Levi J. Thomas Biography


	This biography appears on pages 503-504 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				LEVI J. THOMAS. 

	Levi J. Thomas, state grand master of the Ancient Order of United 
Workmen and the present mayor of Ipswich, was born in Greensburg, 
Pennsylvania, on the 1st of April, 1878, a son of William W. and Lucy 
A. (Slough) Thomas, the father a native of Akron, Ohio, and the mother 
of Dubuque, Iowa. They were married in Westmoreland county, 
Pennsylvania, where Mr. Thomas was employed in the coal mines, and 
after residing for some years in the east they came to South Dakota in 
1886, settling on a farm in Edmunds county, about fifteen miles 
southwest of Ipswich, where they still reside. 

	Levi J. Thomas was a lad of eight years at the time the family 
came to this state and in the district schools he pursued his 
education, while his early training was that of the farm. He continued 
to assist in the work of the fields until 1898, when at the age of 
twenty years he left the old home and took up his abode in Ipswich, 
securing employment in the American House. Some months later the 
proprietor of the hotel died and Mr. Thomas took over the business, 
conducting the hotel for three years. During the succeeding two years 
he was engaged in the grain business and in 1905 he was appointed to 
the position of deputy county treasurer. In 1906 he was elected county 
registrar of deeds, taking office on the 1st of January, 1907, and 
serving for four years or two terms, during which he made a most 
creditable record. Following the expiration of his second term in this 
office he was appointed deputy auditor and acted in that capacity for 
two years, while in May, 1913, he was elected state grand master of the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen and in May of 1915 was reelected to the 
office. 

	In his political views Mr. Thomas is a republican and has not 
only filled the offices already mentioned but for several years served 
as a member of the town board and was one of the dominant factors in 
bringing about the incorporation of Ipswich as a city in the year 1908. 
In 1911 he was elected mayor, in which capacity he is now serving for 
the third term, his reelections indicating clearly how efficient he has 
been in office, giving to the city a businesslike administration in 
which he avoids equally useless extravagances and needless 
retrenchments. He is actuated in his official duties by a desire to 
benefit the city in every possible way, keeping it in touch with modern 
municipal improvements, and at the same time its business affairs are 
managed with the care which he would give to a private business 
concern. 

	In 1899 Mr. Thomas was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Lawrence, 
of Ipswich, South Dakota, by whom he has four living children, namely: 
Adelaide, Everett, Donald and Margaret. Mrs. Thomas is a daughter of 
James and Annie (McCrimmon) Lawrence, natives of England and Scotland 
respectively and early settlers of Edmunds county. The father is 
deceased, and the mother now resides in Ipswich. 

	Mr. Thomas, fraternal relations are with the following 
organizations: Devotion Lodge, No. 76, A. F. & A. M.; Ipswich Chapter, 
No. 111, O. E. S., to which his wife also belongs; Ipswich Lodge, No. 
135, A. O. U. W.; the Degree of Honor, with which his wife is also 
connected; and the Knights of the Maccabees. Mrs. Thomas and her eldest 
daughter are members of the Congregational church. The family is one of 
prominence in the community, occupying a leading position in social 
circles, and in those things which touch the general interests of 
society Mr. Thomas has been most active, while his efforts have been 
far reaching and beneficial.