I believe "this" Thomas E. Kirkman to be, Thomas Edward Kirkman, born 07 March 1840 in Guilford County, North Carolina. He was the third of eight children and the second son born to, Thomas R. Kirkman and his wife, Elizabeth Leek [DOBSON] Kirkman. According to Family Search.org, he married Mary A. [?] on 19 Jan 1861 in Buchanan County, Missouri. Together this couple would share at least four known children up to the 1880 census of Buchanan County, Missouri. He was also an elder brother to our own, Lucinda Asberine [KIRKMAN] Stanton. This wonderful photograph was donated for our use here by, Ernie Connell.