Thomas Michael Mackey was one of nine children born to Lawrence M. Mackey and Mary Hester O'Connor. He was born in Lafayette and lived his whole life there. Thomas was a second-generation American-born citizen and was likely named after his grandfather who emigrated to America in 1850 from Ireland. In the 1900 US Census he is living on Walnut St. with his parents and siblings and working as a butcher's apprentice. In Feb 1906 he married Jennie Goldie Bastion but they divorced soon thereafter and Thomas had the marriage annulled in the Catholic Church. On 1 Apr 1908, Thomas married Elizabeth Francis Layden. Family history says Thomas met Elizabeth while playing drums with his band during a gig in Indianapolis, where Elizabeth was living. She was young – only 15 years old when they married. Thomas had a lifelong interest in music and was a musician - he played the drums professionally. He was a member of a musician's union and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In the 1910 US Census the couple is renting a home on Wabash Ave in Lafayette and Thomas' occupation is enumerated as musician. But he spent much of his life in the Lafayette meat packing industry in order to earn a living and by the 1920 US Census he is working as a butcher. The couple had purchased their family home on 52 Green Street – which is still owned and lived in by his descendants as of 2020. Thomas and Elizabeth had seven children born between 1909 and 1923 – four boys and three girls. The family had strong Catholic beliefs and were members of St. Anne's Catholic Church. Thomas continued to work in the meat packing industry most of his life – the 1930 and 1940 US Census document have him working at the meat packing plant. He continued to play drums at various events and was active in church and civic activities throughout his life to include the FOE. He died of heart problems in 1949 at the age of 64 and was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Lafayette.