WALTER C. THOMAS

Mr. & Mrs. Walter C. Thomas

Making good use of his opportunities and of his native talents, Walter C. Thomas has made for himself a creditable position in business circles of Worth county as a successful merchant of Meltonville. Iowa numbers him among her native sons. He was born in McCallsburg, Story county, December 22, 1883, his parents being Frank and Achsah (Hill) Thomas. The father was born in Indiana, as was the mother, and the former went with his parents to Story county, Iowa, when but a year old. There the paternal grandfather purchased a farm from the government, securing a tract of land on which not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made. He built a log house and began the development and improvement of his farm, upon which he lived for a considerable period. He then left that place and removed to Nevada, Story county, where he worked at the carpenter's trade, but again resumed agricultural pursuits, purchasing a farm of one hundred and sixty acres adjoining his old home place. Later he added ten acres of timber land, and upon that farm spent his remaining days, while his wife also died there. Their son, Frank Thomas, remained on the farm until he reached the age of twenty-seven years, when he was married and began farming on his own account. He rented land near Zearing, Iowa, and afterward removed to McCallsburg, where he purchased town property and began taking contracts for house moving, for well work and for teaming. His next removal took him to Marshall county, Iowa, where he cultivated a rented farm for four years. He then wisely invested his earnings in a farm in Deer Creek township, Worth county, Iowa, becoming owner of one hundred and twenty acres, upon which he now resides. This constitutes one of the excellent farm properties of the locality and owing to his thrift, diligence and enterprise he has brought the land under a high state of cultivation. He has now reached the age of sixty-seven years, while his wife is fifty-eight years of age. His political endorsement is given to the democratic party.

Walter C. Thomas spent his boyhood clays in McCallsburg, where he was educated, after which he began working by the month as a farm hand. He was ambitious to engage in farming on his own account, however, and at length rented land which he cultivated. He afterward rented a farm in Marshall county, Iowa, for two years and during that period practiced close economy and industry until his capital was sufficient to enable him to purchase land. He became owner of eighty acres in Deer Creek township, Worth county, and upon that farm remained for two years. He then sold out and bought the Krogh farm, north of his former place, becoming the owner of thirty-three and a quarter acres of land, upon which he resided for three years. After disposing of that property he purchased the general store of E. A. Bock in December, 1916, and took over the business in February, 1917. He is now one of the progressive general merchants of Meltonville, where he is also serving as postmaster, and at a recent date he has erected a new business block twenty-four by eighty feet, containing two stores.

In January, 1910, Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Elma Davis, a daughter of William and Armanda Davis. She was born in Marshall county, Iowa, and by her marriage has become the mother of three children, Marion, and May and Roy, twins. Various changes in his location and his business activity have brought Walter C. Thomas to a creditable place in commercial circles, for he is now controlling important and growing mercantile interests. His success is the direct result of his own labors and as the architect of his own fortunes he has builded wisely and well.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; PAGES 102-105

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, September 12, 2006