Thomas C. Weaver

THOMAS C. WEAVER, one of the honored survivors of the great Civil War, who is a well known business citizen of Baxter Springs, and a justice of the peace in Cherokee County, was born in Kosciusko County, Indiana, July 14, 1840, and is a son of George and Hannah (Moss) Weaver.

The Weaver family has descended from Dutch, Scotch and Irish ancestry. The father of our subject was born in Clark County, Ohio, where he was educated and engaged in a mercantile business until the age of 25 years, when he removed to Kosciusko County, Indiana, and embarked in cattle dealing, continuing in this business until 1854. The remainder of his life was spent in farming in DeWitt County, Illinois, where he died at the advanced age of 89 years. He married Hannah Moss, whose parents were natives of Ohio; she died at the age of 83 years. They had issue as follows: Louisa, wife of A. D. Cackley, who was in an express transfer business at Clinton, Illinois, but is now retired; Josephine, wife of J. D. Mitchell, who was a farmer and stock-raiser of DeWitt County, Illinois; Thomas C., of this sketch: Henry, who died in infancy; Martha and Caroline, who died in childhood; Mary and Horace (twins), who died in infancy; Harvey V., who is manager of a sanitarium at Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois; and Charles F., who is a merchant at Atlanta, Illinois.

Thomas C. Weaver received his early education in the schools of DeWitt County, Illinois, which he attended during the winter seasons until he became of age. His summers were devoted to agricultural pursuits on his father's farm. The stirring events of the early months of 1861 aroused his loyalty and he testified to the reality of his patriotism by enlisting for service in the Civil War, on July 13, 1861, and he was mustered into the army on August 5th, entering Company C, 41st Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf. He served two years and reenlisted as a veteran, on December 18, 1863. On April 12, 1864, he was transferred to the Veteran Battalion and was promoted to the rank of sergeant-major. Later he was transferred to the 53d Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf., as sergeant major, on April 24, 1865, and was promoted to the rank of 1st lieutenant, to date from April 7, 1865. He was finally mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, on July 22, 1865. It will thus be seen that Mr. Weaver served over four years and during this time he participated in many of the most serious battles of the war, including: Fort Donelson, Fort Heilman, siege of Vicksburg, Hatchie River, Bentonville, Coldwater, Jackson and many minor ones.

After the close of the war, Mr. Weaver returned to the peaceful pursuit of farming, in which he continued until 1882 in DeWitt County, Illinois, and then came to Cherokee County, Kansas, and engaged in a hardware business for two years, and subsequently spent four years in the grocery business. Since then his time has been engaged in the management of a successful insurance business at Baxter Springs and in attending to his magisterial duties as justice of the peace.

On September 20, 1870, Mr. Weaver was married to Ella Scroggin, who is a daughter of Humphrey Scroggin, a farmer of Logan County, Illinois. The five children of this marriage were: Edwin, who died aged two years; Alberta Maud, who died aged 12 years; George, who died aged four years: Olive (Mrs. W. C. Anderson),of Fort Scott, Kansas; and Nellie, who resides at home. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church.

From his earliest voting days, Mr. Weaver has been a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and he has frequently been called upon to assume the duties of office. In Illinois he was a member of the local School Board and held the same office at Baxter Springs, of which city he was treasurer for six years. For the past seven years he has filled his present judicial position, the powers of which he has many times used to quietly settle differences without resorting to continued litigation. His decisions have been very generally supported and his personal integrity has never been questioned.

Since the organization of the camp of the Modern Woodmen of America at Baxter Springs in 1889, Mr. Weaver has served as clerk. He is a member and the treasurer of the local lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen; belongs also to the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is serving his fourth term as commander of the local G. A. R. post, of which he is a charter member.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Chris Ward, student from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, 12/10/96.