Home > United States of America > Iowa > Guthrie County > Guthrie Center > Union Cemetery > John Griffith Thomas

John Griffith Thomas

Birth	:	20 Dec 1849 Guernsey County, Ohio, USA
Death	:	31 Jan 1930 Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Union Cemetery, Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.6800680, -94.4917180
Plot	:	Mausoleum
Description	:	J.G. Thomas Gone On To His Reward Lived For Nearly Fifty Years in Guthrie County John G. Thomas, one of Guthrie counties most respected and useful citizens died at his late residence in Guthrie Center on last Friday evening, having lived in Guthrie county for nearly fifty years. When the late Senior editor of the Times came to Guthrie county some 46 years ago, J.G. Thomas was one of his first aquaintnces. Here a friendship was formed which lasted all down through the years until the editor's death about four years ago. They were great friends and we pause... Read More	J.G. Thomas Gone On To His Reward Lived For Nearly Fifty Years in Guthrie County John G. Thomas, one of Guthrie counties most respected and useful citizens died at his late residence in Guthrie Center on last Friday evening, having lived in Guthrie county for nearly fifty years. When the late Senior editor of the Times came to Guthrie county some 46 years ago, J.G. Thomas was one of his first aquaintnces. Here a friendship was formed which lasted all down through the years until the editor's death about four years ago. They were great friends and we pause here to say as we know our father would say if he were living - J.G. Thomas was a real man, and no better man ever lived. Obituary John G. Thomas was born in Guernsey county, Ohio on 29 October 1849 and died at his home in Guthrie Center 31 January 1930. He was the son of Enoch J. Thomas and Mary Ann Griffith Thomas and he labored on the farm with his father and attended school. After securing his education Mr. Thomas was a public teacher, then a station agent for the B.&O.R.R. in Ohio, and after that he was in the drug business. In the spring of 1881, Mr. Thomas came to Guthrie county and settled on the farm he ownd at the time of his death. On 4 December 1873, Mr. Thomas took as his wife Miss Margaret Angeline Finley of Guernsey county, Ohio. Mr. Thomas spent the rest of his years on the farm until he moved to Guthrie Center about 18 years ago. Mr. Thomas is survived by his four children: Horace, Carl, Ray and Miss Cora; by eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren; and by his brother Ed. Y. Thomas. Mrs. Thomas preceded Mr. Thomas in death. Mr. Thomas was always a very active man in the affairs of the county and community, He acted as township trustee and as county supervisor. He was also very active in church affairs, 36 years ago he united with the Presbyterian church here. He served as elder, clerk of session, delegate to presbytery many times, commissioner to Iowa Synond, as commissioner to General Assembly. He was thoroughly acquainted with the affairs of both nation and church and was widely read in both. The pastor of his church in paying tribute to his memory said of him that he was a Christian gentleman whose notable characteristics were courtesy, generosity, dependability, a good father and husband, a useful citizen, charitableness, and a man of inquiring mind. The funeral was held at the Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon in the presence of an audience that taxed the capacity of the building. A male quartet made up of members from several churches furnished comforting music. The community mourns the departure of Mr. Thomas. From Guthrie County, An Illustrious Past, A Great Future, ca 1976 John G. Thomas, wife Margaret and two sons, Horace and Carl came to Seeley township, section 35, Guthrie county in November 1881, one year after the railroad came to Guthrie Center. The original purchase of 80 acres was from the Rock Island Railroad for $640. The railroad had cancelled plans to build a line on west from Guthrie Center, so this land was offered for sale. All of the Thomas belongings, equipment and livestock was shipped from Senecaville, Ohio. This included household furnishings and such items as chickens, a pair of peacocks, hives of bees as well as cattle and hogs. It can be noted that there was great confusion at one point of the trip when the bees got out and stung the cattle. During the next twenty years a new home had been build on the site, now owned by Miss Mary Thomas. The original dwelling was on the south side of the road across from the present home. Two children, Ray F., 1885, and Cora E., had joined the household. At this point a law suit was brought against John Thomas claiming that title to his land was not clear and really owned by developers who had purchased railroad land in the area for speculation. John was given clear title to his land by the court. He continued to add to his acreage until at his death in 1930 he owned 640 acres all adjoining his original purchase. In 1906 a new home was build, 1/4 mile east of the original home and son, Carl Thomas, was to live there with his family and farm part of the land. Ruth T. Lennox, 1904, Rex W. 1906 and John S. 1915, were children of Carl and Nellie Washburn Thomas. Rex inherited the home after the death of his father in 1935. He was married to Muzette Wilson and to them was born one son, Carl Wilson Thomas, who now farms all of the J.G. Thomas land except the Ray Thomas 160 acres plus 80 acres of the Ed Thomas home farm. In 1969 Carl W. purchased 40 acres of the parcel which had been sold by heirs and also the 80 acres of the Ed Thomas farm. His father, Rex Thomas, had purchased 80 acres from the Horace Thomas estate to complete the return of the original acreage to the Thomas name. In 1910 Ray Thomas married Grace Beatty and to them the following children were born, Helen T. Wiseman, 1910; John Walker, 1913; and Mary Thomas, 1912, who now lives on the original Thomas homestead of 160 acres. John G. Thomas served on the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors and in 1922 retired after having advanced the completion of the Guthrie Center- Panora Road Project.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John Griffith Thomas's memorial?
John Griffith Thomas's memorial is located at: Union Cemetery, Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA.
When did John Griffith Thomas death?
John Griffith Thomas death on 31 Jan 1930 in Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the John Griffith Thomas's memorial?
Latitude: 41.6800680
Longitude: -94.4917180

Family Members:

Spouse

Margaret Angeline Finley Thomas

(1854 - 1917)

Children

(1874 - 1936)

(1879 - 1935)

(1885 - 1952)

(1887 - 1977)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Union Cemetery
Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6800680, -94.4917180

2. Valley Township Cemetery
Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6818390, -94.4879790

3. Resurrection Cemetery
Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6870003, -94.4550018

4. Maplewood Cemetery
Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6389020, -94.5224090

5. Victory Union Cemetery
Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7282982, -94.4738998

6. Monteith Cemetery
Monteith, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6307850, -94.4348130

7. West Cemetery
Panora, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6925011, -94.3780975

8. Moffit Grove Cemetery
Yale, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7668991, -94.4539032

9. Brethren Cemetery
Panora, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7170050, -94.3674620

10. Bear Grove Cemetery
Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6455994, -94.6194000

11. Dalmanutha Cemetery
Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5867004, -94.5543976

12. Seeley Township Cemetery
Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7318993, -94.6147003

13. Glendon Cemetery
Glendon, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5985240, -94.4018810

14. East Greenwood Cemetery
Panora, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6869011, -94.3375015

15. Yale Cemetery
Yale, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7690000, -94.3585000

16. Dodge Center Cemetery
Bagley, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8194008, -94.4697037

17. Morrisburg Cemetery
Dale, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5983009, -94.3193970

18. Highland Cemetery
Bayard, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.8241997, -94.5717010

19. Union Township Cemetery
Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7391450, -94.6858030

20. Spring Valley Cemetery
Casey, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5220000, -94.5046000

21. Rosehill Cemetery
Menlo, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5335999, -94.4052963

22. Menlo Cemetery
Menlo, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5321999, -94.4028015

23. Stanfield Cemetery
Casey, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.5124870, -94.5016370

24. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
North Branch, Guthrie County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6603012, -94.7236023