The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-01-03
HON. RICHARD I. THOMAS,
Member of the Assembly for the
Twelfth District, Nevada County.

Member of the Assembly for the
Twelfth District, Nevada County.
Hon. Richard l. Thomas, who repre-.
SCENTS the Twelfth District, comprised il
Nevada County, enjoys the distinction o
being the youngest member belonging tc
| the rising generation of CaIifornias sons
who has been chosen to represent a con.
stituency i'll her legislative halls at the
! present session.
He first opened his eyes to the light O
this world on juno y, 1870, in the mining
camp at French Corral. in Nevada County
and his life has since been passed among
the scenes common to a mining COM
munIty, so that the nuggets Of yellow
metal, in the struggle for which the
greater portion of mankind spend their
lives and energies, have been objects OF
more or less everyday acquaintance to
him.
He is a son of r. A. Thomas, a repre-
sentative mining man of Nevada County,
pioneer, who came there in 1854, and
settling down to the extraction OF gold
from 1.-THE bowels OF the earth" has since
then continuously resided in the county
OF his adoption.
The grand old hills and canyons OF
the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains,
although their rugged faces are scanned
and SCARED by their contact with
elemental forces as well as with the
monitors and the picks and drills of the
gold hunters, do not differ from the
mountain nights Of other countries and
localities in one respect.
AS the mountains have always been the
cradle of liberty and the birthplace of all
that is inspiriting and elevating to man
kind, so is it here.
No boy can grow upin such country
if he be possessed of any Of the elements
which when developed raise a man above
his fellows, without feeling the mysteri-
Gus influence Of his surroundings stir
ring within him. Natures voice speaks
to him from the trees, the rocks and the
rills and awakens in him a desire for
something higher than his everyday ex-
istence.
Soft was with young Thomas. His early
education was obtained at the village
schools near the mines, but there was a
hidden force which lmpelled him to
higher plane and beyond the limited OPP
portunltIes which were afforded to him
IN the home schools. Hence we see him
at the age Of II years writing at the COM
petltlVe examination, which was held at
Marysville, for an appointment to the
military academy at w est Point.
The successful applicant having failed,
Mr.. Thomas, who stood high in the ex-
animation, was offered the appointment
by Major Biggs, who was at that time
member of Congress representing that
district. but he having in the meantime
changed his mind, or made other arrange
ments, declined.
Following his aspirations upward we
next find him entering st. Augusune's
College at Benicia, intending to pursue
his education through a course IN that
splendid educational Institution, but his
hopes in that direction were frustrated by
the closing Of the college shortly after
wards, necessitating a change in his
plans, or at least in his Alma Mater.
He then entered the Hopkins Academy
at Oakland. and meeting with no more
adverse or untOward circumstances, pur-
sued the regular curriculum Of that we'll
known institution, and, completing the
course taught there, graduated in the
class OF 100.
During the time he remained at st.
Augustine's College, he succeeded i'll
winning for himself the gold medal as
chief speaker, in 1857.
Having graduated from Hopkins
Academy, he returned home, bidding
adieu to the walls of the schoolroom and
prepared himself to take part in the