Bienville County Louisiana Archives Biographies.....Thomas Family, James ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Karen Garrett colvin_garrett@bellsouth.net June 29, 2006, 10:11 pm Author: Ruth Thomas Hawthorne in History of Bienville Parish James Thomas, born ca 1832 probably in South Carolina, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Thomas, came to Bienville Parish right after the 1850 Census was taken. He served in Co. F 2nd LA Cav. CSA. In 1864 he married Ophelia Riddlehoover Mobley, born 1837, died 1895 and buried in Old Saline Cemetery, daughter of John and Addiah Riddlehoover. Ophelia first married Joseph Mobley and had one son, George Mobley, born ca 1861. To the union of James and Ophelia Thomas, the Lord added ten children. They were: James G. Thomas born ca 1865 Elizabeth Thomas, born ca 1867, married W. L. Ross Laura Thomas, born ca 1869, married J. P. Wright Margaret A. Thomas, born 1871, died 1954, was first married to Charles Fields and second to Pierce Whitman Geneva Thomas never married. She was born ca 1873 Winnie Thomas, born 1876, died 1963, married John H. Bogan. She is buried in Old Castor Cemetery Hattie Thomas, born ca 1878, married Eddie Garrett Duncan Thomas died at an early age. He was born ca 1875 Liberty Thomas, born 1888, died 1964, married Ellen Jackson. They are buried in Old Saline Cemetery Anderson Owen Thomas, born 1882, married Annie Elizer Jackson, born 1885 Georgia, the daughter of John W. and Carrie Michael Jackson. My grandfather and grandmother moved on a farm on the Ashland-Saline highway soon after marriage and raised their children there. Then after Grand- father died, my daddy Anderson Owen Thomas bought the farm of two hundred acres from the other children who had moved to other parts of the country, and lived there with his wife, Annie E. Jackson Thomas. To their union was added three sons and one girl. They were: Clyde Duval Thomas of Castor, born 1905; John Draper Thomas, born 1907, deceased; Ruez Owen Thomas, deceased; and Ruth Thomas Hawthorne (me). My Dad was born on that two hundred acre farm three miles from Ashland and nine miles from Saline. He had one hundred acres in farm land and one hundred acres in wooded area, raised cotton, corn, and of course watermelons. They attended Old Saline Baptist Church and all my grandparents were buried there. When Ruez Thomas was about nine years old, my mother decided to adopt a baby girl from the Methodist Orphange in Ruston, Louisiana. My Mom went by train to Ruston, brought me home as a baby and gave me the name Ruth from the Bible name Ruth, and that completed their family. My adopted Dad and Mom were wonderful parents to me and I loved them dearly. They were like my own and I've never had any desire to know any different. They worked hard on the farm for many years. In 1950, they moved away from the farm and came to Shreveport, Louisiana and lived their several years and then went back to Castor, Louisiana where my brother, Clyde Thomas, lived and still lives. They saw two of their sons died before they did, Draper and Ruez. My Dad lived to be ninety-eight years of age and Mom ninety-two, both are buried in Old Saline Cemetery where they attended church regulary when they lived on the farm. Mom and Dad were the grandparents of six children but lived to see only eight great-grandchildren. Additional Comments: Hattie Thomas married Edward Thomas Garrett on 11 Dec 1904 in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. They resided in Winn Parish until her death 11 Apr 1950 and his death 25 Jul 1964. They are both buried in Bethlehem Cemetery near Calvin, Louisiana. They were the parents of seven children: An unnamed infant, ca 1905 Brithol Garrett, born 1907, married Emma Taylor, one daughter Douglas Elonzo, born 25 Apr 1909, married Ellen Carter, six children Hubbard Edward, born 9 Sep 1911, married Lettie Holloway, one son Winnie Ophelia, born 5 Oct 1913, married 1st Edward Megison, 2nd Charles E. Pardue, 3rd Harry Schiable, four children Smith Newell Garrett, born 6 Sep 1915, married Virginia Towns, one dau. Thomas Parker Garrett, born 27 Apr 1921, married Rachel Green File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/bienville/bios/thomasfa15gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/lafiles/ File size: 4.7 Kb