Thomas Gilchrist Danner was born in Jackson, Madison Co., West Tennessee. His family lived in Milan, Gibson Co., Tennessee. His father, Aylmer Bright (A.B.) Danner worked for the railroad and was transferred to Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois when Tom was about the age of 6. There was a railhead in Murphysboro and a Round House at the time of his father's transfer. In 1925, the Tri-State Tornado wiped out the railhead, the roundhouse, and all and was never rebuilt. Tom at the time of the tornado was attending school at Longfellow Elementary School in Murphysboro. A portion of that school on the northeast corner of that construction, was torn out by the tornado. Tom was not injured in that notable event. In 1933, Tom graduated from Murphysboro Township High School where he enjoyed his talent as an artist and a painter. After graduation, Tom married Anna Ruth McEntire. About the year 1950, Tom worked in Carmi, Illinois for the then Curtis Candy Company and later was the manager of The Singer Sewing Center in Carmi, while his wife, Ruth, kept the books as a bookkeeper for that same Singer Shop. They reared 5 children during their stay in Carmi where they lived in the Greenway Park subdivision. Later, Tom and his family moved to Boonville, Warrack County, Indiana, where Tom worked as a saleman for The Singer Company. Parkinson's Disease disabled the vigorous Thomas Gilchrist Danner and the family moved again to the countryside of the Anna-Dongola area of Union County, Illinois, while his wife, Ruth, worked to support the family. After 2 years in the country, the family moved one last time to Murphysboro, Illinois, where both Tom and Ruth had grown- up from childhood. In 1977, Tom died following complications from a fall due to his long 28 year fight against Parkinson's Disease. Tom is buried next to his son, Gary (1937-1957), at the Garden of Memories, aka White County Memorial Garden located 5 miles west of Carmi on Route 14, White County, Illinois.