An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company, Spokane, WA. 1905, page 308. DANIEL E. THOMAS, deceased. To the memory of him whose name appears above, this brief review is given, as he was a man closely allied with the pioneer life of Oregon and did many worthy things during his career as a frontiers-man, and also assisted materially to build up the country and bring to its present prosperous state this great section. Daniel E. Thomas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 29, 1826. His parents were born in Germany. He studied in the public schools until ten years of age and was then apprenticed to learn the carpenter trade. For four years he wrought at that and then journeyed west to Indiana and Illinois. He traveled to various other middle states and enlisted in an Illinois regiment to fight in the Mexican war. He was a non-commissioned officer and after the war came back to the middle states whence he crossed the plains with ox teams to the Willamette valley in 1859. Later he was identified with the Granite creek mines in eastern Oregon and followed mining for some years. Then he returned to the Willamette valley and followed his trade there until 1869, when he went to the country around Prineville. He did carpentering for a time then started a mercantile establishment. He was appointed the first postmaster of Prineville and for a time conducted the office in Heisler's store, then formed a partnership with Mr. Pickett and did merchandising for ten years. Then he brought his family to Dufur and here followed his trade until about two years previous to his death. That event occurred in Dufur, on August 30, 1895. In 1869, at Beuna Vista, Oregon, Mr. Thomas married Miss Candace Smith, who was born in Utah while her parents were en route to Oregon. She died at Prineville, in 1876. Three children were born to this union; Agnes, the wife of William Wright, a farmer near Dufur; Lindsey B., mentioned elsewhere in this book; and Freeman, who died in infancy. In 1879, Mr. Thomas married a second time, Miss Mary A. Batty becoming his wife, and to them three children have been born; Inez, the wife of F. B. St. Martin, of Boise, Idaho; Amy, living with her mother; and Essie E., deceased. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.