Evan Owen Thomas

As printed in 1897

VAN OWEN THOMAS, superintendent of markets of the city of Dayton, was born in Newport, Ky., February 7, 1836. His father, a native of

Wales, was also named Evan Owen Thomas, and came from his native country to the United States in 1825. He was born in the year 1799 and learned the trade of weaver, becoming a practical factory hand in the old country. Upon arriving in the United States he located in Indianapolis, where he married Jane Mayes, widow of John Hamarman, who was born and reared near Delaware, Ohio. From Indianapolis they removed to Zanesville, Ohio, and thence to Newport, Ky., finally coming to Dayton, Ohio, in 1838, to take charge of what is now the Kratochwill mill. Mr. Thomas was not only a practical factory man, but was also a man of genius and an inventor of note. He died in Dayton in 1892, his wife having died some time before. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom are still living, and beside these eight the mother had three children by a former marriage.

Evan Owen Thomas, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Dayton, and was educated in the excellent public schools of that city. In September, 1861, he enlisted in company E, Fifty-ninth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and served until mustered out November 1, 1864. He was captured at Cynthiana, Ky., July 22, 1862, but after being a prisoner two days was paroled. In October, 1863, after the battle of Chickamauga, while guarding an ammunition train, he was again taken prisoner, but after three days was paroled at McMinnville, Tenn.

Having returned from the war Mr. Thomas began working on December 26, 1864, for the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad company as brakeman, was promoted to the position of conductor on a passenger train, and for twenty-eight years was in the employ of that company. On August 1, 1894, he was appointed superintendent of markets for Dayton and was re-appointed in 1895. Mr. Thomas is a member of the Old Guard post, No. 23, Grand Army of the Republic.

Mr. Thomas was married December 20, 1854, to Isabella Marshall, of Newport, Ky. To this marriage there have been born four children, as follows: Albert, superintendent of the Dayton Electric Light company; Mary, who died in her twenty-first year; John E., of Toledo, Ohio, and Evan Owen, who died when seven years of age. Mr. Thomas is a man of intelligence and integrity, and is discharging the responsible duties of his office with personal credit and to the approval of the people of the city.

As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.