Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

Col. Thomas W. Poole

Col. Thomas W. Poole, commissioner of immigration, post office 60 St. Charles Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. This distinguished gentleman is a native of Alabama, and has reached his present honorable position through sheer force of character and intellect.

His birth occurred in Perry County, of that State, in August, 1832, his father being William H. Poole, a native of North Carolina, and his mother, Miss Sarah Johnson, daughter of Starling Johnson. William H. Poole moved from North Carolina at an early day, and settled in Alabama, where he engaged in farming and in the practice of medicine, and where he reared a large family. He made two large plantations in Union County, Arkansas and there died, having lived an honorable and useful life. He had formerly served in one of the early Indian wars. He moved to Arkansas about 1843, and died about 1852, his widow surviving him until about 1860.

Col. Poole is the only survivor of the family of three sons and nine daughters, and grew to the age of eighteen years in Union County, Arkansas. He received a superior education from accomplished teachers in the higher English branches, mathematics and languages. After having taught a short time, he came, in 1851, to Claiborne Parish, and engaged in clerking for his brother, and later engaged in business for himself, in Lisbon, but soon moved to Vienna, Jackson Parish, where he resided until the war. He enlisted in the Confederate service in 1862; was elected captain of Company I, which had 176 men; marched to Monroe, where he assisted in organizing the regiment; was elected major of the same, and entered the regular Confederate service in the Trans-Mississippi Department. At the battle of Mansfield, Louisiana, he led his regiment, and for conspicuous gallantry was promoted to the colonelcy of his regiment. He participated in other important engagements: Burwich Bayou, Pleasant Hill, Yellow Bayon (at which latter battle his regiment brought on the engagement), Camp Bisland, Franklin (Louisiana), Bayon Fordash, and numerous important skirmishes. During the war he was neither wounded nor taken prisoner, and at the battle of Mansfield his sword and pistol were shot from his side.

After the war he engaged in merchandising, in Jackson Parish for several years, then sold out, and moved to Carbondale, Illinois, but after eight months returned to Homer, Louisiana, continuing in business, but after several years, engaged in general stock trading in September, 1888, under a commission from Gov. Nichols, he took charge of the office of commissioner of immigration, and has done very important service in bringing the resources of the State to the attention of immigrants. His great energy, liberal views, broad mind and congenial character have given him a wide and deserved reputation throughout the State as a public servant.

In 1854 he married Miss Elizabeth Wilder, a native of Alabama, and daughter of William H. Wilder; this lady died about the year 1882, after having presented her husband with seven children, of whom only two are living: C. E. Poole (of Homer), and L. E. (wife of L. E. Kemp, of Mexia, Texas). He married his present wife, Mrs. M. H. Lee, at Arcadia, in December, 1889, she being a native of Alabama, and the daughter of Dr. Hunter, a prominent physician and planter.

Col. Poole is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a pronounced anti-lottery man, and is using his great energy and influence to suppress this powerful institution in the State.

Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish

Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, Southern Publishing Company, 1890