The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1921-07-21

but he was so well pleased with the
country that he concluded TO locate
IN this state.
Mr.. Thomas purchased land near
Richardson and lived on II until 1869,
when ne came 20 Dallas and engaged
in the mercantile business with j.
NJ. Patterson as his partner. For a
homestead he bought forty acres ly-
ing north Of Pearl street, bounded on
the west by Mckinney avenue and
on the south by the branch, and built
his home on the southeast corner OF
Mckinney avenue and Pearl street.
The tract was afterwards subdivided
into town lots and was designated the
Thomas addition Mrs. Thomas do
mated the lands for the streets. The
principal street, Thomas avenue, was
named for Mr.. Thomas, the chief
cross street was named for Mrs.
Thomas family, Routh street (pro-
nounced Rowth), and Colby street
for her son, Colby.
A Public Spirited Citizen.
For several years Mr.. Thomas was
member Of the leading general
mercantile firms in the city, and he
took an active interest in and gave
financial support 10 all public enter
prises, notably TO the Trinity River
bridge, in which he was a large stock
holder. He died in 1875.
Mrs. Thomas is Of English descent
on her mothers side. Her family set
tied in Tennessee when that state
was a wilderness roamed by Indians.
She still has a vivid recollection Of
the scenes Of her childhood. The
house in which she was born and
which she visited few years ago, is
still standing. She still keeps a little
chair which was presented to her
when she was a small child. The in
cidents Of the wagon journey from
Tennessee 10 Texas, occupying six
weeks, are fresh in her memory. She
knew personally, practically all the
early settlers in Dallas and Dallas
County.
OF the party who came 70 Texas
with Mrs. Thomas, she and Mrs. En-
ma Miller, Of Renner, Dallas county,
are the only survivors. For a num-
Der Of years Mrs. Thomas and her
daughter, Miss Mollie, have been the
only occupants Of the old homestead,
and the friends Of the family have
called regularly on the recurrence Of
the anniversary Of Mrs Thomas,
birthday 20 congratulate her. No in
vitations are sent out, but IL is known
that friends win call, for they call
every day
Oldest Baptist in City.
Mrs. Thomas enjoyed excellent
health up 10 two years ago. when an
attack Of Influenza seriously impair
ed her strength physically, although
her mind is as vigorous as Il ever was.
She Is the oldest member Of the Bap-
fist church in the city and she still
takes a lively interest in all church
work, contributing literally 10 every
good cause Her sons, Oliver and
Colby Thomas, were the founders Of
the real estate firm Of Thomas Bros.
and they built the Thomas building.
Oliver died several years ago. Colby
resides az Lubbock. Colby and Miss
Mollie Thomas are the only surviving
children Mrs Thomas has lived to
a greater age than any member Of
her family so fas as she knows, al
though her grandmother was in her
ninety-hrst year when she died.
Mrs. Thomas was born during the
administration Of John Quincy Adj
ans, sixth president Of the United
States; twenty-five years after the
purchase Of Louisiana; thirteen years
after the first boat propelled by
steam made is way up the Mississ-
ippi and Ohio Rivers from New Or
leans 90 Pittsburg. thereby Demon
strating that steamboats, could run
upstream az well as down, and one
year after the first train Of cars was
I drawn over a railroad by a locomo-
/ tive in the United States, the test
/ being made on narrow-gauge road
between Charleston and Columbia,
South Carolina.
At that time, which was before
I gold had been dreamed OF in Califor-
MIA, all that part OF the United States
west Of the Mississippi River, as well
I as much Of that east, was as complete
| a wilderness as il had been in the
/ time Of the mound builders, and the
/ Indians roamed as far east as the
\ frontier ~ Indiana. The last census
before her birth, taken in 1920, gave
the population Of the United States
at $500, 900.
Industries We're Undevcloped.
I The industries Of the people were
still carried on as they had been in