JAMES THOME, one of the oldest living members of the family of that name, was born in August, 1816, in North Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn. His grandfather, James Thome, was a native of Dauphin county, Penn. He was married and had six children, viz.: William, John, James, Margaret, Samuel and Abigail. Of these James was born in Dauphin county, same State, and there received such education as the subscription schools of the period afforded. Not being satisfied with the outlook for success in his native county, so far as he was individually interested, he came to Washington county about the time of the "Whiskey Insurrection," was with Washington during this insurrection, and purchased, in North Strabane township, the farm now occupied by his son, James. Their first humble dwelling thereon was a rude cabin built of hewn logs. Many improvements were made by Mr. Thome and his family, and the once forest-grown wilderness was to a great extent brought to its present high state of fertility through their unceasing toil. Mr. Thome was united in marriage with Abbie Hill, who bore him the following named children: Jane (deceased), William, John, Abbie (wife of James Pollock), Margaret (wife of Rev. Bankhead Boyd), James (subject) and Samuel (deceased). The father of this family died in May, 1861. He and his wife were members of the Seceder Church, in which Mr. Thome was an elder for many years. In politics he was a Whig. James Thome received a good common-school training, and was early inducted into the mysteries of agriculture, and the hard, never-ceasing work incident to that vocation. On April 13, 1843 he was married to Eliza, daughter of James McNary, of Nottingham township, which union has been blessed with six children, as follows: Abbie (wife of Rev. D. C. Wilson), Annie (wife of William Martin), Rev. J. L., William, Samuel and Emma. After marriage Mr. Thome settled permanently on the home farm, where he successfully cultivated the soil, but has retired from active work and is now passing the last days of his useful life in the enjoyment of the fruits of his toil. Mr. and Mrs. Thome are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Pigeon Creek. In politics he was first a Whig, but for many years back he has been an uncompromising Democrat, and has been supervisor a number of years. He has been eminently successful in all his pursuits, and to-day is the owner of 250 acres of highly-improved land. He is proverbially kind-hearted and charitable, and his hospitality is of the genuine old-fashioned kind.

Text taken from page 1331 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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