Farmer. 1850 Census shows 190 acres Clinton Twp., Franklin Co., OH on Olentangy River.

Centennial Biographical History Columbus & Franklin Co., OH p.433;

Thomas Moore Hess, deceased, was for a number of years a representative farmer and valued citizen of Franklin County. He was born on the old Moore homestead in Clinton Twp., July 26, 1825, being the eldest son of John Moses and Elizabeth (Moore) Hess. His mother died at his birth and he was left to the care of his maternal grandmother, who also died when he was yet an infant. He was then taken to the home of his aunt, Mrs. Katie (Katherine) Oller of Delaware County, Ohio, with whom he remained until his father's second marriage which occurred when he was five years old. He then remained with his father in Clinton Twp. until he went to the house of his grandfather Moore in Indiana, where he attended public schools until the age of 15 years of age.

On the expiration of that period he returned to his father's home and began work on the farm assiting in the cultivation of the fields until the spring of 1849 when he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann Rutherford of Delaware County, Ohio, who died in 1850 leaving a son, Henry R., now a prominent citizen of Clinton Township. After the death of his first wife Mr. Hess again married, his second union being with Ann Amanda Kinnear, a daughter of Samuel and Ellen (Hill) Kinnear, pioneers of Franklin County. (This is incorrect - Anna Amanda was the daughter of Samuel and his first wife Hannah McCutcheon)

Throughout his entire life Mr. Hess manifested a deep interest in the welfare of orphan children, a fact which probably arose from his own experience. He gave to four different orphan children a home from early childhood until they had reached self-sustaining years. He was a man of great kindness and broad sympathy and was very popular with his neighbors and friends, numbering the latter by the score. His death was therefore universally regretted. Whatever was of interest and value to the public he cheerfully espoused, giving liberally of his means to all worthy enterprises. He was a very successful farmer, his labors bringing to him a handsome competence and he accumulated a large landed estate. He died suddenly of heart failure on the 28th of May 1889, and his remains were interred in the Union Cemetery opposite North Columbus, where a suitable monument has been erected by the family."