Alonzo Thomas Hagan

Alonzo Thomas Hagan (AKA; Alonzo, Alonza, Lon, LT) was born 1 August 1870 in Metcalfe County Kentucky.

Alonzo's father, Francis Hagan (Frank), was a farmer. His mother, Elizabeth M. Darnell, was Francis' 3rd wife. Alonzo was born when his father was 57 and his mother was 35. Alonzo was the 16th child to be born into a family of 18 children.

Alonzo's parents were illiterate and, as represented by US Census records, neither Alonzo nor any of his siblings attended school on a regular basis. Alonzo never learned to read or write, but he learned to farm with the rest of the family.

Sometime around 1893 Alonzo married Nancy Elizabeth Murray (AKA Nannie). He was about 22 and she was about 20. They had the means to rent a home separate from their parents. Alonzo worked as a farm laborer on other farms until he was able to purchase his own farm. They were never financially flush.

Together Alonzo and Nannie had five children:

Hazel V. Hagan [Bybee] Herschel Lane Hagan Susie Hagan [Swann] Fred Hagan Edward Walter Hagan

By 1920 Alonzo's daughters had married and his oldest sons had moved north to find work. Herschel and Fred found jobs with the Showers Furniture Factory in Bloomington, Indiana. Hershel's young wife was expecting their first child.

Sometime close to 1920, Alonzo and Nannie decided to sell the farm and follow their sons to Bloomington. It may be that the farm was no longer viable without their sons working it. It might be that Herschel and Fred found Bloomington so much to their liking that they encouraged their parents to move. It may be that the move was triggered by the birth of Herschel's son in March of 1920 and the death of his wife in April.

By 1930 Alonzo and Nannie were renting a house with their sons in Bloomington. All three sons worked for the Shower's Furniture company at some time. Alonzo worked odd jobs and Nannie raised their grandson.

For the remainder of their lives Alonzo and Nannie rented a home in Bloomington. They never owned a farm again. Their sons and grandsons lived with them at various times. They helped to raise two motherless grandsons.

Alonzo died in 1945, shortly after his 74th birthday.

• ******************************************* Death certificate and obituary list his name as Alonzo Thompson Hagan. He was most consistently called Lon or Alonzo. This tombstone, however, is inscribed Alonza. (bio by: [fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=46803185" target="_blank Joy Hess)]
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 25 2018, 0:08:15 UTC