DAVID THOMAS

THOMAS

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 1/12/2010 at 15:33:13

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Iowa
May 23, 1912

On Sunday, May the 12th, there was laid to rest in the Funktown Cemetery,
one of the most well and favorably known pioneers of Decatur County. For
almost half a century DAVID THOMAS has identified himself with the
development of this county; coming here in 1870 when the county was young
and when he was young they grew together and it was his pride to see the
material development of his chosen abode and he played no small part, though
not in a spectacular way, in commercial and intellectual improvement of the
community. He was a type by itself. He was a character, not in the sense
the word is ordinarily employed in that he was different from what men ought
to be, but was different from what men too often are. With him every
question was squared by the doctrine of what is right and "the elements so
mixed in him that all the world might stand up and say, this was a man."

For a number of years after coming to this county, though engaged in
agriculture and living on the old homestead, he taught school and many of
the successful and prominent farmers and business men of the county remember
him as the school master; for a great many years he was assessor of his
township and was often solicited to allow his name to be used in larger
political fields, but this he would not permit. He was a Democrat in
politics. But in the non-partisan and broader sense he was a Democrat. He
believed in equality of all men, that all men were by nature, created fee
and equal.

Special privilege was hateful to him, but he had an abiding faith in the
integrity of our institutions and the right and ability of the people to
govern themselves.

Successful in a financial way he was charitable. The needy never appealed
to him in vain; his purse was always at the disposal of the worthy and many
unrecorded acts of benevolence were his portion. Unostentatious in manner,
genuine at heart, his greatest monument is built in the hearts of his
neighbors. He was a contributor to every worthy cause, no church of
whatever creed appealed to him in vain; he was a believer in the principles
that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

What greater tribute than the silent appreciation of neighbors and friends.
This was fully exemplified at the Sunday funeral which emptied the homes of
Grand River valley. A great concourse of friends paid the last rites
appreciating that they and the world were better for his having lived.

DAVID THOMAS, son of DAVID and MARY ANN THOMAS was born in Wales in 1839,
migrated to America and settled in Jefferson County, Iowa in the year 1850.
Soon afterward moved to Wapello County, Iowa and in 1870 moved to Decatur
County, Iowa, where he lived until the time of his death, May 7, 1912.

He had five sisters and two brothers; MARY THOMAS PENCE; ANNE THOMAS FLINT;
WILLIAM THOMAS; MARGARET THOMAS SPRINGER; JOHN THOMAS; JENNIE THOMAS GOFF
and ELIZABETH THOMAS MURRAY. Only two are living. Mrs. FLINT and WILLIAM
THOMAS. The former now lives at Eldon, Ia., and the latter at Grand River,
this state.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 11, 2009
iggy29@grm.net