Morris tribune., 1914-01-09
7. THOMSON DEAD.
Stevens County Pioneer Passes
Away in Idaho.

Old residents Of this county will
learn with sorrow of the death Of
Thomas Thomason, formerly pioneer
and honored resident of this county.
Mr.. Thomason died last Tuesday.
The following notice is taken from
the Pend d'oreille Review. of Sand
Point -
Thomas Thomason, one of the city's
most respected citizens and father of
the Thomason brothers of the Thoma-
son Brothers Hardware Co., died at
2 :45 Tuesday afternoon at his resid-
ence, 719 Third avenue. The cause
of death was general debility. Mr..
Thomason going into. a decline fol-
lowing the death of his wife in
February, 1911. a month after
which he was operated upon by the
Drs. Mayo at Rochester, recovering
from the operation but never surviv-
ing the tax upon his powers of re.
cuperation.
Mr.. Thomason's early history as
pioneer in Minnesota was romantic
and exciting. He was born at Ar
rendal, Norway, October 3, 1889.
He came to America as young man
and settled in Dane county, Wiscon-
sin. He farmed in Dane county and
followed bis trade as carpenter for
several years in Madison and was
married in the Wisconsin state capital
to Georgine Baker in 1865. Two
years later Mr.. and Mrs. Thomason
started out with an OK team and COW
cred wagon for Minnesota. They went
furtherest west" and made their
home on the very frontier, travelling
through the then frontier town of st.
Paul and stopping on their way to
camp on ground that is now the site
of the Minnesota state university.
The frontier place of their residence
was $50 miles northwest of Min.
neapolis where the town of Norris
now stands. Here Mr.. Thomason
was the postmaster and dispatched the
mails to the early white settlers.
The post was known as Scandia from
the fact that the settlement was en-
Etirely composed Of Scandinavians. It
was the land of the Chippewas and
Sioux and brushes with the Indians
were numerous. Mr.. Thomason was
first liuetenant of the frontier posts
military company and as such had
charge of the rifles and ammunition
for Indian fighting, the military
supplies being kept in the post
. office.
Later on as the town of Morris
; grew and the county of Stevens de.
veloped. Mr.. Thomason was recog.
nized as one of the communitv's fore
most citizens and was a county COM
missioner and for 16 years clerk of
the court of Stevens county. from
1888 to 1902. From 1900 to 1904
he and his son Hegbert E. were in
the land and real estate business at
J Morris.
; In 1904 Mr.. Thomason accompanied
his SONS Hegbert E. and Lawrence G.
} to Standpoint where his sons bought
} the hardware business then conducted
by E. D. Farmin, and which has since
been continued under the firm name
of Thomason Bros. Hardware com.
pany with Hilfred Thomason as the
! third member of the firm. Hegbert E.
recently selling his stock in the COM
pany to the two brothers mentioned.
: MIR. Thomason took no active part in
this business and retired from active
t pursuits with the commencement of
} his residence here.
D The children are: Mrs. E. A.
Hage of Govan. Sask.. Miss Josie
: Thomason who made her home with
her father, A. T.. Mrs. Nick Haug-
! ness, II. E., H. L., and L. G.
, Thomason No brothers or sisters
: survive.
Mr.. Thomason was member of
the Norwegian Lutheran church.
: The funeral occurred from the family
. residence at 10 clock this morning.
] Rev. A M. Siondov officiating.
8 Mr.. Thomason was q man of ster-
o ling integrity, Of steadfast friendships
3 and charming personality. He was
: respected by the community as one OF
its best and foremost citizens and al
a man of fine Christian character. He
believed in living by the golden rule
o. and followed it precepts in his every
e day life. Few finer characters thar
t his are known to this earth
?