Thomas J Lytle was born in Indianapolis in December 1855. His parents were William Lytle and Caroline Lytle (Moorehead). Thomas J Lytle was born in Indianapolis in December 1855. His parents were William Lytle and Caroline Lytle (Moorehead). There is some confusion about the identity of Thomas’s father…Both parents were born in Ohio, as were Thomas’s sister Jane and brother John. Thomas’s sisters Mary and Esther were born in Indiana. The remaining children were born in Indiana…Eliza; Sarah; and Clara. Thomas grew up on his father’s farm. By 1870, William was deceased, and Caroline Lytle was now living in Henry County, with Thomas (16); Sarah 13; and Clara (11). And it would seem that Thomas was working on the family farm, with his mother listed occupation being that of…cleaning house. In 1880, Thomas, 26 years-old now, was living in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, at 8 Adam’s street. His occupation is listed as…farmer, but he was actually a boarder at the time. He was divorced by 1920, and his son John was living with him. The 1915 state census indicates that he was of German-Irish descent, and already divorced.

Thomas married Capitola Cobb on March 31, 1881 in Henry, Iowa, and the pair moved to South Dakota in 1883. In the same year, Thomas objected to taxes being assessed to him…