Thomas Woodson Park was fifteen years of age when he accompanied his mother and stepfather to Platte City, and here he completed his excellent training under the tutelage of his father. When the Civil war broke out, his sympathies were with the cause of the South, and this caused him to enlist as a private under the flag of the Confederacy. He was in the army of Gen. Sterling Price, and his brave and faithful services gained him promotion to the rank of lieutenant, but then illness had set in at the time.
The rank of major, to which Mr. Park was entitled, was acquired by service on the staff of Governor Woodson.
In 1868 he entered the newspaper field, at Platte City, Missouri, when he founded the Reveille, one of the first democratic newspapers to be published in Northwest Missouri. On June 2, 1871, this paper was consolidated with the Landmark, and Mr. Park continued its editor and owner until February, 1881. He was a fine and forceful writer, supporting the measures which he believed just with fire and energy, and attacking what he believed to be bad movements with courage and a trenchant pen. As a finished orator he was also well and widely known, and as president of the State Editorial Association of Missouri, in the session at Fredericktown, where Eugene Field was the guest of honor, he was presented, by Mr. Field, with the humorous poem entitled, "Tom Park at Fredericktown."
In 1870 Thomas W. Park was elected county clerk of Platte County, and in 1874 received the reelection, but resigned March 27, 1877. From 1881 to 1890 he was chief clerk of the labor commission at Jefferson City under Governor Marmaduke; in the latter year was appointed chief clerk to Secretary of State Alex Leasuer, and in 1903 became assistant to Secretary Stevens of the St. Louis World's Fair, continuing in this position until about one year after the close of that exposition. At that time he retired from the active affairs of life, and so lived until his death.
On November 15, 1866, Major Park was united with Miss Maggie E. Baxter, who was born at Liberty Landing, Clay County, Missouri, in 1849, and is still living at Platte City. Two children were born to this union: Fred G., born March 21, 1868, a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, who held the same position as his father, that of chief clerk, under Secretary of State Roach, and after five years of service resigned.
Mrs. Thomas W. Park is a daughter of John and Sarah (Wallis) Baxter, pioneers of Clay County, Missouri, the latter of whom was born in 1812 and died January 12, 1879. The father was for some years well known among the business men at Liberty Landing, where he was the proprietor of a hotel and owner of a hemp warehouse. Mrs. Park was finely educated in art, music and literature, at Professor Love's girls' seminary at Liberty. Subsequently she went to teach in Professor Gaylord's Academy at Platte City, and there became acquainted with Mr. Park, whom she subsequently married. In 1892 Mrs. Park opened Gaylord Institute, at Platte City, primarily known as Daughters College, and this she continued to conduct until 1909, when, because of advancing years, she abandoned her educational labors. She is widely known not only in her own city, but throughout this part of the state in educational circles, and her friends are many in social life.
Source: A History of Northwest Missouri Volume III; publ. 1915 in III Volumes; Edited by Walter Williams; Submitted to Genealogy Trails and transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack
Thomas Woodson Park was fifteen years of age when he accompanied his mother and stepfather to Platte City, and here he completed his excellent training under the tutelage of his father. When the Civil war broke out, his sympathies were with the cause of the South, and this caused him to enlist as a private under the flag of the Confederacy. He was in the army of Gen. Sterling Price, and his brave and faithful services gained him promotion to the rank of lieutenant, but then illness had set in at the time.
The rank of major, to which Mr. Park was entitled, was acquired by service on the staff of Governor Woodson.
In 1868 he entered the newspaper field, at Platte City, Missouri, when he founded the Reveille, one of the first democratic newspapers to be published in Northwest Missouri. On June 2, 1871, this paper was consolidated with the Landmark, and Mr. Park continued its editor and owner until February, 1881. He was a fine and forceful writer, supporting the measures which he believed just with fire and energy, and attacking what he believed to be bad movements with courage and a trenchant pen. As a finished orator he was also well and widely known, and as president of the State Editorial Association of Missouri, in the session at Fredericktown, where Eugene Field was the guest of honor, he was presented, by Mr. Field, with the humorous poem entitled, "Tom Park at Fredericktown."
In 1870 Thomas W. Park was elected county clerk of Platte County, and in 1874 received the reelection, but resigned March 27, 1877. From 1881 to 1890 he was chief clerk of the labor commission at Jefferson City under Governor Marmaduke; in the latter year was appointed chief clerk to Secretary of State Alex Leasuer, and in 1903 became assistant to Secretary Stevens of the St. Louis World's Fair, continuing in this position until about one year after the close of that exposition. At that time he retired from the active affairs of life, and so lived until his death.
On November 15, 1866, Major Park was united with Miss Maggie E. Baxter, who was born at Liberty Landing, Clay County, Missouri, in 1849, and is still living at Platte City. Two children were born to this union: Fred G., born March 21, 1868, a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, who held the same position as his father, that of chief clerk, under Secretary of State Roach, and after five years of service resigned.
Mrs. Thomas W. Park is a daughter of John and Sarah (Wallis) Baxter, pioneers of Clay County, Missouri, the latter of whom was born in 1812 and died January 12, 1879. The father was for some years well known among the business men at Liberty Landing, where he was the proprietor of a hotel and owner of a hemp warehouse. Mrs. Park was finely educated in art, music and literature, at Professor Love's girls' seminary at Liberty. Subsequently she went to teach in Professor Gaylord's Academy at Platte City, and there became acquainted with Mr. Park, whom she subsequently married. In 1892 Mrs. Park opened Gaylord Institute, at Platte City, primarily known as Daughters College, and this she continued to conduct until 1909, when, because of advancing years, she abandoned her educational labors. She is widely known not only in her own city, but throughout this part of the state in educational circles, and her friends are many in social life.
Source: A History of Northwest Missouri Volume III; publ. 1915 in III Volumes; Edited by Walter Williams; Submitted to Genealogy Trails and transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack
Inscription
f/o Guy B
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement