Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
THOMAS SCHOFIELD. Among the sturdy characters which the British Isles has sent to the new Republic of the West is Thomas Schofield, a retired railroad man of Springfield who has inherited many of the fine qualities of the Anglo-Saxons and has therefore succeeded in his active life work and at the same time been a good citizens The United States always welcomes such men to her shores and offers them opportunities very often greater than they enjoyed in their native land.
Mr. Schofield was born May 15, 1841, in the town of Failsworth, near Manchester, England. He is a son of James and Amelia (Johnson) Schofield and a grandson of Joseph Schofield. They were all born, reared, educated and married in their native land. The grandfather devoted his life to general farming, and the father, who emigrated to America with his family about a half century ago, was a stone mason by trade; also followed farming in Illinois for some time. He established the family home at the town of Bellville that state. He was killed by a locomotive on the Bellville & St. Louis Railroad when sixty-seven years of age. His family consisted of eight children, only two of whom grew to maturity, Thomas, of this sketch; and Betsy, who married Joseph Tungue, who lives in England.
Thomas Schofield grew to manhood in his native land and there received a common school education at Failsworth, leaving school when thirteen years of age. After working on the farm with his father, he began his career as railroader with the Lancanshire & Yorkshire railroad, spending a year in the goods department, then emigrated to the United States, arriving here February 22, 1864, during the Civil war period, landing in New York City, where, however, he did not long remain, coming direct to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he went to work for the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad Company, in the freight department, repairing and building freight cars. This road later became the Baltimore & Ohio by which name it is now known. Mr. Schofield remained with the road for a period of twenty-five years, during which he was connected with a number of different departments, being foreman and in charge of the caboose gang, later in the coach department for four or five years, then was passenger carpenter in the shops of that road, ranking among the most skilful in the coach department. In September, 1888, he was employed by the Frisco Railroad in the coach department as carpenter. He also remained with this road for a period of twenty-five years, when in June, 1913, he was retired on a pension. He worked both in the old north side shops and the new shops. He has evidently been not only a very highly skilled workman but also trustworthy and conscientious else he could not have spent a half century in one line of work, during which period he was employed only by two different companies. In 1909 Mr. Schofield made a trip to England, visiting and sightseeing.
Our subject was married, June 18, 1867, to Jane Schofield, a daughter of James and Mary (Swift) Schofield. She was born in England only a fourth of a mile from the birthplace of our subject and there she grew to womanhood and was educated. To Mr. and Mrs. Schofield four children have been born, namely: Lillie A. married Harry Fenton, a cabinet maker in the new shops of the Frisco and they live in Springfield; Emma J. is the wife of Clarence Warner, a fireman on the Frisco and they live in Springfield; Albert L., a sketch-of whom appears on another page of this work, is also a Frisco employee of this city; Earl B. married Carrie Thompson and he is employed in the local Frisco offices.
Politically, Thomas Schofield is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, which he joined on May 26, 1879, thirty-six years ago, being a member of Oriental Lodge No. 86. Subject and wife are members of the Second Presbyterian church.
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