THOMAS L. CHERRY. This enterprising business man, wide-awake promoter
and universally esteemed citizen of Carbondale has resided in Southern
Illinois twelve years, and in the city of his home at this date since 1901,
having located here in December of that year to take a position in the
employ of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, He has impressed the
people favorably from his advent in the city, for he has sterling qualities
as a business man and as a citizen that wear and grow in value as the
community becomes more familiar with them.
Mr. Cherry is a native of
Kentucky, born in Bowling Green, Warren county, of that state, on April 19,
1876. His parents are R. H. and Elizabeth (Reeves) Cherry, still residents
of Kentucky. They are fine representatives of its sturdy and elevated
citizenship and exemplify in all the relations of life the best traits and
characteristics of upright and estimable American manhood and womanhood.
The father was a school teacher in the years of his late youth and early
manhood, and for fifteen or twenty more was engaged in railroad construction
work.
The son was educated in the public schools and at McKendree
College in Lebanon, Illinois, which he attended in 1895 and 1896.
Subsequently he pursued a course of special training at the Bowling Green
Business College of the Cherry Brothers in Bowling Green, Kentucky, his
native town.
In July, 1896, Mr. Cherry formed a partnership with C.
E. Hamilton, under the firm name of Hamilton & Cherry, for the purpose of
conducting a real estate and insurance business, and a little later the firm
added an abstracting business, organized to cover the whole county of
Jackson. The real estate and insurance partnership lasted until January,
1910, when Mr. Cherry bought Mr. Hamilton's interest in it, and has since
carried it on alone. He also still owns a one-half interest in the abstract
business. This is conducted by the Twin City Abstract Company, and he is the
president and manager of the company.
The public affairs of his city
and county have always deeply interested Mr. Cherry and he has given them
close, careful and helpful attention. He has served as alderman of
Carbondale, and in many other ways has shown his abiding devotion to the
welfare of the community. His public spirit impels him to earnest activity
in behalf of every worthy enterprise for its betterment, and he is always
counted on to be one of the most forceful agencies in promoting and bringing
to a satisfactory conclusion any project that will add to the conveniences
and comfort of its population.
On March 2, 1902, he was married to
Miss Alice S. Vanden, a daughter of Joseph and Minnie Vanden, prominent
residents of St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Cherry have four children,
their sons Richard Vanden, George Thomas and Luther Allen, and their
daughter Alice Sarah.
Of the fraternal societies so numerous among
men, and which they find so helpful in their beneficial and so enjoyable in
their social features, Mr. Cherry has joined but two, the Freemasons and the
Knights of Pythias. His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal
church, and in the congregation which has the benefit of his membership he
is assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school. All the work of the church
enlists his interest and has his active and effective aid.
Extracted 15 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 707-708.