Biographical Sketch of Henry H. Thurmond, Franklin County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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Henry H. Thurmond, a son of Bennett and Forlena (Calvert) Thurmond, was
born in Franklin County, Mo., in 1856.  He was reared on a farm, and
received a good common school education; he was his father's assistant
postmaster, at Stanton, Mo., for a considerable time, and remembers 
when Sullivan, Franklin County, had only one store, which place now 
supports fourteen business places, including three blacksmith shops,
shoe shop and mill, all doing a fair business, and the town rapidly in-
creasing in population.  Henry H. Thurmond was married January 12, 1887
to Eliza J., daughter of Samuel Johnson.  The result of this union is 
one child, a daughter, Olive, born October 6, 1887.  Mr. Thurmond en-
gaged in the stock business in 1884, and now owns 60 head of cattle, 50
hogs, 10 horses and 240 acres of land.  Politically, he is a Democrat.
Bennett Thurmond, father of our subject, is a prominent farmer and 
leading merchant of Sullivan, he was born in Washington County, Mo.,
May 6, 1818, and is the fifth of eight children, six sons and two dau-
ghters, born to John and Nancy (Burns) Thurmond.  He remained on the 
farm until twenty years of age, his educational advantages being of the
poorest, attending school only three weeks in his life; he has always
been industrious, and by close application to study at home received
sufficient education to carry on a business.  In 1839 he was married to
Forlena, daughter of Thomas Calvert, and by this union twelve children
were born, two of whom are deceased: John T., Bertha and Phillip (the
latter two deceased in childhood), William W., Nancy J., Peter C., 
Newton H., Edward, Henry, Mary E., Fanny A., Bennett D.  After his
marriage his father gave him a farm of 120 acres, which he at once 
settled upon.  He ran a wagon to St. Louis, hauling goods for the mer-
chants throughout the neighborhood, and at one time bought for Calvert
& Hewitt, merchants, a bill of goods to the amount of $150, which he
paid with his own means; when he returned the firm had failed, leaving
the goods on his hands.  With this stock, in 1855, he engaged in mer-
chandising, and by strict economy and close application to business met
with success.  At the outbreak of the war he closed out his stock and
joined the Home Guards.  When the war closed he resumed business at
Stanton, Franklin County, in the upbuilding of which place he has been
an important factor; he built the first house, has built all the busi-
ness houses and most of the residences.  In 1875 he moved to Utah 
Territory, where he remained five months, and then returned to Stanton
for nearly a year; he next removed to Kinsley, Kas., where he built a
hotel, but remained only six months, when he rented the hotel and again
returned to his native State, where he engaged in mercantile business
in Christian County, remained there a year, and still owns property in
the county, but removed from there to Stanton, his former home, and
subsequently built a hotel at Ponce de Leon, Stone Co., Mo., which he
afterward sold.  In 1879 he bought his present homestead in Sullivan,
Franklin County, where in 1885, in partnership with his son Edward, he
opened a general store, and is one of the leading merchants in the 
place.  He is a stanch Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote
for Martin Van Buren.  He served several years as postmaster of Stanton
and was also express agent for some time.  He owns eight town lots with
good buildings in Sullivan, and is a highly respected citizen.  Mrs.
Thurmond is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

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