Eli Thomas Biography


	This biography appears on page 160 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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				ELI THOMAS. 

	Eli Thomas has since September, 1903, been engaged in the 
publication of the Armour Chronicle-Tribune, which is one of the 
leading weekly papers of the southern section of the state. A native of 
England, he was born in Churchstanton, Devonshire, January 24, 1867, 
and is a son of John and Mary Ann (Whitefield) Thomas. His education 
was acquired in schools of his native country and there he learned the 
carpenter,s trade. He was twenty four years of age when he left England 
and sought a home in the new world, making his way in 1891 to Howard, 
South Dakota, where for ten years he engaged in carpentering. On the 
expiration of that period, however, he became identified with 
journalism and has since been active in that field. It was in 1901 that 
he purchased the Howard Democrat, a weekly paper which he continued to 
edit and publish for eighteen months. In September, 1903, he purchased 
the Armour Chronicle-Tribune, which he has now owned and published for 
twelve years. He keeps in touch with that progress which has 
characterized newspaper publication in the last few years and has made 
the Chronicle-Tribune one of the leading weekly papers of the southern 
part of the state. He is well known in newspaper circles and enjoys the 
highest respect of colleagues and contemporaries. 

	On the 3d of October, 1891, Mr. Thomas was united in marriage to 
Miss Matilda Dunbar, her parents being Robert and Betsy Dunbar, natives 
of Wellington, Somerset, England. In his political views Mr. Thomas is 
a republican and supports the principles of that party through the 
columns of his paper. He is well known in fraternal connections, 
holding membership in Arcania Lodge, No. 97, F. & A. M.; Yankton 
Consistory, S. P. R. S.; El Riad Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Sioux 
Falls; the Knights of Pythias lodge; and the Modern Woodmen camp. His 
loyalty to the teachings of these organizations has made him one of 
their valued representatives and the spirit of helpfulness which 
constitutes the basic element in each finds expression in his life. He 
has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new 
world. He brought with him no false ideas that success was to be had 
for the asking and, basing his advancement upon energy, close 
application and persistency of purpose, he has steadily worked his way 
upward.