Deems, Thomas bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 308-310; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Thomas Deems, a native-born citizen of this county, is now one of its foremost business men, he being one of the leading grocers of Lewistown, a member of the firm of Deems & Slack. He was born on a farm in Lewistown Township, July 21, 1841, and come of a respected pioneer family of this section of the State.
John Deems, the father of our subject, was a native of Washington County, Pa., born on a farm five miles north of Brownsville, November 18, 1809. He was a son of Adam Deems, who is supposed to have been a native of the same locality. The father of the latter, Martin Deems, is thought to have been born in Germany, and was one of the earliest settlers of Washington County. He secured a title to quite a tract of land, the boundaries being defined by blazed trees. He made his home there until death closed his mortal career. He reared a family of six sons and two daughters. His son Adam grew to man's estate on the old homestead in his native county amid its primitive pioneer scenes. There were no railways there for many years after his birth. Many of the farmers were distillers and used to ship their liquor and produce on flatboats to New Orleans, and there disposed of the boat and its contents and walked back to their homes, many weeks being consumed in the journey. All communication with the East was by teams. The grandfather of our subject always lived in the place of his birth and engaged in farming there until his demise. The maiden name of his wife was Sarah Rolland, who was born in the same county as himself. Her parents, Henry and Mary Rolland, were pioneers of that section of the country, making their removal thither from Eastern Pennsylvania with pack-horses. The grandmother of our subject survived her husband many years and died in Fulton County, at the age of sixty-three.
John Deems was nineteen years old when he left his native county to join his brother Thomas in Muskingum County, Ohio, where he served an apprenticeship of three years to learn the trade of a blacksmith. After he had acquired a thorough knowledge of his calling he worked for his brother three years, and then formed a partnership with him which continued two years. At the expiration of that time he went to Sidney, Shelby County, and was one of the early settlers of that place and established himself there as a blacksmith on his own account. All the iron, which was procured at Pittsburg, was brought to that place by the way of the Ohio River and Cincinnati, and thence by canal to Pickaway, twelve miles distant. Mr. Deems wrought all the horse shoes and the nails that he used, and the charcoal that he burned in his furnace was also of his own manufacture. He continued in business there until the fall of 1840.
In 1839 the father visited Fulton County on horseback and bought one hundred and sixty acres of timber land, three-fourths of a mile east of the village of Lewistown. After making his purchase he sold his horse and returned by stage to his home in Ohio. In the fall of 1840 he started, with his wife and three children, with two horses and a wagon for their future dwelling-place in the Prairie State. They spent the first winter in Lewistown, and during that time he built a house on his land and at once began the improvement of the latter. For some years Liverpool, a point on the Illinois River, was the most flourishing town of the county, and was the market for all the grain raised. Mr. Deems improved the greater part of his land, bought eighty acres adjoining and resided there until 1884, and then moved to town to his present home, where he now lives in honorable retirement.
Mr. Deems was married in October, 1841, to Phoebe Brown. She was born in Virginia, in August, 1809, and was but an infant when her parents removed to the primeval wilds of Muskingum County, Ohio, where she was reared. She died January 1, 1887, at a venerable age. She was the mother of eight children, whose names are Amanda, Joseph, Eliza, Thomas, Lorena, Mary, George, and Cornelia. Joseph served in the late war in Company A, Fifty-fifth Illinois Infantry, three years and was twice severely wounded. He now lives in Lewistown.
The gentleman whose life is recorded in these lines received the preliminaries of his education in the pioneer schools of this his native county. the first one that he attended was taught in a log schoolhouse, and the seats were rude benches made of slabs with wooden pins for legs. There were no desks, but holes were bored in the logs, wooden pins were inserted and boards laid on top of them, extending the length of each side of the house, which were used by the larger scholars on which to write. Our subject's education was further extended by the excellent course of study that he pursued in Fulton Seminary in 1860 and 1861, and in 1865 he was a student at Hedding College, at Abingdon.
Mr. Deems took part in the great war that was waged between the North and the South in the opening years of his manhood, and is a fine representative of those noble citizen-soldiers who sacrificed much and risked their all in their devotion to their country. August 8, 1862, he threw aside all personal aims and ambitions and enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Third Illinois Infantry, was mustered into service at Peoria October 2, and in November of that year went with the regiment to Tennessee, where he and his comrades were quartered for the winter. From there they were sent to Vicksburg, Miss., and guarded the rear of the Federal army, preventing Johnston from reinforcing the rebels during the memorable siege of that city. After the fall of Vicksburg our subject's regiment went to Jackson, Miss., and engaged in battle with Johnston's troops at that place; went thence to Black River, where the soldiers rested until the fall, when they marched to Chattanooga to take part in the battle of Missionary Ridge, where Mr. Deems was transferred to Company H, Twenty-third Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps. He was sent to Benton Barracks, they being on detached duty, and remained until he was mustered out, June 26, 1865.
At the close of his service our subject came back to Lewistown and quietly resumed his studies at Hedding College, remaining in that institution during the fall and winter terms. In the spring of 1866 he engaged in the mercantile business in Lewistown, and was thus employed until 1869, when on account of ill-health he was obliged to relinquish it. The ensuing two years he remained on his father s farm and spent one year in Kansas. Returning to Lewistown, he became a clerk for Ross & Hinds, remaining with them one year, and then acting in the same capacity for Phelps & Proctor for a period of eight years. At the expiration of that time he once more resumed business on his own account and has continued it with marked success. In 1886 he formed a partnership with his present partner, J. S. Slack, under the firm name of Deems & Slack. They have here a commodious, finely-appointed store, and carry a full line of groceries, china, glass, woodenware, etc., and deal to some extent in fruits and produce, besides having a bakery in connection with their grocery. By strict attention to their business in all its details, by promptness and method, and by courteous treatment and fair dealings with their customers, they have built up a large trade and are well patronized by the best people of the city.
Mr. and Mrs. Deems have here a very charming home, and of their happy wedded life have come two children Jessie and Mary. Mrs. Deems maiden name was Laura Benton, and her marriage with our subject was contracted in September, 1880. She is a native of this county, born in Bernadotte Township, and is a daughter of Harsha J. and Marian (Lee) Benton, natives of Philadelphia, Pa., and Springfield, Ill., respectively, and pioneers of this section of the country.
Mr. Deems thoroughly identifies himself with whatever will best promote the highest interests of this, his native county, his liberality helping forward many schemes for its improvement, and he is numbered among its most loyal citizens. His record as a soldier is kept in remembrance by his connection with Thomas Layton Post, No. 121, G. A. R.. He belongs to the independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of Fulton Lodge, No. 51. In politics he is a decided Republican.