When Thomas Leroy Bailey was born on March 5, 1885, in Minnesota, his father, William, was 29 and his mother, Sarah, was 24. He had three brothers and two sisters. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I as a Private in HQ Company, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. He was wounded at Cantigny on June 5, 1918 and died the next day, June 6th, from the effect of his wounds. He is now buried in Bailey Family Cemetery, Erskine, Polk County, Minnesota, USA.