Husband William A. Thomas 1
Born: 5 Apr 1795 - West Whiteland Twp, Chester Co, PA 1
Christened:
Died: 4 Dec 1866 1
Buried:
Father: Richard Thomas (1744- ) 1 2
Mother: Thomazine Downing (1754-1817) 2
Marriage: Aug 1817 1
Wife Elizabeth Miller 1 3
Born: 23 Sep 1793 1
Christened:
Died: 16 Jun 1879 1
Buried:
Father: Reuben Miller ( -Bef 1815) 4
Mother: Thomazine Valentine ( - ) 5
Children
1 M Jacob V. Thomas 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: Aft 1883
Buried:
2 M Isaac Thomas 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: Aft 1883
Buried:
3 M W. A. Thomas, Jr. 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: 26 Oct 1865 1
Cause of Death: Accidental fall
Buried:
General Notes: Husband - William A. Thomas
He worked at his father's mill, and when only seventeen years old rented a mill on Beaver Creek, above Downingtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania. In 1815 his elder brother Jacob came to Centre County with the Valentine brothers, and together they rented the Dunlop estate, works, and iron interests. Jacob Thomas, however, returned to Chester County and died, and thereupon (in 1817) William A. Thomas came up and took his place, and thus became identified ever afterward with the Valentines. He first went down and took charge of Washington Iron-Works, Clinton, County, to ascertain whether they could be run successfully. In 1827, he, in connection with Isaac Miller, etc., leased Mill Hall Iron-Works, Clinton County. In 1829, Howard Iron-Works were built; Richard Thomas, a nephew of William A., being of the firm with Messrs. Harris, but William A. Thomas soon became a leading partner. In 1829 he purchased Willow Bank, at Bellefonte, following this in 1833 with the purchase of the valuable water-power, mills, etc., of Smith's heirs. From this time forward he was variously connected with the business interests of the county, and actively concerned in advancing its material prosperity by public improvements,-turnpikes, canal, railroads, etc., as well as in the development of its bituminous coal region.
He and his wife were both leading members of the Society of Friends.