TOM HITCHCOCK, COUNTY PIONEER, DIED SATURDAY

BORN AT DE SOTO IN 1863. NEBRASKA THEN A TERRITORY

Thomas L. Hitchock (Hitchcock), a pioneer of Washington County, died April 19, 1847 (1947) at the age of 85 years. He was born March 24th, 1862 at old De Soto. This was prior to the time that Nebraska became a state which occured in 1867.

His entire life was spent within a short distance from where he was born. Having been born in those early days he really knew the hardships and the manner of life of those times.

His father, Horace M. Hitchcock, was a member of the territorial legislature at the time Nebraska became a state and he had considerable influence in the move. He was also a deputy to the first sheriff in the county, Rice Arnold.

On August 6, 1884, he was married to Mary S. Hurd, daughter of the late Schuyler Hurd. The ceremony was performed in Blair. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hitchock (sp), six of whom are living, two sons, Leon S. and Carl R. of Kansas City, Mo. and four daughters, Myrtle L. Leonard and Mrs. J.C. Johnson of Omaha; Mrs. John H. Johnson and Hazel Fern Hitchcock of Kennard; also nineteen grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; and four step grandchildren. Besides those mentioned, he also leaves one sister and a host of other relatives.

Funeral services were held at the Campbell Mortuary on Monday afternoon and burial was made at the Blair Cemetery.

# 2 Printed in the April 24, 1947 Pilot-Tribune

TOM HITCHCOCK SUCCUMBS AT 85

KENNARD MAN, ONE OF OLDEST COUNTIANS, DIES NEAR HIS BIRTHPLACE

One of Washington County’s oldest pioneers, 85-year-old Thomas Hitchcock, died Saturday at Kennard following an illness. Son of a Nebraska territorial leglislator, Mr. Hitchcock was born in 1862 at old DeSoto, and died within six miles of his birthplace.

The funeral was held at the Campbell Mortuary here Monday afternoon. Officiating was the Rev. Sidney L. McCaig of First Methodist Church. Burial followed in Blair Cemetery.

Thomas Lemon Hitchcock, son of Mr. and mrs. Horace M. Hitchcock, was born March 234, 1862, at old DeSoto before Nebraska was created as a state. When the railroad was built across the Missouri River to the new townsite of Blair, the Hitchcocks moved to a farm just east of Blair, which later was converted to the county poor farm. T. L. Hitchcock attended Blair’s first school. The elder Mr. Hitchcock, in addition to being a territorial legislator, served as a deputy to the first sheriff in Washington county, after Nebraska became a state.

Thomas L. Hitchcock and Mary S. Hurd, daughter of Schuyler S. Hurd, were married in Blair, August 6, 1884. To them, ten children were born, four dying in infancy. Mrs. Hitchcock died December 14, 1935.

Surviving Mr. Hitchcock are two sons, Leon S. and Carl R. Hitchcock, both of Kansas City, Mo.; four daughters, Mrs. Myrtle L. Leonard of Omaha; Mrs. J. C. Johnson of Omaha; Mrs. John H. Johnson and Miss Hazel Fern Hitchcock of Kennard. There are 19 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren. Also surviving the aged Kennard man is a sister, Mrs. Mae Sanders of Troy, O.

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

FindaGrave # 41923317