Thomas Ford (1800-1850), Democratic Governor of Illinois (1842-1846), was born at Uniontown, Pa., on Dec. 5, 1800. He accompanied his widowed mother to Missouri in 1804 and then to Monroe Co., Ill. Ford attended Transylvania University at Lexington, Ky. and studied law with Daniel P. Cook. On June 12, 1828, he married Frances Hambaugh at Edwardsville. Ford served as Judge of the Circuit Court for Northern Illinois (1835-1837); Circuit Judge for the Galena Circuit (1839); and State Supreme Court justice (1841-1842). His term as Governor (1842-1846) saw trouble with the Mormon settlers at Nauvoo, Ill. and the beginning of the beginning of the Mexican War. Both events were discussed in a history of Illinois from 1818-1847, which Ford began working on while still Governor. However this work would not be published until 1854, four years after Ford died at Peoria on Nov. 3, 1850. Ford County, which was established Feb. 17, 1859, was named in honor of the Governor.
From the description of Thomas Ford correspondence, 1842-1846. (Illinois State Archive). WorldCat record id: 35745533
