HOOD, THOMAS (deceased). - The late Thomas Hood, who passed away at his home in Springfield, Ill., January 17, 1908, has been a resident of the city since 1868, and had for many years been established in the business of florist. He was well known in many circles and his death was sincerely mourned by a large number of friends. He was born in County Kent, England, September 23, 1830, and was a son of Thomas and Lydia Hood, both natives of England, who died there, he in his eightieth year and she in very old age. The father was a florist and the son Thomas worked for him as a young man. The latter received his education in subscription schools in his native country and upon leaving school learned the trade of gardener and florist, which he followed up to the time of his death. He landed in New York in September, 1855, lived tow years on Long Island, being employed there as a gardener, worked in a similar occupation eight years on Staten Island, and in 1868 located in Springfield, Ill. He engaged in business as florist soon after coming to Springfield and became quite successful. He thoroughly understood all the details of his trade and was an excellent business man. He was a public-spirited citizen and became actively interested in public affairs. He cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1860, while living in New York, but afterward became a Democrat. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and fraternally was affiliated with the United Workman Lodge No. 39. He is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Mr. Hood was married in England, March 21, 1853, to Miss Margaret Shepard, who was born in that country, September 8, 1837, daughter of Thomas and Anna Shepard. Her father was a farmer. Mr. Shepard and his wife had nine children and Mrs. Hood is the only one now living. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hood, as follows: Edwin H., in the employ of the Illinois Watch Company; Mrs. Lydia Smith, a widow; Minnie married Louis Patrick, an engineer in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, whose run is in Canada; Anna, married Philip Land, who for the past twenty years has been in the employ of Somner & Pierik, a jewelry firm of Springfield; Emma, wife of Frank Frinfrock, a carpenter by trade; Ella, wife of W. C. Blodgett, a machinist in the Elgin Watch Company's factory, in Elgin, Ill.; Samuel, employed for the past nineteen years in the Illinois Watch Company's factory; and two who died in infancy and are buried on Staten Island, N.Y. Mrs. Hood has lived for the past seventeen years in her present home, 1246 Monument Avenue, and owns this property. She has twenty-three grandchildren living and four great-grandchildren. She has a remarkable memory and is of a most sociable and pleasant disposition.