Person:Thomas Elrod (2)

THOMAS S ELROD was born on February 28, 1824 in Pulaski County, Kentucky.

Thomas married MARY A BROWN, daugher of JOHN BROWN and NANCY LOWERY, on March1, 1849 in Warren County, Kentucky.

During the Civil War, it was permissible to pay someone to serve in your stead in the army, and Thomas gave his nephew Worley Caplinger land worth one hundred dollars to go in his place. As he left for the service, Worley deeded this land to his mother, Mary Caplinger, but when he returned she would not deed the land back to him. His son was Worley (Wes) Caplinger, Jr. who continued to live in Warren County. The land later became the Rubin Mansfield farm.

There is an account of Thomas' convincing Jesse James not to kill a man. Ike Henson's son had killed a man named Beckham, starting trouble between their two families. Yatman Saunders took the side of the Beckhams, which displeased Henson. Henson stayed in contact with Jesse James at all times. Henson had James come to Warren County to kill Saunders. Jesse James hid out in the area, leaving his horse in a thicket in the bend of the river on the Frank Hays farm and later on the Melvin Hunt farm. Henson lived on Henson Hill on the Iron Bridge Road. However, Henson and Jesse James went to talk to Thomas Elrod about their plans, Henson knowing he was a man of good judgment. Thomas advised them it would only stir up more trouble, so the plans were dropped.

Thomas and Mary Elrod's children went to school in a little log building on a hill of the Porter Pike below the Polkville Road on what became the Joe Thomas farm. The seats in the school were made out of split logs with legs attached to each half log, the flat side being for the seat area. There were no backs to the benches. The children walked about three miles through wooded land to reach their school. Their clothes were all made by Mary; the big boys wore jeans and striped shirts, the little boys only long shirts, or shirt tails. Thomas hauled merchandise from Louisville to Bowling Green prior to the coming of the railroad. He drove six horses to a wagon.

Thomas built a home in 1874 near the site of the log home of his parents, Michael and Elizabeth Davis Elrod. The two-story dwelling featured separate staircases to the two separate sides of the upper story, the girls' room on the east and the boy's bedrooms on the west. There was no passageway between the girls' and boys' bedrooms on the second floor. The narrow windows which opened on the south side of the boys' bedroom were said to have been intended to prevent their climbing out onto the porch roof for mischief-making!

South of the home was the blacksmith shop where Thomas made horseshoes and hinges. It was the center of the neighborhood in those days. Also in the yard was a large drive-in scale used by everyone. Thomas kept records of his business transactions on the wall of the long east porch. There were listed items purchased along with the costs.

After the death of Thomas, his son Charles and his family occupied the home. In the fall of 1928 or 1929, the eldest son of Charles, Neal Elrod, and his family moved into the residence, where they lived until Neal's death. The homestead was then sold to Carl Jordan, father-in-law of Carol Simpson, granddaughter of James William Elrod, great-granddaughter of Thomas and Mary. Carol Jordan and her family occupied the home until it was deeded to Carl Jordan's daughter Anise Laing of Louisville, who currently owns it (in 1986). The indoor plumbing was installed while the Jordans were living there. Prior to that time, water was carried from a spring behind the home.

About 100 yards northeast of the home is the Elrod Family Cemetery where Thomas and Mary and many of their descendants are buried. It was cared for by Lola Elrod until her death, when Pauline and William Elrod assumed the upkeep. Through action of Dorotha Hendricks, the chain link fence was installed. The cemetery upkeep continues through voluntary contributions, including interest from a small sum left by Alma Hendrick Meeks. The Thomas S. Elrod home was featured in a 1976 publication by the American National Bank of Bowling Green entitled An Album of Early Warren County Landmarks by Irene Moss Sumpter.

The 1850 census shows Thomas living with his family in 2nd District, Warren County, Kentucky.

Thomas died on April 27, 1903 in Warren County, Bowling Green, Kentucky, at 79 years of age. He is buried in Elrod Family Cemetery, Flatrock, Warren County, Kentucky.

1. ↑ 1850 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data: United States. 1850 United States Federal Census. M432, 1009 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. District 2, Warren, Kentucky, roll M432_220, page 124, image 539.
2. ↑ 1870 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census. [database on-line] Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003-. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1870 U.S. Federal Decennial Census.1870 United States Federal Census. [database online] Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003. Original data: Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1870 Federal Population Census. M593, 1,761 rolls; part of Minnesota T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Elk Springs, Warren, Kentucky, post office Smiths Grove, roll 502, page 143, image 286.
3. ↑ 1880 United States Federal Census, 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. Smiths Grove, Warren, Kentucky, ED 238, roll T9_445, page 252.1000, image 0101.
4. ↑ 1900 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com. 1900 U.S. Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States. 1900 United States Federal Census. T623, 1854 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. Warren, Kentucky, ED 96, roll T623 553, page 10B.