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         GEORGE F. THOMAS, a worthy pioneer of Louisa County of 1838, and a resident of Wapello for nearly fifty years, was born in Chester County, Pa., Aug. 1, 1816, and was the eldest of eleven children, whose parents were Isaac L. and Mary Ann (Fink) Thomas. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania in Colonial days, and his maternal grandfather, Michael Fink, was one of the chosen sixty who accompanied Gen. Washington throughout the entire War of the Revolution. The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation, and he and his wife were people of superior intelligence and earnest piety. They passed their lives in their native State, removing to Mercer County, Pa., in middle life, where the mother died in 1867 and the father in 1858.

Our subject received a common-school education, and learned the business of a merchant tailor, in which he was engaged in Athens, Huntingdon Co., Pa. He was united in marriage in that city, June 8, 1837, with Miss Elizabeth R. Minton, daughter of Hon. Jacob Minton, subsequently a pioneer of Louisa County, Iowa, and a representative of the State Legislature. Mr. Thomas emigrated to Iowa in 1838, locating at Wapello, where he engaged in business as a merchant tailor. Mrs. Thomas, an estimable and highly respected lady, died in March, 1865, leaving five children, three sons and two daughters, all of whom are living: Mary R. is the wife of A. B. White, of New Castle, Pa.; Alice L. is now a resident of Wapello, Iowa; Charles H., the present foreman of the Daily Express, of Buffalo, N. Y., married Miss Mattie Cannon, Albert C. wedded Miss Nettie Yeomans, and is foreman of the News, of Kansas City, Mo.; George W. married Miss Jennie Smith, and is the present Clerk of the District Court at Wapello, Iowa.

On the 14th of August, 1872, Mr. Thomas was again married, to Mrs. M. M. Jefferis, widow of Emory Jefferis, and daughter of Joshua Merrill. Mrs. Thomas was born in Highland County, Ohio, and is a sister of the eminent divine, Bishop Merrill, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. One child, a daughter, was born of the latter marriage, Grace M., who is now a student.

Mr. Thomas continued to carry on the merchant tailoring business at Wapello until 1854, when, finding his health becoming impaired by the necessarily confining character of his vocation he abandoned it and never again resumed the business. He was called upon to fill various public positions of honor and trust, the different duties of which he discharged with ability and fidelity. In 1839, within one year of the date of his settlement in Louisa County, he was elected treasurer of the county, and was re-elected six consecutive times, holding the office from 1839 to 1846. On the 23d of August, 1862, he was appointed Postmaster at Wapello by President Lincoln, and held that position twenty-three years, lacking but a few days, retiring Aug. 8, 1885, after the change of administration. Mr. Thomas held that office as long as the combined terms of his predecessors, and made a most efficient and popular officer. In 1867 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and was re-elected and served until 1873.

Mr. Thomas united with the Methodist Episcopal Church in his youth, and has always maintained active relations with that denomination. He has served as Class-Leader and Superintendent of the Sunday-school during a greater part of the many years of his connection with the church, and has always been liberal and public-spirited in advancing the interest of the Christian religion. In early life he was a Whig in political sentiment, entertaining strong anti-slavery opinions, consequently was among the first to join in the formation of the Republican party, and has been zealous in the support of that organization continuously . . .

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. . . since. During the dark days in the history of the country, when civil war threatened the destruction of the Government, he was earnest and outspoken in patriotic sentiment, and did all in his power to encourage enlistments for the army, and otherwise assist in maintaining the Union. In all the relations of life, both public and private, before and during the half-century that Mr. Thomas has been a resident of Wapello, he bore an unblemished character, was efficient and faithful in the discharge of public trusts, conscientious and upright in his private business, and always possessed the utmost confidence, warm regard and highest respect of all with whom he came in contact. He is a man of superior intelligence, genial and cordial in manner, and possesses a marked degree that rare faculty of winning and holding the esteem and friendship of his fellow-citizens. On his removal to Mediapolis, his present place of residence, in 1887, Mr. Thomas was parted with by his old neighbors with sincere regret.