RICHARD RAWLINS THOMAS, a representative citizen of Morris township, is a son of Rev. John Thomas, who was a native of Wales, born in the year 1800, near Swansea, in Glamorganshire. John Thomas' father died when he was but a small boy, and his widowed mother, inspired by a desire to give her two sons the best possible chance, immigrated to America in 1819. Landing at Philadelphia, they at once proceeded to Indiana county, Penn., where they located, and the support of the mother fell upon the two sons. John, the father of our subject, had learned the trade of a weaver in his native country. He became an expert, and was enabled to make it pay him well. At the same time he occupied his leisure time in obtaining an education and in fitting himself for the ministry. Having progressed sufficiently to prepare himself for teaching, he afterward taught school at various places, among the others, at Morgantown, West Va. He then began preaching, to which he devoted himself the remainder of his life. Among the different places at which he preached were Mt. Herman, Beulah, Bethlehem, Ruff Creek and other places in that section. On October 27, 1824, Rev. Mr. Thomas married Jane Roberts, daughter of William Roberts, who was a native of Wales, and a wealthy merchant and prominent man on Cambria county, where Mr. Thomas owned a farm. Later they removed to Fayette county, near Westmoreland county. Here he remained some time, when he removed to Monongalia county, West Virginia. To the union of John Thomas and Jane Roberts, children were born as follows: William R., December 14, 1825; Elizabeth, October 6, 1827; Mary Jane, March 20, 1829; John P., January 15, 1832; James Estep, March 11, 1834; Richard Rawlins, January 14, 1837; Harriet Eliza, October 10, 1839; Anna A. Judson. June 29, 1842; and Shadrach and Martha (twins), December 7, 1843. Mary, wife of James Vandyke, now resides at California, Penn.; John P. and William R. live in Indiana county, and are prominent coal operators; Anna A. Judson Thomas died March 12,1843; James E. was a member of the Twelfth Regiment, P. V. I. during the late war, and died in the service March 21, 1862; Harriet, wife of William McCollum, resides near Amity, Penn.; Shadrach and Martha were twins; Shadrach, a successful truck gardener, lives near Pittsburgh; Martha was married to Boyd Emery, of Amwell township, and died in March, 1875; Elizabeth died June 3, 1829. Richard Rawlins Thomas was born January 14, 1837, in Fayette county, Penn., near George's creek. He received only a common-school education, and made his home with his parents until he was thirteen years of age, when he left home to battle with the world on his own account, using his own language- "with only one extra shirt, a straw hat and no shoes." For twelve years he made his home with Lemuel N. John, of Monongalia county, W. Va., when he returned home to assist in the erection of a house for his father, and took a piece of uncleared land lying in Morris township, Washington county, near the Green county line. After a few years he removed with his parents to the southeast corner of Morris township. On June 2, 1868, the father died; he was an arduous worker and a liberal Christian man, and gave his family every comfort his moderate salary would allow. The wife and mother died December 15, 1870. On June 6, 1869, Richard R. Thomas married Sarah H. Lindley, born May 31, 1849, a daughter of Milton Lindley and Eliza B. Blachly. To this union there have been born two children: Lindley Whitfield, born September 23, 1872, and Mable Genevieve, born March 29, 1887. Mr. Thomas has been successful as a farmer and stock breeder, as the condition of his farm and the uniform high grade of his stock attest. In politics he formerly was a Republican, but is now an active Prohibitionist. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at West Union, Penn., and his wife is identified with the Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church at Prosperity.

Text taken from page 759 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1998 by Kathy McDowell of Philadelphia, PA as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1998 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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