THOMAS STRAWBRIDGE , deceased, was born February 8, 1798, in county of Donegal, Ireland and was the son of Thomas and Jane (Mitchell) Strawbridge, also natives of the same place. They came to America, landing at Baltimore in May, 1810, and went to North Umberland county, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1811; they then moved to Clark county, Ohio, and from there to this county in October, 1823. His mother died in May, 1809, in Ireland, and his father died in September 24, 1834, in what is now Fancy Creek township, in this county, in the eightieth year of his age. The subject of this sketch learned the saddle and harness trade in Lebanon, Ohio, and engaged in that business; came to this county with his father in 1828 and followed his trade, it being the first in that line of business in the county and Central Illinois. He worked at his trade many years, but during his latter years he turned his attention to farming; he owned six hundred and eighty acres of land, and continued farming until his death, in June, 1880. His sister Mary, born November 30, 1800, in Ireland, was married in this county, in April, 1824, to David Anderson, a native of York county, Pennsylvania. Mr. A. died July 16, 1825, and in October, 1839, she married Samuel Lyons, who was born near Belfast, Ireland; Mr. Lyons died in this county, October 12, 1842, and Mrs. Lyons now resides on the farm of her brother, Thomas Strawbridge, Jr., situated five miles south of Springfield, Illinois; she has no children; Thomas never married, and his property was mostly bequeathed to the Home of the Friendless, after his sister Mary's death.