Harry Franklin Thomas

HARRY FRANKLIN THOMAS, druggist at Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, an enterprising and prudent business factor of the town, and whose place is located on Pennsylvania avenue, is the grandson of John Thomas and Catherine (Weaver) Thomas. The date of his birth was December 18, 1859, in Hempfield township, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather on the paternal side was Barnett Thomas, of the same township and county. He married and reared a family of nine children, including: John, George, Nathan, Henry, Barnett, Molly, Betsy, and Mary. Barnett Thomas, father of these children, was a lifelong farmer.

John Thomas, eldest son of Barnett Thomas, was a native of Hempfield township, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and lived to the advanced age of eighty-six years. He married Catherine Weaver, a native of Westmoreland county, and died in Hempfield township, aged eighty-four years. Their children were: 1. Jemima; 2. Nathaniel. who when less than twenty years, of age enlisted in the Mexican war and died from sickness and an accident while on the march, having been in all the engagements encountered by his command, but the last one of the war. He died aged twenty-two years; 3 and 4. Barnett and Cyrus (twins); 5. Sibella, now the widow of John Stark; 6. John, Jr.; 7.· Jacob; 8. Abraham W. Three of these sons served in Pennsylvania regiments during the civil war - Cyrus, a major, died of pneumonia, aged sixty-eight years; Abraham and Jacob, the latter died.

John Thomas, Jr., son of John Thomas. Sr., was born in Hempfield township, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, February 9, 1834, and for nearly half a century has been a horse farrier and veterinary. He married Susan Henry, and their children were: Emma, deceased; Harry F.; Ida, deceased, wife of Richard Cribbs; Alice, wife of James Gilliland; Mame, wife of George Kimmel; and Lizzie, single.

Harry F., son of John, Jr., after obtaining a good common school education, attended the Pharmacy College at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1884 and 1885. He then clerked for Will Brown, a Greensburg druggist for about thirteen years (having been in his store prior to going to college) and then in 1895, engaged in the drug trade, which he still follows. Politically he is a Republican. He is a devout member and deacon of the Reformed church. and has been a financial secretary and trustee of the church cemetery association. He married Nannie A. Jones, daughter of Phebe Jones. The father is deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have been born four sons: John E born July 19, 1887; Paul L., born November 13, 1889; Henry F., Jr., born March 28, 1894; Howard J., born November 3, 1897, all still living at home.

Source: Page(s) 81, History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed February 2006 by Nathan Zipfel for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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