The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-12-24

Lie Q6H6n OF General stephen
Thomas occurred on Friday afternoon,
Dec. 1S, at twenty minutes of three
O'Clock. He had been in an uncon
soious condition for nearly twenty
four hours and did not arouse. He
simply fell asleep.
Stephen Thomas, son of John
Thomas and Rebecca (Batchellor)
Thomas, and grandson of Joseph
Thomas and Hannah (Vickery)
Thomas, was born in Bethel, VT,
Dec 6, 1909, His grandfather, Jo-
seph, served in the Revolutionary War,
and was Lieutenant in New Hamp-
shire regiment in the Saratoga cam
paign, and his father, John, was a
soldier in the Thirty first regiment.
United States infantry, in the war of
1919, and died from exposure in SER
vice at Plattsburgh.
Stephen was but four when his
father died, and his widowed mothers
circumstances were such that he had
to go to work when mere boy. He
went to district school in Thetford,
and at eighteen was apprenticed to q
wooden manufacturer, and followed
his trade in Thetford, Strafford and
West Fairee. He started manufac-
turing 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 also pension
business, and was soon the leading
man Of affairs in town.
He represented West Fairlee in the
House in 1888 1889, 1S45, 1916, 1860
and 1861, and was State senator from
Orange county in lS4S and 1S49. He
was delegate to the constitutional
conventions of 1S43 and 1850, register
of probate for the district of Bradford
from 1912 to 1916. and judge of probate
for that district from 1S4T to 1S49.
Judge Thomas was active in poll.
tics, and an earnest Democrat till the
rebellion began. He was an alternate
TO the Democratic national convention
of l84S, and delegate to the next
three conventions, those Of 1852, 1856
and 1860. At the sessions of the con-
vention of 1860, at Charleston, S. c.,
and Baltimore, he became convinced
of the set design of southern Demo-
Gratis to break the Union if they could
not control it. He was the Democratic
candidate for lieutenant governor in
1860, and earnestly advocated the elec-
tion of Douglas on the stump.
A5 the special session called by
Gov. Fairbanks a5 the outbreak of the
rebellion in April, 1861, the greatest
sum proposed to be raised for war pur-
poses was half million dollars, but
Judge Thomas urged with energy that
it be million-and his fiery zeal car
ried the appropriation which he we'll
knew would be needed.
November H. 1861, he was made
colonel of the Eighth Vermont, which
regiment he raised and led to the
South, remaining its Colonel till
January 81, 1865. February'1, 1865,
he was commissioned brigadier- gem
eral Of volunteers, and served as such
till Aug. "a, 1865. He was elected
lieutenant. governor in 1867 and 1868,
and under commission from President
Grant was pension agent for Vermont,
with headquarters at Montpelier,
from 1870 to 1877.
Gen. Thomas served with distinc-
tion in the department OF the gulf till
1854, when his regiment was ordered
North and in the summer of that year
put under Sheridan in the Shenandoah
Valley. His services at the battles OF
Winchester, Fishers Hill and Cedar
Greek were of the highest order. He
was commended in general orders for
at Winche ,ter, Sept. 49,, 1854,
when he charged with the Eighth
Vermont and Twelfth Connecticut I'M
der his command, on his own RESPONSE
bility.
1t is not unjust to other brave off,
GERS to tell the truth that at soldiers
reunions the applause always reached
its highest when Gen. Thomas 'ap.
peared. He was the idol OF the COM
mon soldier, and the veterans seem to
add year by year to their enthusiasm
for the bluff-sometimes gruff and
always brave--old general.
Gen. Thomas married Ann Peabody
of Reading, Vt, who died at West
VT, Jan. 8. 1877, They had
two children-Hartopp of Junction
City, Wis, and Amanda T., widow of
Luther Newoomb, who was many
years county clerk at Montpelier.
Since the death of his wife Gen.
Thomas had made his home at Mont.
peler with his daughter, Mrs. New
comb. He had held the highest places