Thomas W. Sunman was born at Holtby, in Yorkshire, England, September 27th, 1804, and died at Versailles, March 21st, 1872. His father was a jointer or stair-builder and was a man of considerable means. Thomas was educated in England as a navigator. He moved to Adams Township, and settled on a farm of 200 acres, in 1820. In 1842 he served as Justice of the Peace and later as trustee of his township. He married February 14th, 1853. In 1868 he was elected to the Legislature, which convened in 1869. He, with the rest of the Democrats, resigned rather than vote for the Fifteenth Amendment. Im March of 1869 he was re-elected upon that issue. This was his last public service. He was always a warm supporter of the Democratic party. He was a farmer, miller and distiller when not in office.