Benjamin F. Thomas

As printed in 1912

BENJAMIN F. THOMAS (1871) is the proprietor of a confectionery, cigar and notion store at Garvin and is one of Lyon county's oldest settlers, having made settlement in Custer township forty-one years ago. In the early days he played an important part in the affairs of his community.

Mr. Thomas was born in Allegany county, Maryland, September 24, 1847, and spent the first thirteen years of his life in his native state. He came West with the family in 1860 and lived one year in Columbia county, Wisconsin. In 1861 he went with the family to La Crosse county, Wisconsin; in 1863 to Rock Island county, Illinois; in 1868 to Boone county, Iowa; in 1870 to Blue Earth county, Minnesota; and in 1871 to Lyon county.

The Thomas family made the trip to Lyon county with ox teams, and settlement was made on section 4, Custer township. The father took as a homestead claim the northeast quarter of the section and our subject the southeast quarter. A log house, with shake roof and luncheon floor, was built on the place and in that the family lived for some time. No railroad had yet penetrated the county, and during the first winter Benjamin Thomas made five trips by ox team to Lake Crystal to bring in material and supplies.

Mr. Thomas farmer the homestead until 1884. Then he gave up farming and located at Minnesota Lake, where for two years he bought grain for Hodges & Hyde. He then located at Hankinson, North Dakota, and for many years was employed as a grain buyer. He returned to Lyon county in 1901 and for two years conducted his farm. Mr. Thomas then became a resident of Garvin. He managed the Sleepy Eye elevator at that point a year and a half and then bought and shipped stock for a year or two. He established his present business in 1907.

In 1876 Mr. Thomas circulated a petition asking for the right to organize the township in which he lived, under the name of Reno, in honor of the general in charge of the forces against the Indians in Montana. Before the required permission was granted, however, the Custer massacre had occurred and the township was named in honor of General Custer, whose life had been sacrificed a few months before. Mr. Thomas was the first clerk of Custer township and served several terms. He is a member of the Masonic lodge.

The parents of Benjamin Thomas were two of the best known residents of southern Lyon county. They were Benjamin and Catherine (Jones) Thomas, natives of Wales, who came to America at the ages of nineteen and twelve years, respectively. They were married in Allegany county, Maryland, and there all their children, excepting Ruth, were born. Both parents died on the Custer homestead, the father in 1884, the mother in 1892. The children of the family are Mrs. William Hughes, of Garvin; Ann (Mrs. Richard Hughes), deceased; Benjamin, of this biography; James J., of Tracy; Ruth (Mrs. Rees Price), of Tracy; and Joseph B., of Garvin.

Our subject was married in Custer town: ship to Loretta Delong. She was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, and died March 7, 1897, at the age of thirty-eight years. Mr. Thomas has three children: Edgar, who is engaged in railroad work in the West; Harvey, of Wells, Minnesota; and Hattie, who attends school at Wells.

As printed in An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.