THOMAS K. GIVENS was born in Hopkins County, Ky., January 24, 1819, a son of James K. and Margaret P. (Given) Givens, the former a native of Virginia, the latter of Kentucky, and of Irish extraction. James K. Givens, at the age of fourteen, in 1811, came with his parents to what is now Hopkins County, Ky., then a part of Henderson County, where his father, Thomas Givens, bought a partially improved farm, upon which he resided, with the exception of a very few years, until his death. James K. was employed on his father's farm until he attained his majority, when his father gave him 150 acres of wild land adjoining the old homestead, where he improved a farm upon which he resided until his death in March, 1855. To this farm he added until he had about 400 acres of land. He was a member, first, of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and afterward of the United Baptist Church. Thomas K. was employed on his father's farm until he became of age, when he bought a partially improved farm in Hopkins County, upon which he resided about twelve years. He then sold out and came to Webster County, to Providence, where, in 1856, he engaged in the tobacco business, which he has since followed in connection with farming. He owns two large tobacco stemmeries, one of which he built in 1866 and bought the other in 1878. For the past fourteen years he has also been engaged in the general mercantile business, most of the time in company with his son, Henry Givens, under the firm name of T. K. Givens & Son. In 1872 Mr. Givens made a trip to California, and in 1875 he, in company with his cousin, John W. Givens, spent three months in Europe, visiting the principal cities and places of interest in England and on the continent. He and his cousin, John W., each own a one-third interest in two stock ranches and other lands in Texas, amounting to 7,500 acres; they have also several hundred head of horses, cattle and mules. They also each own an interest in three or four coal mines, besides several hundred acres of valuable coal lands. Their coal is of a very superior quality, being pronounced, by good judges, superior to any found west of Pittsburgh, Penn. Mr. Givens was first married, January 12, 1841, to Miss Margaret Hunter, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in April, 1845; she was a member of the United Baptist Church. Mr. Givens' second marriage was October 26, 1846, to Miss Judith B. Gist, a native of Clark County, Ky. Ten children are the fruit of this union, nine of whom—three sons and six daughters—are living. He and wife are members of the United Baptist Church. He is now the oldest member of the church in Providence. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics he is a Democrat.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 1032-1033.