Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-06-10
MIR. EpwARp THOMAS DEAD.


home at Sharon last Sunday morning
at 10 minutes past 10 o'clock, after an
illness, beginning during the preceed-
ing Friday. He had enjoyed his usu-
al good health up to the time last
and his unexpected death
came as a severe shock to his immedi-
ate family as we'll as to his many
friends.
Mr.. Thomas was a native Of Wales.
He was born in the town Of Caddy-
stone, in the county Of Glamagan-
shire, on January s, 1925, and spent his
early life among the coal mines, the !;
great iron works and the machine
shops of his native land. He was
raised as a machinist and served q
long and strict apprenticeship as a
steam engineer. His first regular en-
ployment was in the original Tredegar
Iron works, of Wales. Then, for sew
eral years he was an engineer on q
channel tug boat and after that he
became q locomotive runner. --s'
Having made himself thoroughly
proficient in all the branches Of his
trade, Mr.. Thomas sailed for the Uni
ted States in the spring Of. 1852. He
landed at New York in the month OF
June, and from there went to Charles
ton, S. c., reaching that place the next
month, and leaving there In the fol-
lowing September for Yorkville to
take q position as locomotive runner
for the old Kings Mountain railroad,
which had just been completed be-
tween Yorkville and Chester. He re-
manned with the Kings Mountain rail-
road until shortly after the breaking
out Of the war, when he became at
tached to the service Of the Confedera-
cy, not exactly as an enlisted man; but
rather as most faithful and trusted
servant. On more than one occasion he
took train orders" direct from Gems.
Lee and Jackson and at their request
performed important and
hazardous duties.
After the war, Mr.. Thomas returned
to Yorkville and rehabilitated the rail-
road which had been torn up for mill
tary purposes, and got the line In run
ming shape again. He remained with
the company through various vicissi-
tudes. serving as master mechanic,
engineer and conductor, and at the
Of the Chester and Lenoir
company was made superintendent, In
which capacity he served for a num-
ber Of years until about 1878.
When he left the railroad, Mr..
Thomas conducted small machine
shop in Yorkville; but after a year or
two decided to remove to Blacksburg,
where he remained for several years,
working in the machine shops there.
Then he removed to Sharon, purchased
a home and settled down for the pur-
pose of enjoying peacefully his re-
years.
Mr. Thomas was married twice. His
first wife was Miss Dinah Jones. The
marriage took place in Wales, and his
wife came with him to America In
1852. AS the result Of this marriage
there. were thirteen children, all of
whom, with the exception Of the first,
being born in the United States. Only
four-two sons and two daughters
survive him. His second marriage
was with Miss Jane A. Adams, then
residing near Bowling Green in York
county. The marriage took place on
December IS, 1878, and the second Mrs.
Thomas survives.
For great many years, Mr.. Thomas
was a member Of the Methodist Epis-
copal church,. but there being no
church of that denomination near
Sharon, where he had selected to
spend his remaining years, he decided
to connect himself with the PresDyte-
rian church, to which Mrs. Thomas
had originally belonged, and they went
together into that denomination. Mr..
Thomas soon became ruling elder In
Woodlawn Presbyterian church and he
held that office at the time Of his
death.
In addition 20 being faithful Chris
tian, Mr.. Thomas was an enthusiastic
Mason. He stood high in the order,
and was much esteemed by his broth
er Masons.
The funeral service took place at his
home on Sunday evening at o'clock.
the services being conducted by Rey.
P. B. Ingraham. The interment took
place in the Yorkville cemetery on
morning at 11.3O, with Mason
c ceremonies.