BIO: Samuel THOMAS, Beaver County, PA
  
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson
  
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  BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES.  This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches 
  of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.  Buffalo, N.Y., 
  Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 322-325.
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  SAMUEL THOMAS, deceased, was for many years an extensive farmer and
  sheep-raiser of Beaver county, in which he lived all his life. A man of
  exceedingly strong character and excellent habits, he was greatly respected
  by all with whom he was acquainted, and his friends were without number. He
  was born in Chippewa township, Beaver county, March 6, 1818, and was a son of
  Elam and Barbara (Baker) Thomas. Elam Thomas, the father of Samuel, was a
  native of Wales, and after coming to this country spent most of his life in
  Beaver county, in that section which is now Lawrence county. As a result of
  his union with Barbara Baker, eight children, all of whom are now deceased,
  were born, the youngest of them being our subject.
  
  Samuel Thomas spent ten years of his early life with an uncle, during which
  time he acquired the money with which he bought a farm of one-hundred acres
  in Beaver county, the one on which Mrs. Thomas now lives. The farm was
  partially cleared and he leased it until after his marriage, when, on April
  3, 1848, they moved upon it. He had taught school prior to his marriage, and
  continued so to do for two terms thereafter. They lived in a rude old log
  house until about twenty years ago, when he erected the one which now stands.
  In addition to the home farm, he owned a property of one hundred and
  twenty-three acres, which he cultivated, but since his death, it has been
  sold. He was a great sheep-raiser, having some 300 head of the finest in the
  county. Mr. Thomas was called to his final rest in 1883, and his widow has
  since very successfully managed the farm, which is worked by her brother,
  William T.
  
  On December 7, 1847, he formed a matrimonial alliance with Eliza Jane Crans,
  a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Thomas) Crans, and a granddaughter of John
  Crans, who was a native of New York State, but moved to Ohio in early life.
  Mrs. Thomas was born December 8, 1824, and was one of a family of ten
  children, eight of whom now live, as follows: Eliza Jane, the wife of Samuel
  Thomas; Mary Ann; John J.; Ellen J.; Laura; William T.; Elizabeth; and James.
  
  BEAVER COUNTY  325
  
  Those deceased are David R. and Julius L., both of whom were taken ill and
  died while serving in the army during the Civil War. After the death of her
  husband, Mrs. Thomas, who has no children of her own, adopted Maggie E. Ruby,
  whose family lives in Franklin township. She is a woman of sympathetic and
  charitable disposition, and has many friends who love her for her excellent
  traits of character. She is a remarkably well preserved lady, for one of her
  years.
  
  Mr. Thomas was what may be termed a home man, a good husband, and very fond
  of the society of his wife. He had excellent habits, using neither tobacco
  nor intoxicating liquors. In politics, he supported the Republican party, but
  favored the cause of Prohibition. He was not an aspirant to office, yet served
  as supervisor. Religiously, he was a faithful member of the Baptist church, as
  is his widow, and for forty years was a deacon in the church.