Elias M. Thomas Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 599-600

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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ELIAS M. THOMAS, ex-soldier and deputy county treasurer of Beadle 
county, South Dakota, residing in Huron, comes of Revolutionary stock. 
His great-grandfather, who bore the same name as our subject, fought in 
the Revolution as captain of an independent company of Vermonters. He 
brought home as a souvenir of the capturing of Burgoyne's army, an old 
flintlock rifle, which our subject has in his possession. Our subject, 
who represents the fourth generation of the family who bore the name of 
Elias Thomas, was a native of McHenry county, Illinois, and was born 
August 3, 1847, the third of a family of six children born to Elias A. 
and Hester A. (Snow) Thomas. Our subject is the only surviving member 
of the family. The father opened a pioneer farm in Illinois, and it was 
here our subject was reared and received his education. After service 
in the Civil war he resided with his father until 1871, when he went to 
Chicago and was employed as bookkeeper. In 1875 he established a drug 
business in Arlington Heights, a suburb of Chicago, and became a 
registered pharmacist. In the spring of 1883 he went to Dakota, and 
with J. B. Weeks embarked in the real estate business, in which he was 
engaged until 1886. He worked with the American Investment Company, and 
in 1891 became a teacher in the Indian Industrial School for boys, at 
Fort Bennett, South Dakota. He afterward run the Windsor Hotel, in 
Huron, and in 1896 he was chosen deputy treasurer of Beadle county, 
which position he is filling in an able manner. He was married in 1868 
to Miss Ruth Henion, a native of Michigan. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have 
been born three daughters: Clare, now Mrs. A. C. Voss, of Iowa; Ella, 
now Mrs. C. O. Loring, of Michigan; and Ruth S., who resides with her 
parents. 

Mr. Thomas enlisted for his country's cause February 22, 1864, in 
Company G, Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He at once moved 
to the seat of activity and was engaged in the campaign around Atlanta, 
and joined in the siege of Atlanta, afterward going with Sherman to the 
sea, thence up through the Carolinas, to the Grand Review at 
Washington. He was mustered out at Chicago, July 12, 1865, having been 
in the fiercest of the fight, and standing at his post with a fortitude 
remarkable in one so young in years. He is a member of the G. A. R. and 
the Union Veterans Union. In the former commandery he was assistant 
adjutant of the state, and in the latter he is senior vice commander 
and colonel. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and the Knights 
of Pythias. In political views he favors equal suffrage, is a 
Republican, and advocates high license for control of liquor.