My Genealogy Hound

Thomas William Jamison, county surveyor of Jackson County, Ark., and farmer of Bird Township, was born in Buckingham, Canada East, the youngest of six children born to Thomas and Clara (Hall) Jamison, natives of Scotland and Ire land, respectively, who came with their parents to Canada, and there married. The father was a farmer, and, in 1859, when our subject was about seven years old, removed to Woodford County, Ill., and settled near Minonk, returning to Canada in 1876, where he died in 1884. His wife died in Canada in 1852. The subject of our sketch was raised on a farm near Minonk, receiving his education in the district schools of that county, and in Minonk. After leaving school he learned telegraphy at La Salle, Ill., and engaged in that business at Colona, Ill., Columbus Junction and West Liberty, Iowa, on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. On May 11, 1882, he married Clara Lafferty, a native of Mercer County, Ill., and daughter of William Lafferty, of Ohio, an early settler of Mercer County. In September, 1879, he came to Jackson County, as agent and operator at Tuckerman, where he remained till last year, when he was elected county surveyor. He is not very active in politics, but votes with the Democratic party. He is a member of Trinity Lodge No. 561, A. F. & A. M., Monmouth, Ill. He has bought a tract of timber land, containing 120 acres, improved, and now has seventy-three acres under cultivation. He has been engaged in stock raising. He has imported a thoroughbred stallion, also a heavy-draft Clydesdale, which carried off the first prize at this and adjoining county fairs. He is public-spirited and liberal.