M. 21 Oct 1895 in Burlington, Kansas2
Wife: Bertha Gertrude Kightlinger
D. 5 Feb 1937 in Coffeyville, Kansas1
This is the story of a man who lost both of his parents when he was very young, yet managed to become a successful businessman in rural Kansas. He had a fine house, a wife and children, and was a well-respected member of his community. But he also had a secret that he kept from his family: he fathered a child by another woman before he was married. This fact was proven true using Ancestry DNA testing in 2017.
Thomas Michael Carey was born October 7, 1864 in Gardiner, Kansas to Simon Carey and Elizabeth Sutherlin, their first and only child.1 Simon was an Irish immigrant who had moved to the Midwest and enlisted in the Union army during the Civil War.3 After he was discharged when the war ended, he died, probably from an injury he received while in the army.3 Thomas was just a year old, and his widowed mother married another Civil War soldier by the name of James Hampton.4 She died when Thomas was about 4-years-old.5
After he was orphaned, Thomas went to live with his maternal grandparents, Jackson and Mary Sutherlin.5 James Hampton had offered to raise his stepson because he was said to be interested in developing the boy’s “musical abilities.”6 But Mary Sutherlin insisted on taking young Thomas into her household. The 1880 census showed that the family lived in Everett, Kansas.7
In about 1890, Thomas and his widowed grandmother settled in Parsons, Kansas.8 It was here that he likely met up with a 19-year-old girl named Laura Ross, whose aunt and grandmother lived on the same block. In 1893, Laura became pregnant and claimed that Thomas was the father, but he refused to marry her.9 There is a story that he paid Laura $75 and then broke off contact. The child was born on October 7, 189310 and was named for his father (he would later go by the name Thomas Michael Mitchell). The boy never met his biological father.
In March 1895, Thomas was still living in Parsons,11 but later that year traveled to Burlington, Kansas to marry Bertha Gertrude Kightlinger on October 21st.2 By the following year, they had settled in Coffeyville, where their first child together was born 1900,12 and three more followed by 1913. Thomas took a job at Wells Brothers, a large merchandise distribution company. He seemed to have a talent for business and soon became the head of the grocery division; then in December 1902, he quit to set out on his own.13 The new company he founded was called the Carey Commission, which specialized in the wholesale of fruits and vegetables.14
Thomas during the prime of his life.
Meanwhile Thomas’ business grew, and with his profits he invested in two commercial buildings in Coffeyville, each with storefronts of various local businesses. One of the buildings which he purchased in 1914 is still in use today; at the top of the main entrance just below the roofline is the name “CAREY.” It was considered to be “one of the best business and office buildings in the city.”19
The name "CAREY" is above the center window.
On January 2, 1911, Thomas was at one of his cold storage warehouses when a pipe he was trying to fix exploded.16 The blast injured three men and Thomas got the worst of it. It was said that the force of the explosion burned his face and “his coat was torn to shreds.” He spent a couple of weeks in the hospital. By January 27th, he was recovered enough that he was seen in a store buying a cap to cover the injuries on his neck and ears.20 On the 31st, the newspaper wrote that he was “beginning to look like himself again,” and was “seen quite often on the streets shaking hands with friends and telling of his experience in the explosion.”21
Thomas was a member of a Masonic temple in Pittsburg, Kansas, and belonged to the Methodist-Episcopal Church in Coffeyville.1 On June 6, 1916, he was elected president of the board of trustees of the church,22 and he was still in this position as late as February 1921.23
The Carey Commission was dissolved in May 1917 and split into smaller businesses, one of which he retained as The Carey Fruit Company.24 Thomas and some associates applied for a charter with “a capitalization of $100,000.” He had his headquarters in Coffeyville, and plants in Bartlesville, and in Parsons, where he was planning to build an “up-to-date” cold storage warehouse.25 His business was described in 1921 as handling train carloads of fruits and vegetables that were housed in his warehouses for distribution. Most of the produce could only be stored for up to five or six days, otherwise it would go bad, so the inventory had to be turned around within that time.
Not only did Thomas run a large business, but he was also a leader in Coffeyville’s business community. In August 1917, he was named the head of a committee to regulate the cost of gas.26 Also in November 1921, he attended a conference about improving the roads in and out of Coffeyville.27 In December, it was reported that he was also on a committee to get improvements to the public schools, including building a new junior high.28
In about 1918, Thomas moved his family into a larger house in Coffeyville. The new place featured a concrete staircase leading to the entry and a columned porch above the front door. Like his earlier home, it’s still standing today, and dominates the block that it’s on. About ten years later, after the children married and moved out, Thomas and his wife moved to a more modest house a few blocks away.29
On February 5, 1937, Thomas died in the hospital after a brief illness, and he was buried in Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville.1 Bertha lived another 9 years, dying on October 31, 1946.30
Proof that Thomas Carey fathered Thomas Mitchell
Laura Ross told her son Thomas that his father was named Thomas Carey and that he was named after him.9
During the 1890s, Thomas Carey of Coffeyville, Kansas was the only one by that name in the entire state who was unmarried and the right age to fit Laura Ross’ story.31
The 1893 Parsons City Directory had Thomas Carey and Mary Sutherlin living in separate houses on Felix Avenue. Laura Ross’ grandmother and aunt were listed in the 1891 Parsons City Directory as living on the same street about a block away; this was a place where the extended family gathered every week for Sunday dinner, including Laura.8,9
Thomas Michael Carey and Thomas Michael Mitchell share the same first and middle names, which fits the story that one was named after the other. No one else in Laura Ross’ extended family was known to have either the name Thomas or Michael.
A son of Thomas Mitchell had his Y-chromosome tested and although no exact matches turned up, many of the closest ones were of Irish heritage, as it would be if Thomas Carey was Thomas Mitchell’s father. The closest match, at 34 of 37 identical markers, is for a man with the surname Carey.
And most importantly, two granddaughters of Thomas Mitchell have Ancestry DNA and 23andMe matches with several people descended from Thomas Carey. The closest match for one of them is with Thomas Carey’s great-granddaughter at 147 centimorgans on 7 segments. This reads as being a virtual certainty that the two people descend from a recent common ancestor.
Child by Laura Ethol Ross (born out-of-wedlock):
1. Thomas Michael Mitchell — B. 7 Oct 1893, Oswego, Kansas;32 D. 10 Mar 1980, Monterey Park, California;32 M. (1) Tillie R. Nack (1894-1915), 11 Nov 1912, Tacoma, Washington;33 (2) Hazel Laura Elwood (1901-1964), 11 Feb 1921, Los Angeles, California;34 (3) Lillian Myrtle Johnson (1909-2002), 8 Mar 1944, Alhambra, California35
Children by Bertha Gertrude Kightlinger:
1. Gladys Mae Carey — B. 10 Apr 1900, (probably) Coffeyville, Kansas;12 D. 22 Jun 1979, Muskogee, Oklahoma;12 M. Sidney Ross Rugh (1899-1967), about 192012
2. Floyd Thomas Carey — B. 10 Sep 1903, Coffeyville, Kansas;36 D. 30 Oct 1938, Coffeyville, Kansas;36 M. Eva L. Maloney (1904-1968)36
3. Donald Meredith Carey — B. 6 Jan 1906, Coffeyville, Kansas;37 D. 17 Sep 2000, (probably) Tulsa, Oklahoma;37 M. (1) Blanche Abston (~1900-?);37 (2) LIVING, 7 Dec 1952, Tulsa, Oklahoma37
4. Aileen Hortense Carey — B. 10 Aug 1913, (probably) Coffeyville, Kansas;38 D. Jul 1982, Oklahoma;38 M. Norman Huhnerman (1916-1979)38
Sources
1 “Tom Carey is Dead After Brief Illness,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, February 6, 1937
2 Marriage record of Thomas Carey and Bertha Kightlinger, Kansas Marriages, 1840-1935, FamilySearch.org
3 Simon Carey Civil War record, Missouri Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865, FamilySearrch.org
4 Marriage record of James H. Hampton and Elizabeth C. Carey, Kansas County Marriages, 1855-1911, FamilySearch.org
5 1870 U.S. Census, Johnson, Kansas
6 Family story as told by Patricia (Carey) Bishop in a message board post dated March 20, 2001
7 1880 U.S. Census, Everett, Kansas
8 1891 and 1893 Parsons, Kansas city directories
9 Stories told to me July 1976 by Thomas Michael Mitchell
10 Family bible of Laura Ethol (Ross) Sheridan
11 1895 Kansas State Census, Parsons, Kansas
12 Find-a-Grave listing for Gladys M. Rugh
13 “Tom Carey to Leave,” The Coffeyville Record, December 10, 1902
14 “Three Men Burned in an Ammonia Explosion,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, January 2, 1911
15 Coffeyville Daily Herald, April 6, 1909
16 “Tom Carey an Autoist,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, May 20, 1912
17 “In Social Circles,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, November 1, 1909
18 “U.C.T. Ladies’ Sewing Club,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, March 4, 1910
19 “Big Real Estate Deal,” The Daily Earth (Coffeyville, Kansas), March 17, 1914
20 “Tom Carey is Out Again,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, January 27, 1911
21 “Tom Carey Out Again,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, January 31, 1911
22 “Carey President of Board,” The Sun (Coffeyville, Kansas), June 6, 1916
23 “M.E. Church Has Made Big Gains in Past Year,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, February 11, 1921
24 “Applies for Charter,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, May 7, 1917
25 “Mr. Carey’s Parsons Plans,” The Coffeyville Weekly Journal, May 17, 1917
26 “Gas Committee Named,” The Sun (Coffeyville, Kansas), August 9, 1917
27 “Coffeyville-Caney Road is Taken Up,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, November 10, 1921
28 “Secretary York’s Report as Read to Chamber of Commerce Last Night,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, December 8, 1921
29 1928 Coffeyville, Kansas city directory
30 Find-a-Grave listing for Bertha Gertrude (Kightlinger) Carey
31 1900 U.S. Census Soundex for the name Thomas Carey in Kansas
32 Death record of Thomas Michael Mitchell, California Death Index, 1940-1997, FamilySearch.org
33 Marriage record of Thomas Sheridan and Tillie Nack, Washington County Marriages, 1855-2008, FamilySearch.org
34 Marriage record of Thomas Mitchell and Hazel Elwood, California Marriages, 1850-1945, FamilySearch.org
35 Marriage record of Thomas Mitchell and Lillian Johnson, California Marriages, 1850-1945, FamilySearch.org
36 Find-a-Grave listing for Floyd Thomas Carey
37 Find-a-Grave listing for Donald Meredith Carey
38 Find-a-Grave listing for Aileen (Carey) Huhnermann
Thomas was a member of a Masonic temple in Pittsburg, Kansas, and belonged to the Methodist-Episcopal Church in Coffeyville.1 On June 6, 1916, he was elected president of the board of trustees of the church,22 and he was still in this position as late as February 1921.23
The Carey Commission was dissolved in May 1917 and split into smaller businesses, one of which he retained as The Carey Fruit Company.24 Thomas and some associates applied for a charter with “a capitalization of $100,000.” He had his headquarters in Coffeyville, and plants in Bartlesville, and in Parsons, where he was planning to build an “up-to-date” cold storage warehouse.25 His business was described in 1921 as handling train carloads of fruits and vegetables that were housed in his warehouses for distribution. Most of the produce could only be stored for up to five or six days, otherwise it would go bad, so the inventory had to be turned around within that time.
Not only did Thomas run a large business, but he was also a leader in Coffeyville’s business community. In August 1917, he was named the head of a committee to regulate the cost of gas.26 Also in November 1921, he attended a conference about improving the roads in and out of Coffeyville.27 In December, it was reported that he was also on a committee to get improvements to the public schools, including building a new junior high.28
In about 1918, Thomas moved his family into a larger house in Coffeyville. The new place featured a concrete staircase leading to the entry and a columned porch above the front door. Like his earlier home, it’s still standing today, and dominates the block that it’s on. About ten years later, after the children married and moved out, Thomas and his wife moved to a more modest house a few blocks away.29
Thomas' house during the 1920s.
On February 5, 1937, Thomas died in the hospital after a brief illness, and he was buried in Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville.1 Bertha lived another 9 years, dying on October 31, 1946.30
Proof that Thomas Carey fathered Thomas Mitchell
Laura Ross told her son Thomas that his father was named Thomas Carey and that he was named after him.9
During the 1890s, Thomas Carey of Coffeyville, Kansas was the only one by that name in the entire state who was unmarried and the right age to fit Laura Ross’ story.31
The 1893 Parsons City Directory had Thomas Carey and Mary Sutherlin living in separate houses on Felix Avenue. Laura Ross’ grandmother and aunt were listed in the 1891 Parsons City Directory as living on the same street about a block away; this was a place where the extended family gathered every week for Sunday dinner, including Laura.8,9
Thomas Michael Carey and Thomas Michael Mitchell share the same first and middle names, which fits the story that one was named after the other. No one else in Laura Ross’ extended family was known to have either the name Thomas or Michael.
A son of Thomas Mitchell had his Y-chromosome tested and although no exact matches turned up, many of the closest ones were of Irish heritage, as it would be if Thomas Carey was Thomas Mitchell’s father. The closest match, at 34 of 37 identical markers, is for a man with the surname Carey.
And most importantly, two granddaughters of Thomas Mitchell have Ancestry DNA and 23andMe matches with several people descended from Thomas Carey. The closest match for one of them is with Thomas Carey’s great-granddaughter at 147 centimorgans on 7 segments. This reads as being a virtual certainty that the two people descend from a recent common ancestor.
Child by Laura Ethol Ross (born out-of-wedlock):
1. Thomas Michael Mitchell — B. 7 Oct 1893, Oswego, Kansas;32 D. 10 Mar 1980, Monterey Park, California;32 M. (1) Tillie R. Nack (1894-1915), 11 Nov 1912, Tacoma, Washington;33 (2) Hazel Laura Elwood (1901-1964), 11 Feb 1921, Los Angeles, California;34 (3) Lillian Myrtle Johnson (1909-2002), 8 Mar 1944, Alhambra, California35
Children by Bertha Gertrude Kightlinger:
1. Gladys Mae Carey — B. 10 Apr 1900, (probably) Coffeyville, Kansas;12 D. 22 Jun 1979, Muskogee, Oklahoma;12 M. Sidney Ross Rugh (1899-1967), about 192012
2. Floyd Thomas Carey — B. 10 Sep 1903, Coffeyville, Kansas;36 D. 30 Oct 1938, Coffeyville, Kansas;36 M. Eva L. Maloney (1904-1968)36
3. Donald Meredith Carey — B. 6 Jan 1906, Coffeyville, Kansas;37 D. 17 Sep 2000, (probably) Tulsa, Oklahoma;37 M. (1) Blanche Abston (~1900-?);37 (2) LIVING, 7 Dec 1952, Tulsa, Oklahoma37
4. Aileen Hortense Carey — B. 10 Aug 1913, (probably) Coffeyville, Kansas;38 D. Jul 1982, Oklahoma;38 M. Norman Huhnerman (1916-1979)38
Sources
1 “Tom Carey is Dead After Brief Illness,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, February 6, 1937
2 Marriage record of Thomas Carey and Bertha Kightlinger, Kansas Marriages, 1840-1935, FamilySearch.org
3 Simon Carey Civil War record, Missouri Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865, FamilySearrch.org
4 Marriage record of James H. Hampton and Elizabeth C. Carey, Kansas County Marriages, 1855-1911, FamilySearch.org
5 1870 U.S. Census, Johnson, Kansas
6 Family story as told by Patricia (Carey) Bishop in a message board post dated March 20, 2001
7 1880 U.S. Census, Everett, Kansas
8 1891 and 1893 Parsons, Kansas city directories
9 Stories told to me July 1976 by Thomas Michael Mitchell
10 Family bible of Laura Ethol (Ross) Sheridan
11 1895 Kansas State Census, Parsons, Kansas
12 Find-a-Grave listing for Gladys M. Rugh
13 “Tom Carey to Leave,” The Coffeyville Record, December 10, 1902
14 “Three Men Burned in an Ammonia Explosion,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, January 2, 1911
15 Coffeyville Daily Herald, April 6, 1909
16 “Tom Carey an Autoist,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, May 20, 1912
17 “In Social Circles,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, November 1, 1909
18 “U.C.T. Ladies’ Sewing Club,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, March 4, 1910
19 “Big Real Estate Deal,” The Daily Earth (Coffeyville, Kansas), March 17, 1914
20 “Tom Carey is Out Again,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, January 27, 1911
21 “Tom Carey Out Again,” The Coffeyville Daily Herald, January 31, 1911
22 “Carey President of Board,” The Sun (Coffeyville, Kansas), June 6, 1916
23 “M.E. Church Has Made Big Gains in Past Year,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, February 11, 1921
24 “Applies for Charter,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, May 7, 1917
25 “Mr. Carey’s Parsons Plans,” The Coffeyville Weekly Journal, May 17, 1917
26 “Gas Committee Named,” The Sun (Coffeyville, Kansas), August 9, 1917
27 “Coffeyville-Caney Road is Taken Up,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, November 10, 1921
28 “Secretary York’s Report as Read to Chamber of Commerce Last Night,” The Coffeyville Daily Journal, December 8, 1921
29 1928 Coffeyville, Kansas city directory
30 Find-a-Grave listing for Bertha Gertrude (Kightlinger) Carey
31 1900 U.S. Census Soundex for the name Thomas Carey in Kansas
32 Death record of Thomas Michael Mitchell, California Death Index, 1940-1997, FamilySearch.org
33 Marriage record of Thomas Sheridan and Tillie Nack, Washington County Marriages, 1855-2008, FamilySearch.org
34 Marriage record of Thomas Mitchell and Hazel Elwood, California Marriages, 1850-1945, FamilySearch.org
35 Marriage record of Thomas Mitchell and Lillian Johnson, California Marriages, 1850-1945, FamilySearch.org
36 Find-a-Grave listing for Floyd Thomas Carey
37 Find-a-Grave listing for Donald Meredith Carey
38 Find-a-Grave listing for Aileen (Carey) Huhnermann
