polk county, Missouri, until 1867, when he bought a farm in Jasper county, and engaged in farming until 1872, when he was elected county collector of Jasper county, immediately removing to Carthage, Missouri, where he has since lived. In 1876 he was appointed by the county court to again fill the office of county collector for two years. For two years he was engaged in the livery business, and in 1880 he began the business of railroad contractor on the Missouri Pacific, which occupation he followed until recently. In conjunction with others he is quite extensively engaged in mining in Webb City. In 1864 he was married to Carrie C. Knowles, of Polk county, Missouri. They have seven children living, five sons and two daughters. In politics Mr. Wakefield has always been a strong Republican, and devoted to principle rather than party, thereby enabling all to judge just where to find him in civic affairs.