1892 Biography - Thomas L. East

One of the most popular and prosperous planters and farmers of East Feliciana parish is Thomas L. East, of the Third ward, who was born within sight of his present residence, at Wilson, April 21, 1832. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Forbes) East, the first mentioned a native of Edgefield district, S. C., born January 1, 1803, the latter born in Georgia in 1802. William East was a son of Thomas East, an Englishman by birth, who came to America with his father, John East, and the others of his family, before the Revolutionary war and settled in South Carolina. John East reared a large family of children most of whom became planters or planters' wives, in Edgefield district. Thomas East., grandfather of Thomas L Fast, married Nancy Caldwell, who was a first cousin to Hon. John C. Calhoun, and they moved to Calhoun county, Ky. Mr. East, who was a man of some means for that day, being obliged to make three trips to bring out his family, stock and other belongings. The way was through an almost unbroken wilderness. One trip Mr. East made alone, to drive his live stock. The family left Caldwell county late in 1810, going by flatboats from Smithland, on the river, and in company with a McKnab family, landed at Bayou Sara in February, 1811, and settled on Little Redwood creek, now in the Third ward of East Feliciana parish, on the property now owned by Thomas L~ East. Here he began the work of redeeming a farm from the wilderness, but before many years removed to a place on what is now known as Hog branch in Livingston perish, La. After a few years' residence there, he removed to Mississippi and bought land near the present sight [sic] of Brookhaven, where Fast & Sons are now located, and there lived for many years, until well advanced in life, finally returning to East Feliciana parish and dying there in 1840, three miles west of Clinton, which place he had owned. He was a devout Methodist and in politics a whig. As a business man he was enterprising and sagacious and he amassed considerable property. His widow who died in West Baton Rouge parish in June, 1844, was of Irish descent, a representative of an old and noted family, and, with her husband was identified with the Methodist church. To their union were born the following named children: James, who died in Louisiana, without issue; Josiah, who lived in Louisiana and Mississippi and died near Brookhaven, in the last named state, leaving a large family; Elisha Lat, who died in Greenwood, where his widow and some of his children are living; Tarleton, who died in Mississippi, a considerable family surviving him; Langdon, who died in East Feliciana parish in 1872, leaving three sons and a daughter, one of the sons now living in Texas; Thomas 0., who died in East Feliciana parish of yellow fever in 1867, leaving a widow (now Mr.. Wilson) and five daughters, one of whom is Mrs. Pruitt of this parish; Nancy, who married Luke Lee of Copiah county, Miss.; Rebecca, now Mrs. George De Celle; Mary, who married Nelson Fauvier, who died in Vermilion parish, and who subsequently became Mrs. Newman, and William, the third son, who was the father of the immediate subject of this sketch. The facilities of the latter for securing an education were limited, but he developed into a man of extraordinary mind and ability, and, as a successful farmer and a man of affairs accumulated a considerable estate. Some time after the war he closed out his active interests and lived the quiet life of a retired planter until his death, which occurred December 13, 1883. His sectarian affiliations were with the Methodist church, of which organization he was an exceedingly active member. In politics he was in early life a whig and to the end of his days was a firm believer in the principles characteristic of that party, though he took little interest in elections beyond doing all in his power to put good men in and keep bad men out of office, and as for himself he never sought and would never accept official preferment under any circumstances. His charities were many, though unostentatious, and his liberality to the poor was proverbial. His wife, who was also an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, keenly alive to all its interests, was a woman of the highest character and noblest impulses. She bore him three children, one of whom, Lemuel Lafayette, died at the age of two years. Melissa Jane married Charles B. P.--- who died in 1872. She is living in this parish and has three daughters and two sons. Thomas L. East, our subject, was the last in the order of birth. He was educated partially in the common schools and at the age of twelve years became a student in a school at Jackson, La., known at this time as Centenary college. He began life on his own account as a farmer in 1855, when he was twenty-two years old, on a farm which was practically in a state of nature and which he has improved and put under a high degree of cultivation. As a planter he has been very successful, notwithstanding the latter day disadvantage, of bad yields and low prices, having 400 acre, in cultivation and about 900 acres of wild land. He displayed his patriotism by joining the Twenty-seventh Louisiana volunteers and serving is first lieutenant in the company of Capt. A. F. Norwood, who was promoted to a colonelcy after the siege of Vicksburg. He participated in the great conflict with much credit until its close and then returned to his plantation. Mrs. Ann Maria Nettles, of the parish of St. Helena, became his wife. She was the daughter of, and the youngest of six children of Zachariah and Margaret Hutchinson, and was reared in St. Helena parish and educated at Mrs. Walls' academy at Clinton. The Hutchinson family were among the very early settler, of the Natchez country. To Mr. and Mrs. East were born three children: Willis Merritt, who, lives near Trinity, Catahoula parish; Thomas Perkins and Charles M. East. Thomas Perkins East married Mrs. Katy Belle Norwood, daughter of Colonel Norwood, who has borne him one son and two daughters, named Thomas Alexander, Birdie Lee and Katy May. Mr. and Mrs. East are members of the Methodist Episcopal church south. Mr. East, who is a member of Wilson lodge, No. 124, A. F. & A. M., and of Perfect Harmony lodge, K. of P., of Clinton, is a democrat, politically, and is strenuously opposed to the Louisiana state lottery. Taken all in all he ranks with the best and most reliable men of his parish and personally enjoys the esteem of a wide circle of friends.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Louisiana, published in 1892, volume 1, pages 395-396.