Tom Farrell

Birth: Born around 1871 in Logan County, West Virginia.  

Family Information:  

Description: Tom had been a coal miner in West Virginia. He was a very efficient man, being able to do a number of useful, constructive things. He functioned in the woods, on the farm and in driving a truck.

He was ever doing something nice for someone which made him exceedingly well liked. In fact, several years prior to his death, he had been chosen by many as the most useful man in the colony.  

Pre-Colony History: Tom first joined the colony while it was still located in California. He came from Virginia. Apparently he left the colony at some point, but returned in February 1923, then left again in 1935 for only a number of months.  

Home in Colony: For some months after his final return to the colony he had been living out on a little farm of his own, north of Leesville. Feeling that his days were numbered, he returned to the colony ten days prior to his death to stay with his long-time crony, George Collins, who cared for him gladly. He took to his bed from which he did not rise. His death was not totally unexpected as he had long suffered from arthritis, rheumatism and heart trouble.  He was cheerful about the situation, stating frequently that he'd soon be "hitting the last sunset trail."  

Job in Colony: Through many years he was a hard and effective worker in the colony, using his truck in outside hours and on Sundays, to gather and haul loads of stove wood, often the valued pine knots, to grateful comrades, unsolicited, and enjoyed being able to help generously with funds.

In 1931 he and Carl Bradshaw were hauling a special sharp sand for plastering work.

In September 1931 one hundred fifty sacks of beans and peas were picked in the forenoon by a volunteer crew of men, women and children. The crowd gathered a little after 7 am and was divided into different crews to look after different fields; by 11:30 the job was done. Volunteers included: Killian, Butts, Lloyd, Baldwin, Waters, Doc Williams, Quentin, Fred Busick, Roscoe Busick, Byron Busick, Vivian Busick, Graves, Webb, John Allred, Melvina Hullinger, Fred Levan, Goeke, Eldred, Tom Farrell, Claud Allred, Earl Swenson, Mackie, Frank Collins, George Collins, Boydelatour, Cleve Campbell, Mr. Caves, Clarence Long, Harry Rennick, Dee Kurtz, Pittman, Edminster, Walter Fread, Clarence Fread, Mrs. Herron, Woodruff, J.W. Gilbert, H.M. Wood, Winegar, Bert Moore, Lindwall, Ole Synoground, Rohr, Carnahan, Hoens, Mrs. Wooley, John Neill, Robert Roe, Warren Roe, Nesnow, Bartrum and B. Stevens. 

Other Info:  

Post-Colony History:  

Death: He died, age 64, in November 1935 and was buried in the New Llano cemetery.  

Sources: Llano Colonist: July 11, 1931, September 5, 1931, March 25, 1933 (Story of Llano), November 23, 1935