Thomas Brady

H. W. Beckwith, History of Vermilion County (Chicago: H. H. Hill, 1879)

page 632

Thomas Brady, farmer and stock-raiser, section 2, Catlin township, is the son of John and Rosanna Brady. He was born in what is now Catlin township, on the 8th of October, 1832. His father was a native of Virginia, but removed to Brown county, Ohio, as early as the year 1825. In 1832 he again moved, this time locating in Vermilion county, Illinois. Being one of the early pioneers, he had the choice of location, and being from a timbered country, he located in the timber near where the county farm now is. Here he improved a large farm, and raised a family of fourteen children, five sons and nine daughters, of whom there are now only seven daughters and three sons living: Hannah A., who has been an invalid since four years old. She resided in this county until 1876, and then moved to Kansas and began farming on her own account on quite an extensive scale. Sarah, wife of the deceased M. Oakwood; Ailey, wife of the deceased J. Burroughs, and now wife of J. Wherry; Johnathan T.; Lidy, wife of J. W. Acree; Thomas, the subject of our sketch; Marsala formerly wife of Wm. McCoy, deceased, and now wife of H. Leonard; Rosanah, wife of Wm. Finley during his life, and now wife of Wm. Gerling, who is extensively engaged in gold mining in California; John, now on the old home farm; Jane, wife of L. Burroughs till his death, and now wife of N. R. Mills. The names of the deceased are: Nancy, Joseph, Mary and Ennis. Thomas Brady, the subject of our sketch, was united in

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marriage to Miss America Finley, daughter of Maholon and Margaret Finley, on the lst of March, 1855. She also is a native of Vermilion county, Illinois. She was born on the 4th of May, 1833, and is a woman seldom equaled in her taste of decorating and making a home pleasant. Until 1874 he had resided three miles west of Danville. He then removed to his present home in Catlin township, where he owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres, beautifully located, within one mile of the village of Catlin, this being his home farm. He also owns one hundred and sixty acres where he formerly resided, west of Danville. This fine property has been the result of his own energy, industry and economy.