OBIT:  THOMAS, John D.; 1907; Cambria Cnty., PA

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Cambria Freeman
Ebensburg, Pa.
Friday, 28 Jun 1907
Volume 41, Number 26


Hon. J. D. Thomas in Last Sleep!
Former Cambria Judge Dies at Home of His Daughter in 
Altoona, One of the Old-Line Democrats.

The Hon. John D. Thomas, one of the best known citizens of 
Cambria County, died Thursday afternoon at 6:30 o'clock at 
the home of his daughter, Mrs. Anna Bertram of Altoona. 
While Judge Thomas, as he was widely known, having been an 
associate Judge in this county many years ago, had not been 
in good health for some time past, the end came very 
unexpectedly and as a result of heart failure. He had been 
ill only since one o'clock Thursday afternoon when he was 
seized with [a] weak spell.

Immediately following the closing of the June term of 
court, the deceased, who since the election of Judge 
O'Connor, had been a special court officer, left the 
Mountain House in Ebensburg where he had been living and 
went to visit his daughter in Altoona in order to secure a 
needed rest.

For over half a century John D. Thomas was actively 
identified with the affairs of Cambria County both in a 
business and in a political way.  In 1867 Mr. Thomas was 
elected to the office of Poor Director after a stubbornly 
contested campaign and served in that then very important 
office with great satisfaction to the people of Cambria 
County for three years.

In 1876 Mr. Thomas was elected to the office of Associate 
Judge of Cambria County and served in that office for a 
period of five years until the office of Associate Judge 
was abolished in Cambria County.

Judge Thomas was always a staunch Democrat and took a great 
interest in politics up to the time of his death.

He was born in Germany in 1832 and came to this country 
when he was three years old with his parents, John and Ann 
Mary Thomas, who settled in Chest Township, where they 
cleared a farm and raised their family.  It was in 1862 
Judge Thomas married Elizabeth Todd, an Ebensburg girl. To 
this union were born the following surviving children:  
George, living in Ohio; Harry of Barnesboro; John of 
Monessen; Anna, wife of Harry Bertram of Altoona, and 
Mollie, wife of M. J. Stoltz, proprietor of the Mountain 
House of this place.

After the death of his first wife, Judge Thomas was united 
in marriage to Mrs. Catharine Keech, a Pittsburg lady, who 
preceded the Judge to the grave some years ago. To this 
union there was born no children.

Judge Thomas lived in Ebensburg from 1858 until the year 
1878.  While here he worked at his trade, being a boot and 
shoemaker.  In 1878 he removed with his family to Summit, 
this county, where he conducted a hotel for a year or two, 
after which he removed to South Fork. From South Fork, 
Judge Thomas removed to Johnstown where he continued to 
live for several years when he returned to the north of the 
county and took up his residence at "Half Way House," for 
many years a hotel located about midway between Ebensburg 
and Carrolltown on the "Plank Road," and which was 
conducted until eight or ten years ago by Judge Thomas.

After the death of his second wife, Judge Thomas came to 
Ebensburg and has made his home here most of the time 
since.

Besides the above named children, the deceased is survived 
by the following brothers and sisters: Jacob of Patton; 
Valentine of Carrolltown; Martin of Chest township; Mrs. 
George Kibler of Elder township; Mrs. Mary Yahner of Chest 
township; and Mrs. Christena Langbein of Patton.

Funeral services will take place in Altoona on Saturday 
morning when a Requiem High Mass will be celebrated in one 
of the Catholic churches in that city, after which the 
remains will be brought to Ebensburg for interment Saturday 
afternoon in the old Catholic Cemetery beside the remains 
of this first wife.