Meet Thomas Bartholomew, a remarkable individual born on January 20, 1788, in Whitehall, New York. His father, Lemma, served as an Ensign during the American Revolution, and his mother was Anna Wilson. Thomas had two brothers. Unfortunately, his father passed away when Thomas was just two years old. His mother remarried, eventually welcoming six more children with her second husband.
At 21, Thomas married Anna Foote in 1809, and together they had three sons and two daughters. Before the War of 1812, he played a crucial role in transporting military supplies from Whitehall, New York, to Burlington, Vermont. Following the Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11, 1814, he helped move prisoners to Albany, New York, and later that year, he enlisted at Whitehall. Throughout the war, he faithfully served under Captain Barker of the 154th New York Militia Regiment.
Tragedy struck in 1819 when Thomas lost his beloved wife, Anna. However, he found love once more and married Sophia Jones in the same year. Together, they had five sons and two daughters, some of whom are resting at Big Woods Cemetery.
Thomas farmed in Whitehall until 1871, when he moved his family to Winfield to be closer to some of his children. During this time, Winfield’s population was predominantly of German descent, and even the churches conducted services in German.
In January 1877, Thomas Bartholomew passed away, followed by his wife the following year. They found their final resting place at the serene Big Woods Cemetery in Aurora, Illinois.