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William H. Thurmond, a prominent farmer, was born in August, 1831, in CaIdwell County, Ky., one of nine (seven

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deceased) children of Justinian and Elizabeth Thurmond, both born in Caldwell County in 1800 and 1804, and of Irish-English and Irish stock respectively. In November, 1828, they were married, and in 1854 the father was killed by a man named Joel Aarons. When twenty-one our subject began for himself in the coal mines, attending school with his earnings, and at his father's death returned to the farm, and in two years removed a debt, left by his father, of $400.

In 1857 he married Sarah E., daughter of John D. and Martishia (Bowers) Thurmond, born in September, 1838, in Warren County, Ky. Their children are Thomas McL (deceased), Isabelle (deceased), Alice V. (wife of Thomas R. Drennan), Elisha M., William F., Martishia (deceased), Elvira, Rebecca and Mirtie F.

He bought a farm near his mother, and settled on the same until in March, 1861, when they all came to Franklin County, and have since lived on his present farm in Northern Township. The mother died at her daughter's (Mrs. M. J. Campbell), in April, 1871. With all the difficulties with which he has had to contend, as we have seen, he now owns a fine farm of 220 acres, most of which he has cleared himself. He was a Democrat before the war, since which and until 1884 he has been a Republican, first voting for Breckenridge. He voted for St. John in 1884. He is a member of the F. M. B. A., No. 51, and he, his wife and three eldest children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.