Thomas Judson Routh (1853 - 1936)

Born 31 Mar 1853 in Plano, Collin, Texas, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Valera Mattie (Appling) Routh — married 17 Dec 1885 in Abbott, Hill, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 15 Apr 1936 at age 83 in Abilene, Taylor, Texas, United States

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Biography

tombstone^[1]

Thomas Judson Routh was raised on the family farm near Plano, Texas. His father, Thomas Jefferson Routh, died when he was two years old. Out of eight children, only three of his brothers and sisters lived to full maturity.

Thomas did not marry until he was 32 years old, and he did not marry a local girl from the Collin County area. He chose as his bride, Valera Mattie Appling who was living with her family in Hill County, Texas. She was 18 years old. Hill County is some distance from Collin County.

Thomas and Valera remained in Collin County long enough for two of their children, William Edward and John Carroll, to be born. In 1889, Thomas and Valera sold their property in Collin County and moved to Jones County. On November 4, 1889, Thomas and Valera purchased 320 acres near the town of Anson. In 1889, Jones County was sparsely settled. The farmers were just beginning to take over from what was previously cattle country.

In the period 1891 to 1900, Thomas and Valera's other three children, Thomas Jefferson, Joseph Beverly, and Hattie Jewell, were born near Anson. Some time after the family moved to Jones County but before they moved to Hamlin, they lived in the Hannah Community near Anson. The family remained in that area until 1906 when they moved a few miles to a farm one mile south of the town of Hamlin in Jones County.

The Rouths became pillars of the community and the Baptist church in Hamlin. The boys were all old enough to be of great help in running the farm. When it was purchased, part of the farm was still mesquite brush and had to be cleared for cultivation.

The year 1917 brought a dramatic change to the Rouths; World War I had started in Europe. Three of the boys, Will, Carroll, and Joe all entered the army in 1918. Carroll wound up in Germany. During this period, there was also the terrible drought and flu epidemic that swept the country with its deadly consequences. All of the boys returned home safely, and the 1920's were years of relative prosperity.

By 1922, Thomas was 69 years old and was slowing down from his lifelong pursuit of farming. He and Valera purchased a house in Hamlin that year, and the farm was rented out. In 1927, the couple purchased a house in Abilene. This was also the year of Carroll's death, a very grievous time for the family. Thomas and Valera moved back to Hamlin in 1930 and then back to Abilene shortly thereafter.

Thomas' health was declining because of advancing years. He died in Abilene in 1936 at the age of 83 and was buried in Hamlin.

Thomas Judson Routh was short and bowlegged, with wavy, sandy colored hair and moustache. He was a lifelong Baptist. On an 1899 insurance application he indicated that he was more like his mother than his father. One of the questions asked in the application was: "To what extent do you use tobacco?" His reply was: "Smoke twice a day". His use of tobacco was confined to an occasional pipe. He was violently opposed to the use of alcohol. One of his granddaughters described him as a kindly, gentle man.

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 24 July 2020), memorial page for Thomas Judson Routh (31 Mar 1853–15 Apr 1936), Find a Grave Memorial no. 65825154, citing Hamlin Memorial Cemetery, Hamlin, Jones County, Texas, USA ; Maintained by joylen (contributor 47428486).

Family Search record Event Type Census Name Thomas Ruth Sex Male Age 47 Event Date 1900 Event Place Justice Precinct 1, Jones, Texas, United States Event Place (Original) ED 99 Justice Precinct 1, Jones, Texas, United States Marital Status Married Race White Relationship to Head of Household Head Sheet Letter A Sheet Number 13 Birth Date Mar 1853 Birthplace Texas Marriage Year (Estimated) 1886 Father's Birthplace Tennessee Mother's Birthplace Tennessee Thomas Ruth's Spouses and Children Valerian Ruth Wife F 34 Kentucky William E Ruth Son M 14 Texas John C Ruth Son M 12 Texas Thomas J Ruth Son M 9 Texas Joe B Ruth Son M 6 Texas Hattie Ruth Daughter F 0 Texas

Family Search record Event Type Census Name Tomas J Ruth Sex Male Age 57 Event Date 1910 Event Place Justice Precinct 5, Jones, Texas, United States Event Place (Original) Justice Precinct 5, , Texas Birth Year (Estimated) 1853 Birthplace Texas Marital Status Married Race White Relationship to Head of Household Head Father's Birthplace Tennessee Mother's Birthplace Tennessee Sheet Letter B Sheet Number 1 Tomas J Ruth's Spouses and Children Valeria Ruth Wife F 43 Kentucky Wm E Ruth Son M 23 Texas Carol Ruth Son M 21 Texas Thomas Ruth Son M 19 Texas Joseph Ruth Son M 15 Texas Hattie Ruth Daughter F 10 Texas

Family Search record Event Type Census Name Thomas J Routh Sex Male Age 67 Event Date 1920 Event Place Jones, Texas, United States Event Place (Original) ED 136, Jones, Texas Birth Year (Estimated) 1853 Birthplace Texas Marital Status Married Race White Relationship to Head of Household Head Father's Birthplace Tennessee Mother's Birthplace Tennessee Household Identifier 301 Line Number 31 Sheet Letter A Sheet Number 13 Sheet Number and Letter 13A Affiliate Film Number 1824 Affiliate Publication Number T625 Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Thomas J Routh's Spouses and Children Valeria Routh Wife F 53 Kentucky J Carroll Routh Son M 32 Texas Joe Routh Son M 25 Texas

Family Search record Event Type Census Name T J Routh Sex Male Age 77 Event Date 1930 Event Place Abilene, Taylor, Texas, United States Birth Year (Estimated) 1853 Birthplace Texas Marital Status Married Race White Relationship to Head of Household Head Father's Birthplace Tennessee Mother's Birthplace Tennessee Sheet Letter A Sheet Number 14 T J Routh's Spouses and Children Valera Routh Wife F 62 Kentucky

Family Search Record Other information in the record of Thomas Judson Routh from Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 Name: Thomas Judson Routh Event Type: Death Event Date: 15 Apr 1936 Event Place: Abilene, Taylor, Texas, United States Sex: Male Age: 83 Marital Status: Married Birth Date: 31 Mar 1853 Birth Year (Estimated): 1853 Birthplace: Plano, Texas Father's Name: T J Routh Mother's Name: Haskins Record Number: 23089