Fun with Find a Grave: Tom Sawyer

Today's Character Name: Thomas "Tom" Sawyer

Illustration by True Williams (1876)- Photo Courtesy of Wickipedia

~Tom Sawyer is a fictional character created by author Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) in his 1876 novel- Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Twain also featured Tom in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894) and Tom Sawyer, Detective (1896). 

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Pen name: Mark Twain)

B: 30 Nov 1835

D: 21 Apr 1910-- Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery

                          in Elmira, Chemung, New york

There have been many movie adaptations of Tom Saywer in the past. 

In 1930, John Cromwell directed Tom Sawyer where Jackie Coogan portrayed Tom.

John Leslie Coogan (Jackie Coogan)

B: 26 Oct 1914

D: 01 Mar 1984-- Buried in Holy Cross Cemetery 

                          in Culver City, Los Angeles, California

Here's a picture of him when he was a child: 

Later, Jackie Coogan would play Uncle Fester in the Addams Family!

In 1973, MGM did a musical featuring John Orson Whitaker Jr. (Johnny) as Tom Sawyer. 

John Orson Whitaker Jr. (Johnny)

B: 13 Dec 1959 

D: Still Alive

So, how many Thomas "Tom" Sawyers are there on Find a Grave?? 

Thomas Sawyer- 447!

Tom Sawyer- 77!

I wasn't sure which name to pick to research, so I went with someone who would be able Tom's age in the book-- Tom Sawyer in the book would have been born about 1864 because he was 12 years old in the 1876 book, so I chose the only Tom/Thomas sawyer I could find who was born in 1864~

Thomas Williamson Sawyer

B: 24 Jun 1864

D: 21 Jan 1940-- Buried in Hamilton Beeman Cemetery 

                          in Retreat, Navarro, Texas

Thomas Williamson Sawyer was born on 24 Jun 1864 in MacOupin, Illinois. Thomas married Phebie Ellen Bentley (1872-1944) (daughter of Elisha Bentley & Caroline Sawyer) on 11 Nov 1890 and they had 8 Children together! 

U.S. Census Records: 

1910 (28 Apr) (age 45): Justice Precinct 6, Navarro, Texas

Thomas was a farmer living with his wife and 5 children.

1920 (06 Jan) (age 53): Corsicana, Navarro, Texas

Thomas was living on South Seventeenth Street- home was owned. He was a laborer at a refinery and lived with his wife and 5 children.

1930 (07 Apr) (age 64): Corsicana, Navarro, Texas

Thomas was living at 1512 South 15th St.- home was owned and valued at $600. He was a retail grocery merchant, lived with his wife and 3 children. 

Thomas died of Uremia at the age of 75 years old.