Thomas J Walling, the son of John Walling Sr. and Anna Chisum born in White County Tennessee Feb 11th, 1811. He moved to Nacogdoches, Texas in 1836 and swore allegiance to Texas along with his brothers Col. Jesse Walling and John Walling who had previously settled to the Texas Territory. Thomas Jefferson Walling served Texas in the Texas Revolution with Captain Peck's Company 1836. Served under General Sam Houston in The Cordova Rebellion in 1838. T.J. Walling lived in Rusk 1841-1959. He was married to Nancy Ann Price about 1825 while in Tennessee she died May 30th, 1853 leaving Thomas J. with nine children Edward Pendleton Walling, Dr. John Howard Walling, Thomas Jefferson Walling, Charles Thornton Walling, Cynthia Cebell Walling, Sarah Ann Walling, Vance Walling, William Franklin Walling, Early M Walling. Thomas J. married Eleanor S. Hardy in Rusk County on September 4th, 1854 and was blessed with 7 children. Thomas J Walling was the father of 16 children. He moved to Hill County in the Fall of 1859 and lived in the Prairie Valley area as well as the Walling Bend area of Bosque County Texas near the Brazos River. Thomas Jefferson Walling is recorded as living in Hill County, Texas in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 Federal Census for Texas. Before his death he moved to Merkle, Texas about 1892 and lived there until his death on June 22nd, 1902. He is buried in the same block as his son Dr. John H. Walling in the Rosehill Cemetery.

Thomas Jefferson Walling's Obituary from the Ledger stated that he was a member of the Church of Christ.

T.J. Walling was an old Texan and was one of those sturdy men of brawn who helped to forge the foundation that became the State of Texas and was one of the few survivors of the early days of Texas in 1902.

Historic references to Thomas Jefferson Walling can be found on The Texas Handbook Online http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fwa42