The Thomas Families of Butler County, Ohio

Xhe Thomas family has been thoroughly identified with the history of Ohio since the birth of the state. The paternal grandfather of Marcellus Thomas emigrated from New Jersey to the Northwest Territory in 1802, the year of Ohio's admission to the sisterhood of states. He located upon land which subsequently became a portion of Fairfield township, Butler county, and there ended his days. On this farm Squire L. Thomas, the father of the subject, was born and also spent his life in agricultural pursuits. He was born in 1813, and died in 1863. He married Miss Sarvain Ewart, who was a native of the same locality as himself, and also descended from New Jersey ancestors. She survived her husband eight years, and died in 1871, at the age of fifty-eight years. Squire L. Thomas was a successful farmer and stock raiser and achieved enviable success in his chosen vocation. He was a man of many excellent traits of character, and though his death occurred before the birth of the present generation, he is remembered by the older citizens of the county as a man of sterling integrity and uprightness of character. He was an incessant toiler, careful and frugal in his habits of life, and a warm friend to the distressed and unfortunate. His wife was his counterpart in all which went to render the home happy and the surroundings comfortable. She was devoted to her family, an exemplary mother and counsellor and in the later years of her life stood in the relation of both father and mother to her young and growing family.

Marcellus Thomas, of this review, was reared on the parental farm, and remained at home until he attained his majority, in 1863, the year of his father’s death. He then began farming independently, and leased land until 1871. the year of his mother’s death. Mr. Thomas had scarce reached his majority when he began to take an active interest in political affairs. The sixties were stirring times, both at home and at the front. Men. and women too, were phone to take sides in the great controversy, which was costing the nation oceans of blood and millions of treasure. There were stern duties for all to perform. The civilian contributed the fruits of his toil to the support of armies in the field, and to that extent was as great a patriot as those who bore the guns. But in 1871 Mr. Thomas received tangible recognition of his efforts along political lines, and was appointed deputy sheriff under W. H. Allen. This began a long record of political and official life. He served four years as deputy 'Sheriff, and in 1875 he was the choice of the Democratic party of the county for the higher position, to which he was twice elected, serving as sheriff from January, 1876, until January, 1880. On retiring from that office, after practically

6o6 eight years of continuous service, lie left behind a record for efficiency, capability, integrity and promptness seldom equalled by either predecessor or successor. While still in the sheriff’s office Mr. Thomas bought a farm in Fairfield township, which he occupied as a home from 1883 until 1886, and, aside from this temporary absence, his home has been in Hamilton since January,

In the fall of 1879 Mr. Thomas, in company with four other business men of Hamilton, organized the Miami Ice Company, of which he was business manager. They constructed a pond covering nine acres of land and erected near by four commodious buildings for storage purposes, the capacity being ten thousand tons. The product was principally sold in Cincinnati, being shipped on the canal. This enterprise proved to be a profitable venture in its time, but was succeeded by the introduction of artificial ice plants.

Mr. Thomas has represented the fifth ward on the board of education, being elected from a Republican ward, which emphasizes his popularity at home. He also served on the school board in Fairfield township during his residence there. In 1887 he was deputy internal revenue collector of Butler county, and declined the office of land appraiser for the fifth ward, to which he was elected in 1889. In the year last mentioned Mr. Thomas was appointed chief of police in the city of Hamilton, and served in that capacity through a long series of years, gaining strength and popularity with each succeeding year. As a public official, in whatever sphere he was called to serve he was always the same genial, obliging and painstaking officer. He was prompt and fearless in the discharge of his duties, yet never officious in assuming authority in matters not legally before him. Probably the crowning work of his life was in his administration at the head of the city’s peace guardians. His thoroughness and systematizing methods brought order out of chaos, and his methodical arrangements greatly simplified and at the same time strengthened the efficiency of the police force. Since retiring from the office of chief of police Mr. Thomas has been living a semi-retired life, though he has not been wholly inactive. His familiarity with the needs of public officials in the line of office supplies, and the difficulty in obtaining promptly what is wanted, led him to investigate the propriety of opening a store devoted exclusively to this line of goods. The result was that the Hamilton Office Supply Company was established and his son William F. placed in charge. This enterprise has proved a wise venture in the business world, as well as a source of satisfaction to the patrons and of profit to the enterprising promoters. There is scarcely - a city of twice the population of Hamilton which can boast of such conveniences along this line. Every article for office use, from a pencil to a typewriter or fine desk, is to be found in the carefully selected stock, including all kinds of stationery, blank books, office cutlery, mechanical drawing instruments, pens and inks of all kinds, cylinders, novelties, etc. Though a decided departure from all lines of mercantile pursuits, the Office Supply Company has come to stay and is growing in popularity every day.

It is needless to add, after what has been written, that Mr. Thomas fields an active influence in local politics. He has never lost an iota of interest, and is as active and influential today as when in the heyday of young manhood, seeking the suffrages of the people for personal honors or profit. He has served long years as a member off the Democratic central committee, has been a delegate to congressional, judicial, county and state conventions, and, in fact, the delegations are hardly considered complete if his name does not appear on the list. Mr. Thomas has carefully held aloof from party bickerings and internal dissensions, at least to the extent of possibility, in view of his high standing in the councils of the party.

The subject was married on the 22d of December, 1864, when he those for his life companion Miss Ellen F. Sheley, of Fairfield township. She was born and reared on the farm which subsequently became the property of her family. This has been a most happy union, blessed with the advent of three promising sons, Marcel lus B., who was born August 8, 1871; William F., born February 14, 1874, and Mark C., born December 18, 1886.

Mr. Thomas is prominently associated with various social orders, having been an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1872, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen since 1875, a Knight of Honor since 1878 and a member of the Royal Arcanum since 1880. The family is one of prominence and high standing in the community. Its record is not a transitory one, but has rounded out a full century and more as a distinguishing element in the history of Butler county. Very few of the present-day citizens of the county have been so long identified with its history, assuredly none have a more worthy place in its annals.

The subject’s maternal grandfather, Joseph Ewart, came from Pennsylvania and landed in Cincinnati on the first day of May, 1800. He was then thirteen years old. He was the founder of the Ewart family in Butler county. He was a soldier throughout the entire war of 1812, returned after the war and established the first woolen mill in Butler county, which he continued to operate until 1845, when he lost his eyesight. He spent the last twenty-five years of his life sightless, yet he could go five miles to Hamilton, driving a team as well as those who could see. He died in his ninety-seventh year. He was a man of exceedingly strong constitution. He was a member of the subject’s parents’ family for the last twenty-five years he lived, and the subject remembers him with a great deal of pleasure, as the connecting link between the past and present generations. He relates with great satisfaction many of the incidents of his early life, especially during his grandfather’s days, and reverts with pleasure to his boyhood days, when the innocent neighborhood sports satisfied the young people of his day better than expensive balls of the present.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JAMES K. THOMAS.

The gentleman to a brief review of whose life and characteristics the reader’s attention is herewith directed is among the foremost business men of Middletown and has by his energy and progressive business methods contributed in a material way to the industrial and commercial advancement of the city and county. He has in the course of an honorable career been most successful in the business enterprises with which he has been connected and is well deserving of mention in the biographical history of Butler county.

James K. Thomas is a native of the city of Hamilton, Ohio, having first seen the light of day on the 29th of September, 1829. He is a son of James B. and Lydia (Jones) Thomas, the former of whom was a native of Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, born in September. 1792. In early life he removed to Erie, Pennsylvania, and served as a private soldier all through the war of 1812, participating in the battle of Lake Erie. He was a carpenter by trade and after the close of the war he went to New Orleans and there followed his trade for a time. Subsequently he came to Hamilton, Ohio, and resided there during the remainder of his life. In 1828 he was appointed postmaster of Hamilton by General Jackson, retaining the position until 1848, when he resigned and for a while served as deputy postmaster. He was a man of pronounced ability and energetic temperament and stood high among his associates.

James K. Thomas received his education in the common schools and was also for a time under the instructions of a private tutor, becoming thus fairly well equipped for life’s struggle. Upon the completion of his education he accepted a clerkship in a private bank, in which position he was enabled to acquire an insight into practical business methods which was of inestimable value to him in later years. As soon as practicable Mr. Thomas engaged in business upon his own responsibility, by engaging, with others, in the milling business. After conducting this enterprise for six years, with fairly satisfactory results, the subject went to Cincinnati and for six years was there engaged in the commission business. In 1866 he moved to Middletown and the following year established the firm known as the Wardlow-Thomas Paper Company, with which he is still connected. This firm has acquired a splendid reputation for the high grade of products it puts on the market and is enjoying a high degree of prosperity. Not a little of this prosperity is due to the indefatigable efforts of the subject, who has given the major part of his time to the business. The company employs a large force of efficient workmen, the pay-roll amounting to about six hundred dollars per week, while the mill output amounts to an average of twenty thousand pounds daily. It is one of the foremost enterprises of Middletown and because of the progressive spirit evinced by the promoters they have won the confidence of the business world.

Mr. Thomas was united in marriage, October 27, 1852, to Miss Harriet A. Mc- Maken, a daughter of M. C. McMaken and a native of Butler county. Her father was also a native of this county and was the father of five children, four, daughters and a son, the latter being at the present time the secretary and treasurer of the company with which his father is connected. Mr.

Thomas was the father of three daughters and one son. Mr. Thomas is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Middletown and has taken an active part in religious matters from his youth up. He takes a deep interest in everything looking to the advancement of the material, moral and educational interests of his community and contributes liberally of his time and means to all worthy objects. Politically he is a firm advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, having formerly been a Democrat and having cast his first presidential vote for Franklin Pierce. He is a man of broad humanitarian principles and of upright life and by all is esteemed for his genuine worth.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.