Gravestone of (at left) Bertha Ann Pepperd, and Thomas C. Pepperd.
Lot #224, Powell Township Cemetery, Wilmore, Comanche County, Kansas.
Photo by John Edward (Ed) Schrock.
Tom Pepperd of Wilmore, who came to Comanche county the year the county was organized, 1884, passed away Sunday, January 15, in the Comanche County Hospital, where he had been a patient for two weeks.Funeral services were held in the Wilmore Baptist church, Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 and were in charge of the pastor Rev. Aljoe Watters. Walter Smith sang "Abide With Me" and 'The Lord's Prayer," accompanied by Mrs. Ernestine Ziegler, organist.
The active pallbearers were John Pepperd, John Booth, Jay Pepperd, Charles Booth, Homer Ring, August Metzger, Ed Baker, and Carl Snyder.
Honorary pallbearers were Valtos Richardson, Charles Pendergraft, Myrl Dellinger, F. H. Moberly, Fay Smith, Sam Lawrence, Fred Booth, Noah Dillinger, Lawrence York, Sr., George S. Sawley, Marvin Downing, and C. O. Masterson.
Interment was in the Wilmore cemetery with the Wilmore Masonic Lodge No. 412, AF&AM, in charge.
Obituary. Thomas Christopher Pepperd, youngest son of Patrick and Bridget Pepperd, was born September 17, 1880 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and departed this life in Comanche County Hospital of Coldwater on January 15, 1967 at the age of 86 years, 4 months.
At the age of 4, he moved with his family to the Cap Pepperd farm, which in more recent years has been known as the Ray Helbert place.
The remainder of his life was spent in the Wilmore community as a rancher and stockman.
He was a faithful member of the Wilmore Baptist Church. He was also a charter member of the Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Eastern Star and had recently received his 50 year pin in both organizations.
On January 1, 1907 he was united in marriage with Bertha Ann Bell. Their home was blessed with two daughters, Frances Margaret and Geneva Bell.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bertha, who passed away August 23, 1946, his son-in-law, Lauren Ridge, on March 6, 1949, and by six brothers and three sisters. He is survived by his two daughters, Mrs. Frances Ridge of Wilmore and Miss Geneva Pepperd of Dodge City, Kans., numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of friends who will remember:
"These are hearts full of love and sweetness whose life current no longer flows; still their goodness lives on with the living like the soul of the Star and rose."
Gravestone of (at left) Bertha Ann Pepperd, and Thomas C. Pepperd.
Lot #224, Powell Township Cemetery, Wilmore, Comanche County, Kansas.
Photo by John Edward (Ed) Schrock.
Wilmore Baptist Church Men's Bible Class in 1931. Sam Lawrence was the teacher of the class. The gentlemen are (from left to right): Lew Kluttz (had an auto agency), Perry Wall (hardware store owner & rancher), Perry Barber, Bruce Snare, Jeff Foree, Van Lott (owned grocery store), Lawrence York (rancher), L.B. "Daddy" Sommers, John Manahan (school superintendent), Sam Lawrence, Oscar Pinkston,Willis Jackson Ray , Tom Pepperd (had gas delivery truck & farmed), Shurd Smith (railroad section man), Lester Larimer (Sunday School superintendent & farmer). Photo courtesy of David Lawrence.Obituary: Patrick Pepperd, father of Thomas C. Pepperd, The Western Star, Coldwater, Comanche County, Kansas, February 5, 1898.
"Nearly ten years ago he came to the home of Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Pepperd, where he continued to reside until a few days ago, when medical attention made it necessary to remove him to Coldwater ... Mr. Sommers has long been affectionately known and addressed as "Daddy Sommers" although he had no living relatives, he had a host of friends. He was a familiar personage over a wide community to young and old alike. The freedom of the Pepperd home was his. This christian hospitality was a cherished blessing to him to the last. Jesus said, "In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me." -- Obituary: Lewis B. Sommers, The Wilmore News, March 25, 1938.
The Wilmore News, April 26, 1917.
Food Production Organization Coldwater, Kansas, April 24, 1917.
Mr. Tom Pepperd,
Wilmore, KansasDear Friend:
Governor Capper has asked that a committee be appointed in this county for increased food production. You have been named as a member of this committee. No fixed plan is suggested, but believe it will be well to suggest to neighbors the planting of every acre possible. Help in securing seed where short, have your newspaper give this matter space if they are willing, and other means that will suggest themselves to you.
Yours truly,
Chas. E. Allderdice.The above letter is self explanatory. However, it is suggested that should anyone have any difficulty in securing seed, ground or sufficient help, that they should consult this committee in regard to the matter. --Editor.
"T. C. Pepperd, C. B. Austin, C. O. Masterson, J. P. Griffin, Sam Booth and Joe Booth went to Pratt Sunday afternoon and served as pall bearers for the funeral of J. W. Anderson. Several other Wilmore people attended the funeral." -- (excerpt from) Wilmore News, The Wilmore News, October 18, 1936.
Draft Registration card: Thomas Christopher Pepperd of Wilmore, Comanche County, Kansas.
United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news articles to this web site!
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