News

Oct 18 We held our semi-annual meeting today. Read more about it here, and pay attention to Loraine's plea for help. Aug 10 - Sep 14 This past month, we've spent 250 more hours working for the family. Thanks to everyone! (And mostly to our genealogist Loraine who did the most again: 190) June 8 - Aug 10 We have added 683 more names to our database... so we now have over 120,000 people in our records! June 8 - Aug 10 25 more family members have joined up, so we have 170 members this year. June 8 - Aug 10 We count 371 hours of work by volunteers. Thank you! June 23 We have the new genealogy tree online, complete with pedigree charts. June 8 The next executive meeting is on Aug 10. June 8 We now have 145 paid members this year. Mar 10 - June 8 We've put in 321 hours of work these last 3 months. Mar 9 The next semi-annual meeting is April 26 at 1:00. Jan 14-Mar 9 Volunteers have spent 123 hours working for our organization. Good on ya, mates! Jan 14-Mar 9 Thanks to 68 people who have become members. We have 88 so far this year.

The Thomas Tolman Family was formally organized April 8, 1903 in Bountiful, Utah at the home of Judson Tolman. Judson had called together his sons and daughters along with the sons and daughters of his two deceased brothers, Cyrus and Benjamin Hewitt Tolman. The minutes of that meeting are housed in the family center and preserved in A One Hundred Year History of the organization. We do not have a record of the original name of the organization, but in 1935 it was called and reconfirmed in 1951 as the "Nathan Tolman Family Organization" after the father of the three brothers mentioned above. At the semi-annual April 8, 1962, it became know as the Thomas Tolman Family Organization, named after the immigrant ancestor of the Tolman family who was born in 1608 in England and arrived in America in the 1630's to settle in Dorchester, Massachusetts. As far as we know all Tolmans in America descend from this Thomas Tolman.

Thomas Tolman Family Genealogy Center
2937 South Orchard Drive
Bountiful, Utah 84010
(801) 292-7745

In 1968 discussion began in family executive meetings about the need for a building where the numerous family records could be housed. At the April semi-annual meeting Robert S. Tolman was appointed as chairman of a committee to investigate properties. The first members of the committee were William O. Tolman, Harold Hofhine, Stan Jones, and Eldon M. Tolman.

By the October meeting, Robert Tolman had moved to Las Vegas for employment and LeVirl E. Tolman was asked to serve as chairman of the building committee. His brother L. Dean Tolman and L. DeVon Mecham joined the committee.

In the April 1969 semi-annual meeting LeVirl Tolman reported that the old Judson Tolman home had about 2 acres in Bountiful and 7 acres in Davis County and was to be sold between $47,000 and $58,000. LeVirl was asked to follow through on any leads.

LeVirl E. Tolman reported at the October 1970 semi-annual meeting that the Judson Tolman property, which the family have been interested in acquiring, had been sold. Other properties were considered and in April of 1973 it was announced that property was purchased at 2937 South Orchard Drive in Bountiful. William O. Tolman was offered a house at no cost if the family would move it. A foundation basement was poured and the house was moved on top of it to provide the framework for the upstairs apartment of the family center. The building committee then consisted of brothers: LeVirl E. Tolman, L. Dean Tolman, and Cyrus Marshall Tolman with secretary JoAnn E. Curtis.

The October 1975 semi-annual meeting was held in the new family center, even though there was still much work to finish on the inside. It was decided in late October of 1976 that William O. Tolman, the family genealogist, would live in the family center, so he could better oversee the genealogical research. He, his wife and one daughter moved into the upstairs apartment in early 1977.

When the Tolman Genealogy Center was dedicated July 7, 1978 it was completely finished and paid for. It was estimated that over 21,610 hours in volunteer labor and nearly $70,000 in donations from the family had been contributed. Over 1,500 family members attended the dedication of the new family genealogy center, a very unique holding for a family organization.