"An Illustrated History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties."  Interstate
Publishing Company, 1906.  p. 640.
 
 JOHN G. THOMAS

     a well-to-do farmer residing five miles southeast of Anacortes, was born in
England, January 7, 1852. His father, George H. Thomas, born in England in 1829,
immigrated to the United States in 1868, settling in turn in Pennsylvania,
Illinois, Kansas and Washington. He took up land on Fidalgo island in 1875, and
continued to reside on the island thereafter until his death. Ann (Davis)
Thomas, the mother, was also a native of England. Leaving his fatherland at the
age of seventeen, John G. Thomas grew to manhood in the United States, and after
reaching his majority located in Whatcom, Washington, in 1873.  He mined three
years in the meantime, purchasing the farm that he now owns. In 1876 he went to
Nanaimo, British Columbia, and he spent the next three years in the coal mines
there, returning then to his ranch for a short stay. He followed mining also in
King county for a few months, then in 1882, moved his family, which had been on
the farm during his absence in the mines, to Snohomish county, near Everett.
They made their home there for the following eighteen years while he was engaged
in mining in the various camps. In 1900, he located permanently on the island.
He has forty acres of farm land, ten of which are in an excellent state of
cultivation, and his place is well stocked with cattle, horses and sheep, giving
abundant evidence of thrift and good management.
     Mr. Thomas married, at Seaborne, Washington, in 1896, Miss Mary A. Thomas,
who was born in England in 1859, but who had acquired her education in the
schools of Iowa and Washington. Her parents, David P. and Catherine (Holmes)
Thomas, both natives of England, are now living in Edison, Washington,
well-known pioneers of this state, having come in 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have
the following children: David B. born in Edison; William J., in Nanaimo, British
Columbia; Samuel, in King county; Katherine, in Skagit county; Edna, Sarah R.
and Annie. Mr. Thomas is a prominent member of the Odd fellows, and in politics
an active Republican. He has been road supervisor and member of the school
board, in both of which positions he gave the community valuable service. He is
an active and industrious man, of upright character, possessed of the respect
and esteem of his many acquaintances.

     
*******************

Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in January 2009 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.