Thomas Forest Strickland (1864-1920)
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The following October 21, 1920, Lowell Tribune article appeared on page 1, column 3:
- Thomas Forest Strickland was born on a farm north of El Paso, Illinois, on the 6th of April 1864 and passed away at Footville, Wis., Tuesday, October 12, 1920, at the age of 56 years, 6 months and 6 days. He was a son of William Isham and Mary Drury Strickland, and was the eldest of a family of nine. His brothers and sis[ters,] with the exception of Ethel the youngest sister, who died at the age of six, are living. Mrs. Jennie Horner makes her home at Lowell, Ind.; Mrs. Julia Cooney at Wichita, Kansas; Mrs. Cora Burger at El Paso, Ill.; Charles Strickland at Lowell; Mrs. Ella May Plackett at Bloomington, Ill.; Bert Strickland at Denver, Colorado; Dr. Clarence B. Strickland at Omaha, Nebraska.
Mr. Strickland grew to manhood near El Paso, and made his home there until 1902 when he removed to a farm at Lowell, Indiana. Last spring he went from Indiana to Footville, Wis., where his death occurred. He was twice married. On June 26th, 1884, Susie Plackett became his wife, and she was the mother of his three children, Mrs. Nellie Sanger, of Hammond, Bert Strickland, of Footville, Wisconsin, and Mrs. Romona Sallee, of near Peoria. These, with eight grandchildren, survive. The mother died March 13, 1908. Later he was untied in marriage to Cora Conder, of Lexington, Ill., who has been his companion through these recent years, and was with him with her kindly ministry through the months of illness which preceded his death.
When he was a boy Mr. Strickland untied with the Shiloh church, and has been connected with the Methodist church through all these years since then. While he lived at El Paso he also became a member of the Masonic order, a fellowship which he maintained until the time of his death.
Those who have been the closest to Mr. Strickland are confident that he would have desired no effusive word of commendation for his life. He would rather have wished that his spirit and his deeds should tell the story of his days. Those of his family think of him as the younger members of a household always like to regard an older brother. To his friends he appeared as an industrious man of affairs, a liberal member of the community life, and a cordial and cheerful companion.
A short funeral service was held at the home in Footville, Wisconsin, after which the remains were taken to El Paso, Ill., where the funeral was held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the Methodist church, Rev. W. Harvey Young, officiating. The services at the grave were conducted by the masons of El Paso. Interment in the El Paso cemetery.
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