The Portland daily press., 1872-08-09
For the Press.l
uNus mn

Mr.. EDITORIALS there are some inaccura
cies in the notice of Elias Thomas in your paper
of this morning enclose you a sketch of hi,
life as drawn by the late Hon. VIM. Willis. II
was MIR. Willis custom to prepare notices OF
our aged citizens and the enclosed is copy OF
the original which is deposited with other
manuscripts of Mr.. Willis in our Public Lii
brary.
MIR. Thomas died August 9Th, at about five
O'Clock in the afternoon at the advanced age of
one hundred years, six months and twenty-five
days. He died calmly and serenely as he had
lived. His death was simply ceasing to live,
without pain, without struggle. Mr.. Thomas
was married in 1902 to Betsy Widgery, daugh-
ter of Judge William Widgery, of Portland
by her he had ten children, five of whom sur
vive him. Mrs. Thomas died in 1861 at the age
of eighty-two.
The manuscript of Mr.. Willis is as follows:
'We now commit to the tomb, and pronounce
our benediction over the remains of the oldest
man in Portland after life's fitful fever, he
sleeps we'll" Mr.. Thomas was born Jan. 18th,
1772: he has lived through the whole history of
your Nation, and seen vicissitudes and material
progression, such as the world has never before
looked upon. He has passed through all these
oCcHcS quietly, nOnOraUlV, fulfilling each uaV
the duties of the day, never excited by great
hopes, nor depressed by great anxietes-
From the terrible bombardment of the town in
1775, when he was hurried in his nurses arms.
from the raging fire, which laid the humble
village in ashes, to the equally eventful night
more than ninety years afterwards, when, with
the inflrmlties of age upon him, he was borne
from his own burning dwelling, he has exer-
clsed calmness and equanimity which have
porhe witness to a temperament of wonderful
serenity and self-possession. There was har-
mony within, which made all TRANQUIL around
him, and the melody of his own nature found
outward expression in the music with which he
constantly INDUCED and inspired his family.
The descent of Mr.. Thomas is very peculiar;
his flrst American ancestor was George Thorn
as of Boston, who was also the ancestor of the
distinguished Isaiah Thomas of Worcester
founder of the American Antiquarian Society.
Georges son, Peter, married Elizabeth Bur-
roughs, daughter of the Rev. George Burroughs
who was minister to the first settlers on this
Neck in 1876 and was hung for witchcraft at
Danvers in 1892 from whom the subject of this
notice was the fifth in descent as he was the
sixth from his first ancestor. He was also the
fifth in descent from John Proctor, who also
was one of the victims of the wiuchcraft TRACE
dy, and was hung about the same time with
Burroughs, thus having the blood of two excel
lent and innocent men, martyrs of as wicked
superstition as ever afflicted the world His father
was Peter, son of Elias Thomas, and born in Bos-
ton, Jan. 9th, 1745 He came early to Portl an
and in 1869 married Krenhappuck Cox, da ug
ter of John Cox and Sarah Proctor. She a
daughter of Anthony Bracket, through whom
he also had in his veins, the blood of George
Cleeves, the first settler of Portland in 1882
from whom he is the seventh in descent. His
father, Peter Thomas, was a sail-maker and
had his loft in 1875 on Titcomb's wharf. rs he
advertises, cover the new store of Ebenezer &
Woodbury. Storer.' But he died in 1897, in the
SD year of his age, having had family of
eleven children, of whom ten survived him.
His widow died in 1888 at the ripe age of 80,
having transmitted to her three eldest children,
her tenacity of life. Elias was his eldest son,
(see note ~ and second child; the eldest, Mrs
Morss, having attained the remarkable age of
80 years He early engaged in trade; previous
to $500 he was partner of Isaac Mcclellan, af-
forwards of Boston. Subsequently he formed
connection in business with Samuel Lord (see
note y and their sore was in Jone's row. But the
commercial embarrassments of 1907 overtaking
them, the firm was dissolved and Mr. Thomas
was appointed by Mr.. Ilsley the collector of
customs-his deputy. This office he filled with
great promptness and fidelity until 1928; when
he was chosen treasurer of the State, to succeed
Joseph c. Boyd and held the place by success
siye elections until 1881. He was an accom-
pished accountant, accurate, conscientious and
faithful, having the confidence of the govern
ment and people, as his long term of office
sufficiently proves. The remainder of his life
was devoted to the care of his large estate, the
care of his family, and the discharge of the du-
ties OF a good citizen, and of kind and benev-
client man." E- f-E.akE
NOTE Miss Betsy Thomas sister of Elias
Thomas, died Feb. II. 1870. aged Sc years 1 month
and Is days. Mrs Happy Morss, died Feb 90 1870,
aged 80 years and 10 months
- NOTE 2-Mr. Willis is in error in stating that Elias
Iohmas was connected in business with SamI Lord.
1t was his brother, Peter Thomas, who was partner
Aug. 6, 1872. - a,a