Biography of Thomas J. Saxton, pages 927 / 928.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Thomas J. Saxton, one of the oldest teachers of De Kalb County, is a native 
of New York, born in Baldwinsville, Onondaga County, Oct. 15, 1837. When he 
was sixteen years old his parents, Russell and Dorinda (Tappen) Saxton, 
moved to Lorain County, Ohio, and settled near Oberlin, where he lived with 
them on a farm most of the time till manhood.  He received a good education,
attending the Oberlin College and the High School at Fort Wayne, Ind., and 
in 1859 began teaching.  He taught ten terms in Ohio, and twenty-six or more 
terms in De Kalb County, Ind.;  four years of this time in the graded schools 
of Auburn.  In 1873 he was appointed Deputy County Treasurer under N. Ensley 
and served four years, and has also at different times been employed as 
deputy in the offices of the Clerk of the Court and Auditor of De Kalb 
County.  In 1876 he was nominated by the Republican party for County 
Treasurer, but was defeated by 248 votes.  In the spring of 1884 his health 
became impaired, and he left the school-room and has since been engaged in 
the insurance business.  He was married Dec. 25, 1871, to Ruth, daughter 
of John U. and Mary Ashleman.  They have three children---Erle S., Nora D., 
and Hugh J.  He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, of 
which he is Treasurer.  He is also Treasurer and Secretary of the “Twelfth 
Congressional District Christian Temperance Union,” and has for several 
years past been Secretary of the “De Kalb County Sabbath-School 
Association.”  With many disadvantages to overcome and poor health, thus 
far through life it has been with a great degree of energy and perseverance 
that much has been accomplished by him in the direction of this world’s 
goods and an education, the latter of which he stove eagerly for, but was 
not able to accomplish much until after launching out upon the great ocean 
of life for himself.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com