He married Elizabeth "Betsy" Funderburg on 3 April 1823 in Sangamon County, Illinois.

"1879 History of Greene County Illinois"
Page 554

Hanks Thomas, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 32, P.O. White Hall. The above named gentleman, representative pioneer and founder of Hanks' Station, was born in North Carolina in 1793; on his westward trip he first settled at Cape Girardeau, Mo. remaining one year he then proceeded to Alton, Madison County, Illinois, with Joshua Hanks, a brother. He remained at Alton one year and moved to Greene County in 1818. When it is remembered that steam or sail boats were the only means of transportation on water, and the stage or wagon by land, some idea of the daring nature of the youthful pioneer may be realized. On his arrival in the County of Greene, Carrollton was being staked out as a a town. He left the old homestead, in North Carolina, with barely sufficient to pay the expenses of a horse-back journey to Illinois, and accordingly his first start in life was procured by the splitting of rails for three shillings per hundred. The first few hundred dollars of Mr. Hanks were obtained slowly but surely, and in time he became enabled to purchase 80 acres of land, part of the property he now owns. Early in his career he became largely interested in the raising of hogs, thereby realizing a handsome profit, and he now added 40 acres more to the estate. Some six years ago he was instrumental in the laying out of the village of Drake, heretofore known as Hanks Station, contributing liberally of his means. Mr. Hanks is now upward of eighty-five, still vigorous, whose memory is unimpaired. Now the owner of 500 acres and the village of Drake. He has indeed been prosperous.