Edwin Thomas, son of Samuel and Rebecca (Mickley) Thomas is one of the Catasauqua leading business men. He is president of the Catasauqua National Bank and is interested in various business enterprises. He is married to Ella Boyd, and they are the parents of the following children: Samuel B., H. Dale, and Ruth Thomas.


Upon leaving college he entered the employ of the Thomas Iron Company at Hokendauqua as machinist. After a service of three years he was placed in charge of the Company's plant at Lock Ridge, Pa., as supcrintendent. He retained this position for three years, when he accepted the superintendency of the furnaces of the Chestnut Hill Iron Ore Company, at Columbia, Pa. After two years he returned to the Hokendauqua plant of the Thomas Iron Company to serve for four years as purchasing agent and manager of the mechanical department.

In the Spring of 1886, he went South when the industrial spirit was just awakening, to assist the President of the Pioneer Mining and Manufacturing Company at Thomas, Ala., to design and to erect the plant. He served this company as President from 1892 to 1899, when the plant was sold to the Republic Iron & Steel Co.. Under the new ownership he served as manager for one year, when he resigned and returned to Catasauqua.

Mr. Thomas is President of the Catasauqua National Bank; the Nescopec Coal Company; Director of the Tipper Lehigh Coal Company; the Wahnetah Silk Company; the Thomas Iron Company; and a number of other industrial enterprises. He takes an active part in all municipal affairs and aids with a liberal hand any and every movement that tends to develop the Borough.

After returning to Catasauqua in 1900, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas resided first at 543 Third Street and later at the old family estate at the southeast corner of Second and Pine Streets.