Thomas John Lucas was born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, on September 9, 1826.

[1] He was a son of one Major Frederick J. Lucas, who apparently fought under Napoleon.

[2] in 1847, he left his father's adopted trade of watchmaker and fought in the Mexican War as a 2nd lieutenant of the 4th Indiana Volunteers for a period of 14 months.

[1] In 1861, he entered the Civil War for the Union as lieutenant colonel of the 16th Indiana Regiment and when mustered out was brevetted brigadier general.

[2] He died at Lawrenceburg, Indiana on November 17, 1908, aged 83 years.