Thomas C. McCurdy

     Thomas C. was born on Tuesday, 17 March 1818 in Path Valley, Metal Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. His middle name may have been Cooke. Thomas, at about 4 years, moved from Path Valley, Pennsylvania to be raised on a farm in Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio. Thomas married Susan Vassar in 1844 in Ohio. Thomas and Susan had children: John W. [4/24/1845-8/22/1920] [m. Almyra Guess], James Zigler [12/05/1847-9/12/1878] [m. 2/22/1875 Bertha Martha Torley], Benjamin Peter Phillip Franklin [12/07/1848-8/21/1913] [m. 12/22/1870 Sarah Elsworth], Mary Ann [12/19/1850-2/03/1924] [m. 3/16 1870 John R. Home], George Melville [12/15/1856-2/03/1924] [m. 12/31/1887 Anna Alora Morgan], Margaret B. [1867-] & Robert Marshall [5/__/1870]. 12 November 1850, Thomas and his wife, Susan, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Buckhart Township, Fulton County, Illinois. Enumerated in this household were Thomas McCurdy [32 Pennsylvania], his wife: Susan [22 Missouri], their children: John W. [5 Ohio]. James Z. [3 Ohio], & Peter F. [1 Ohio].¹ 5 June 1860, Thomas and his wife, Susan, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Henderson County, Illinois. Enumerated in this household were Thos. C. McCurdy [42 Pennsylvania], his wife: Susan [32 Kentucky], children: John W. [15 Ohio], James T. [13 Ohio], Phillip F. [11 Ohio], Mary [9 Illinois], George [3 Illinois], and farm hand: Henry Boughman [23 Illinois].² 7 June 1870, Thomas and his wife, Susan, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census. Enumerated in this household were Thomas C. McCurdy [52 Pennsylvania], his wife: Susan [32 Kentucky], their children: John [24 Ohio], James [23 Ohio], Franklin [21 Ohio], George [13 Illinois], Margaret [3 Illinois], & a newborn [male] [1 month Illinois]. [T12N R4W]³ 1 June 1880, Thomas and his wife, Susan, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Keithburg. Enumerated in this household were Thos. McCurdy [62 Pennsylvania], his wife: Susan [52 Kentucky], children: George [23 Illinois], Maggie [13 Illinois], & Robert [10 Illinois]. Thomas was listed as deaf.⁴ 1 March 1885, Thomas and Susan and his wife, [ROF:Kansas State] were listed on the Kansas State Census. Enumerated in this household were Thos. C. McCurdy [67 Pennsylvania], his wife, Susan [57 Kentucky] and their children: Magie [18 Illinois], Ela [9 Illinois], Rob [15 Illinois]. Thomas. departed this life on Sunday, 4 July 1897 in Williamsburg at age 79 years, 3 months and 17 days.

Obituary: Thomas C. McCurdy was born in Franklin County, PA March 17, 1818. While yet a boy he moved with his parents to Crawford Co., Ohio, living there a few years they thence came to Fulton Co., Illinois, then moved to Henderson Co., Illinois where he resided for some twenty years. Some ---teen years ago, he came to Kansas and lived in Williamsburg until death on the 4th of July 1897, our nations birthday, closed his earthly career.
For about forty years, has been a faithful Christian. He was married in 1844 to Susan Vassar, who died November 2, 1891. They were the parents of twelve children, five of whom still survive, three sons two daughters, and while the death of their devoted father is to them a great loss, they must remember it is all gain to him.
The deceased had been deprived of his hearing for a number of years and while his affliction debarred him from much of the pleasure of conversation and music, both of which was much admired by him, yet he uncomplainingly endured the privation.
As a father, he was highly tender hearted and affectionate - in quality of character not so common as the wants of childhood nature deserves. As a citizen, he was benevolent, cheerful, and obliging. His congenial spirit was to those who knew it best like a refreshing rain, or the dawning of a cloudless daybreak after a stormy night. These happy endowments by nature and strengthened by grace, were to him pillars of support during his failing health and intense suffering. His knowledge and love of the bible and his promises were to him "a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night". Hence, he could say "These light afflictions which endure but for a moment as compared to eternity shall work out for me a few more exceeding an eternal wait of glory"... - Williamsburg Star, 9 July 1897]

He was buried there in the Mount Hope Cemetery.⁵