Tulare County Biographies

THOMAS JEFFERSON CLARKSON

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
In Scott county, Ill., Thomas Jefferson Clarkson, who lives in Exeter, Tulare 
county, Cal., was born in 1860, and he was nine years old when his parents 
brought him to California. The family lived in Yolo county until 1871, then came 
to Tulare county. He attended the public schools more or less until he was 
twelve years old, and from his twelfth to his twenty-eighth year he rode after 
cattle on the plains. Then he turned his attention to blacksmithing, which has 
employed his energies ever since. For a time he worked from place to place, but 
during the last nine years he has operated a general blacksmithing and 
agricultural repair shop at Exeter.
As a Democrat Mr. Clarkson has long been prominent in the affairs of his town 
and county, and was appointed a member of the health board of the city of 
Exeter, in which office he is serving with ability, integrity and discretion at 
the present time. Fraternally he affiliates with the organizations of the 
Woodmen of the World and Knights of Pythias of Exeter. He is devoted heart and 
soul to the general interests of the county. Coming here when the land was wild 
and there were about as many Indian inhabitants as white ones, he has witnessed 
and participated in its development to one of the rich sections of one of the 
great states of the Union.
The woman who became the wife of Mr. Clarkson was before her marriage Mrs. Mary 
Angeline Austin. She was born in Kansas of a family who were among the pioneers 
there. Four children have blessed their union: Annie, May, Presley and Hazel. 
Annie is Mrs. V. W. Lucas of Exeter. May married Charles Maddox of Exeter. 
Presley is in the high school.
 
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - 
Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913, pp. 616