The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-09-30
DEATH OF COL, 0. II. THOMAS.

On Saturday afternoon last the painful in
tellgence reached this place Of the sudden
death of Col Oliver II. Thomas, at the resi-
dence Of Albert Constable, Esq, in Elkton,
Cecil county, Md, on the preceding day,
Friday. Col. Thomas had gone to Elkton to
attend the session of the Circuit Court there,
on professional engagements as counsel in
the case of the State vs. the negroes Williams,
indicted in this county for the murder, by
poisoning, of another negro in the neigh
borhood of Deer Creek, and whose cases had
been removed to Cecil county for trial The
delicate state of his health was such as to
cause some apprehension among his friends
as to whether his strength was sufficient to
safely undergo the excitement and fatigue
necessarily incident to the trial of case of
this description, and the event too sadly JUS
titled their fears
Col Thomas had been suffering, it was
supposed, from pulmonary consumption, for
the last eight or nine years, to an extent
that rendered him an invalid at times during
the whole of that period On his arrival at
Elkton last week the fatigues of the trip were
such as to render him worse for the time be-
ing, and on Thursday morning he was at
tackled with slight hemorrhage. By rest and
careful, nursing, however, he seemed to raj
ly quite rapidly, and on Friday felt so much
improved as to leave his room and join the
family of Mr.. Constable, with whom he was
staying, in company with his wife, who had
that day reached Elkton, from her residence
here. About seven o'clock in the evening of
Friday, however, he was attacked by another
hemorrhage Of so severe character that
death supervened in few moments
Col. Thomas was in the 47th year of his
this county, he studied law and graduated
here, and after remaining a short period at
the bar in this town, removed to Chicago
His residence there was brief, however, and
he shortly thereafter removed to California,
where he resided in the city of San Francisco
in the successful practice of his profession,
up to the time of the breaking out of the war
in 1861. He warmly esponsed the Southern
a brief visit he went South to join the cause
of the Confederacy. Here he attained to the
rank Of Colonel, and served upon the staff of
Brigadier General James Archer, participa-
ting in most of the severe battles in which
Gen. Archers brigade took part, in the Vir
ginia campaigns, until the battle of Gettys-
burg was fought. Here his brigade, serving
in Gen. EwelPs corps, it will be recollected,
was pushed to the rear Of Gen. Meade's posi-
ton, and after performing brilliant service in
the capture of Gen. Reynolds federal brigade,
for want of proper support was cut off from
its corps and captured. Col Thomas, how
ever escaped capture though he was attacked
with hemorrhage that Frustrated his
strength and gave further symptom of his IA
tai disease. On the termination of hostilities
he returned to Maryland, and intermarried
with Miss Archer, daughter of the late Dr.
John Archer, and sister of Gen. James Arch
er, and settled in this town, where he has
since pursued the practice of his profession,
although his health, during the entire period,
has been of the most delicate character. He
occupied the position of counsel to the board
of County Commissioners at the time of his
death.
Col. Thomas was gentleman of great
force of character, and possessed of many
traits that secured for him the esteem and
confidence ofhis fellow. citizens On Monday
last, in the presence of a large number of
his friends and relatives, his remains were
inferred ip the Spesutia Church graveyard,
where others oil his immediate family repose.
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