Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-12-24
GEN. THOMAS DEAD.
Famous General of Civil War Passed
Away at Age Of 81.

III WoJ ~ aye " -.
< Gen. Stephen Thomas. who fell an
it fractured his nose a few weeks 40
0ut rallied favorably from the iniurl
last Thursday passed into an uncoii
I sclous state, from which he did not r,
J. cover but simply went TO sleep at hi
home in Montpelier, having reache
his oath year.
Stephen Thomas. son OF job
E Thomas and Rebecca (Batchellor
Thomas, and grandson of JOSEPH
! Thomas and Hannah (Vickery
: Thomas, was born in Bethel, Vt. Dec
D, 1903. HIS grandfather, Joseph
, served in the Revolutionary war. wa
lieutenant in New Hampshire reg
iment in the Saratoga campaign. anC
MS father, John, was soldier in th,
lhlrty-first regiment, United States in.
,antry, in the war OF 1912. and died
from exposure in service at Platts.
burgh.
| Stephen was but four when his
lather died. He went to district
school in Thetford, and at eighteen
was apprenticed to a wooden manu-
Iacturer, and followed his trade in
Ihetford, STAFFORD and West Fairlee.
lie started manufacturing for himself
at Hartland, but was burned out and
went to work in Thetford, and finally
settled In West Fairlee. Here he did
"a good deal OF sheriff business, and al
so pension business, and was soon the
leading man of affairs in town.
He represented West Fairlee in the
House in 1888, 1889, 1915, 1916, 1860
and 1861, and was a state senator from
Orange county in 1913 and 1919. He
was delegate to the constitutional
conventions of 1s43 and 1850, register
OF probate for the district of Bradford
IRON 1912 to 1916, and Judge OF probate
Tor the district from lS47 to 1919.
Judge Thomas was active in politics.
and an earnest Democrat till the re-
bellion began and was the Democratic
candidate for lieutenant governor in
1860, earnestly advocating the election
OF Douglass on the stump.
Nov II. 1861, he was made colonel
OF the Eighth Vermont, which reoi- 4
ment he raised and led to the South. |
remaining its colonel till January II.
1860.
Feb. /, he was commissioned brioa-
dier-general OF volunteers, and served
as such till Aug.2 1865. lie was elect.
Ell acknowledgement in 1867 and
1865, and under commission from
President Grant was pension agent DOR
Vermont, with headquarters at Mont
Delier. from 1870 TO 1871.
Gen. Thomas served with distinc-
ton in the department of the gulf till
1864, when his regiment was ordered
North and in the summer of that year
put under Sheridan in the Shenandoah
alley. His services at the battles off
Winchester, Fishers Hill and Cedar
5reek were of the highest order. He
vas commended in general orders for
services at Winchester. Sept. 10, 1864. 4
when he charged with the Eighth Yer
mont and Twelfth Connecticut under
lls command, on his own responsible
ty.
In perilous emergency in the bat
le OF Opequan, he led the Eighth Yer
1ont and the Twelfth Connecticut in
ayonet charge, prefacing his order
nth this characteristic speech "Boys,
any OF you are in the habit OF pray 4
| hope you all are-pray '
ow, and pray quick and pray hard.
emember Ethan Allen and Old Yer
lont, and we will drive those fellows
hell, where they belong The bay
net charge that followed was reckon
l one OF the best achievements on
lat brilliant field and was an import
1t factor in that decisive engagement. a.
IL is not unjust to other brave otfi- \
RS to tell the truth that at soldiers :
unions the applause always reached
highest when Gen. Thomas appear.
!. lie was The idol of the common
ldiei, and the veterans seemed TO
ID year by year to their enthusiasm
the bluf-sometimes grutf and al
avs brave-old general.
After his retirement from the office
pension agent General Thomas en-
ged in manufacturing in Montpelier.
wing been president OF the United
ites Clothes Pin Co., which also did
general building material business.
was a suggestive sight to see the
teran, tar beyond the age when men
give up all business affairs.
ing daily TO his office at the COM
ly's works and devoting his time to
details of trade and manufacturing.
lis beloved daughter, Mrs. New
nb, who had guarded her revered
ent with tenderest tilial care, died N
denly in Washington while attend. ~
the annual Encampment of the
md Army OF the Republic, as a
nber OF the Woman's Relief Corps,
902-a severe shock to the old sol
:. Since the death OF the daughter
and Mrs. Newcomb, bis grand in
dren, have tenderly cared for their tLo
cradle relative. the