New-York tribune., 1911-01-18
SURROGATE THOMAS DEAD
Stricken with ApOpIexy While at
His Office Last Thursday.

Surrogate Abner c Thomas died early
yesterday morning at MS nome No. oi'
West sith street AZ MS bedside al the
time OF his death were Mrs Ihomas' h'S
daughters. Mrs. Kearneay W. Lester' IT,
the Misses Lucy Cary ana htnel Tho'has'
his son and the family physician Dr. 81
Clair Smith.
While a. his Office last Thursday the sur
rogate was stricken with apopleKy. lie
was taken 10 his home and Dr. smith was
hur-iedly called Late Monday night II De
came evident that his chance OF recover
was slight and the family was sunitnoheu
To- his bedside Soon after midnlghI he
lapsed into inconsistencies. ana ne uleo
shortly after o'clock.
No definite arrangements Tor the lu"e' a.
have been made. but IL was Announces a.
his home that the services would proOao'S
be held I'm St. Agnes Protestant EpiscoPa'
Church. g2d street. near Columbus avenue
on Friday az 1890 o'clock
out OF respect 70 the memory oil ms aS-
sociate. Surrogate Thomas, Surrogate 'oi'
p. CohaIan adjourned court YESTERDAY y
surrorars Cohalan also took occasion 70
deliver some words Of eulogy. saying sur
rosate Thomas had died martyr 10 MS
official duty, having continued a'
v hen barely able 10 do so.
I'm hts death" said Surrogate Cohalan'
the bar has lost an able ana up''e"'
Judge, the people have lost neNo's'
want and I have lost valued associaN
and true friend" -.
Justice Giegerich. in the supreme court,
also delivered a tribute TO tho aolilty anu
Integrity of the late surrogate
Abner G.. Thomas was born IN Brook IN
on January 9 lS44. on the paLerndI s'us
he was descended from Jacob l12i,iaS; 1,,i,,ai .
Welsh Quaker who settled near PhlIantt
Dhia I'm the latter part of the seVenteenu,
century. His great -grandtato"r' W.
Thomas. also Quaker, was Wen KuoN, sI.,r- -,
&c an evangelist during the ReEoiuupn",:
| War rerind Ills father. the Rev Abel 9.
| Thomas was one Of the first ministers ~
! the Triversalist faith in this countri.
| on his maternal side Mr.. Thomas Ia,'n
| his ancestry 10 Puritan stock. Ills mother
was a descendant 81 Walter Palmer. win
| can1o ~ America IN 1920. Miles StanaisH'
| Governor John Bradford and the Rev. John
Robinson. Of the Plymouth colony We's re-
Mr. Thomas was educated in the pubic
schools ~ Philadelphia and then attelur.
I the Polytechnic college. OF thai 'liy' iIo''s
which ha was graduated win the aegIe" u
civil engineer. He was engaged foT severn
| veH-s iu various surveying ent"TpT'see'
making "a specialtv OF railroad sIrEe. ms
| Forsa king this line. he began the study ~
| lnv- IN the office Of Henry :. Sanford, of
| Bridgeport Conn. and IN 1865 ne came 10
! this city ana soon entered the Ia" "H'c'S
/ VI Benedict d BOardman. The sam" year
/ ne was admitted 70 the bar.
! For about ten years Mr. Thomas devoted
I practically his whole time 70 the practice
/ ~ his profession, attaining prominent
! place in the legal world. lie then made ms
entry into politics as a supporter r.. hent:
: George in the mayOTalty campaign 0i 1850
After the defeat OF his candidat" ahc
( OF his party he took an active part IN
/ the forming OF the United Ia Dor party
l and In 1857 was made the uouiHr" or thai
J party FOR Justice Of the supreme Court
/ he became member Ot the COUNTY uc-
mOcraCy When the coalition against Tam
many was formed in 1890 he was nominated
3 FOR Justice Of the city Court. largely
through the influence of the Central Labor
! Union. After the dissolution ot the COUNTY
/ U.utocrlcy ne allied himself with the am
{ many organization and In 1899 was elected
. Surrogate for term Of fourteen years.
Mr. Thomas was one of the founders ol
. The Anti Poverty Society, and also helpec
. 20 organize The Metropolis Law School II
+ 1891 In the spring of that year. a. tnt
tered hy the Board Of State Regents. Ht
served a. dean Of that institution until M
voluntary retirement IN 1885, when tu'
school was merged with the Law school o.
the University OF the city Of Ne" Oh
. lrov New York University. becoming II
/ evcninC division. He then was induced q
become honorary lecturer on the law ot rea
property IN the university school, pl4c'
he held until his death.
NJ Thomas was a member OF the Bal
/ Association and the Law Institute and o.
the Democratic and other clubs.