Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 554 - 555 

THOMAS H. RANDALL, County Commissioner of Sedgwick County, has a beautiful home amid the pleasant environments of Mt. Hope. He is a pioneer of 1872, coming to this county in that year and taking up the northeast quarter of section 20, Greeley Township, under the provisions of the homestead act; sixty acres of that tract now form a part of the town site of Mt. Hope. Mr. Randall was born in Champaign County, Ohio, Oct. 7, 1840. His grandfather, Joseph Randall, was a native of Scotland, where he married. He subsequently came to this country and settled in Virginia, where he reared seven sons and three daughters. His son, the Rev. Daniel Randall, the father of our subject, when a young man left the parental home in Virginia and migrated to Ohio, where he made the acquaintance of and married Julia Fink, a daughter of Joel and Mary Fink. They were natives of England and the parents of seven children, their daughter, Mrs. Randall, being born in Urbana, Ohio. After marriage Daniel H. and Julia Randall settled in Ohio hear her former home. Afterward they removed to Clark County, Ill., where Mr. Randall was acting as agent for the American Bible Society, traveling in its interests throughout that commonwealth.

            After a sojourn of three years in the Prairie State Rev. Daniel Randall returned with his family to his farm in the State of Ohio, where he again resumed pulpit work as a regular minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, preaching in the different circuits of that State until the infirmities of age obliged him to give up his sacred calling. He was universally beloved and esteemed, and throughout his long and successful ministry made many warm and lasting friendships, and at his death in 1884, at the age of seventy-four, he was sincerely mourned by many. Mrs. Randall, who had been a faithful sympathizer and co-worker with her husband in his calling, subsequently came to Kansas, and in the home of her son Thomas H., on the 18th of August, 1886, departed this life. She was the mother of twelve children, five of whom attained maturity, namely: Mary I., wife of John Jones, of Catawba, Ohio; Thomas H.; John W. is a locomotive engineer, with his home in St. Paul, Minn.; Isaac M. is a farmer of Vincennes, Ind., near the State line, with his residence on the Illinois side; Charles is a machinist, and lives in DeGraff, Ohio.

            Thomas H., our subject, staid on his father's farm in his native State until he was twenty years of age, receiving in the meantime a substantial education in the common schools. His parents deeply instilled into his youthful mind those principles of honesty, industry and integrity which have since been his guides to a useful life and an honorable career. Soon after he attained the age before mentioned the Civil War broke out, and he was among the very first who loyally and bravely offered their services to preserve the Union, enlisting at the first call for troops as a member of Company F, 44th Ohio Infantry, and took part in the battle of Louisburg, Va., also Meadow Bluff and Thompson's Farm. In the fall of 1863 his regiment was transported to Kentucky, was there mounted, and for one year kept on scout duty. The men were then dismounted and went with Gen. Burnside to Knoxville, whence they soon after went to take part in the battle of Cumberland. At Strawberry Plain the regiment veteranized as the 8th Ohio Cavalry, then returned to Cincinnati, and from there was sent home on a furlough of thirty days. After its return to service it was mustered in as cavalry, at Camp Division, and was then sent up the Kanawha River, and thence on the famous Hunter raid to Lynchburg, Va.; one-half of the regiment took part in the engagement under Gen. Sheridan, and the other half remained at Beverly. Our subject was wounded in an engagement at the latter place on the 11th of January, 1865, and was disabled for three months. He was finally mustered out of service Aug. 5, 1865, as Commissary Sergeant, having served with honor throughout the entire Rebellion. Returning to Ohio, and once more resuming the quiet life of a citizen, he turned his attention to farming, the occupation to which he had been reared, remaining there actively and profitably engaged in the same until his removal to Kansas. Here he followed agricultural pursuits until 1877, and then entered the hardware business, establishing the first store of the kind in Mt. Hope. His business was destroyed by fire on the 18th of December, 1886, and he did not resume, although he had built up a good trade.

            Mr. Randall soon exerted a marked influence in town affairs, and it was through his exertions that a post-office was established at Mt. Hope, of which he was appointed Postmaster, serving until January, 1887. He was a member of the first School Board of this town, and served for several years following. He was elected to his present position as County Commissioner in 1886, and has since discharged the duties of this important office with signal ability and faithfulness. He now holds the office of Vice President of the Mt. Hope Iron Company, of which he is also the business agent. In politics Mr. Randall is a representative Republican, and can always be depended upon to do good work for his party; he has been a delegate to its conventions from Greeley Township ever since the township was organized. Socially, he is prominently identified with various organizations. He became a member of the I. O. O. F. while a resident of Ohio, and since coming to this State has helped to organize the Mt. Hope Lodge, being a charter member, and subsequently became Noble Grand of that lodge; he is now a member of the Grand Lodge of the State; he was one of the organizers and a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, at Mt. Hope, and was elected First Past Chancellor of the Tasmania Lodge No. 120; and is also a charter member of the G. A. R., S. A. Gilbert Post No. 354, and served as commander for three years. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and helped to organize the first society of that denomination in Mt. Hope, and also was active in establishing a Sunday-school in connection with the church.

            Mr. Randall is quite an extensive land-owner, having 350 acres of realty outside of the limits of Mt. Hope, and 140 acres inside of the corporation. This is all well improved and he has an excellent class of farm buildings and the finest residence in the town. He is largely engaged in stock-raising, his cattle being mostly Short-horns of a high grade, and he also deals in live stock. During these years that he has been accumulating his wealth he has had the able assistance and hearty co-operation of an excellent wife, who has contributed her share to their prosperity by her judicious management of the domestic economy of their home; to her he was united in marriage Aug. 10, 1865, just five days after his return from the seat of war. Her maiden name was Mattie J. Porter, and she was born in Clarke County, Ohio, Oct. 6, 1844, her parents being Benjamin and Eliza Porter. This happy union has been blessed by the birth of six children - Levi C., Pearl Ann, Lena B., Clara B., Anna and Charles F.

            Our subject and his wife occupy an honorable position in society and enjoy to the fullest extent the confidence and respect of all with whom they associate. Mr. Randall is widely and favorably known in business circles as an upright, incorruptible man, whose word is as good as a bond.

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