James Thomas
Source: Roberts, et al, History Of Lehigh
County Pennsylvania, 1914.
James
Thomas, son of Hopkin, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept 22, 1836. He appears
to have inherited his father's genius in mechanics, and early in youth
thoroughly learned the iron industry, in which business his attentions were
engaged all his active life and in which he has been eminently useful. He
superintended the Parryville furnaces some years and about 1870 he went South
and erected furnaces there. He left Oxmoor, Alabama, to come to Catasauqua,
where in 1876 or 1877, he became an equal partner with George Davies in the
firm of Davies & Thomas. The plant, located at East Catasauqua, was the
means of building up that town. Mr. Thomas remained a member of the company
until his death on December 18, 1906.
He was
active in the religious, social and political affairs of Catasauqua. As a
pillar of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he served it in all its offices for
many years; also was the honored superintendent of the Sunday school for many
years. He was connected with all the bodies of the Masonic Fraternity, and in
politics he was a strong Republican. He was a national delegate in 1892, to the
convention that nominated General Benjamin Harrison for President. Mr. Thomas
also was a member of the town council and the school board of Catasauqua for some
years. His wife, Mary Ann Davies, was a daughter of Daniel Davies who was the
father of George Davies, his business associate. Seven children blessed the
union of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas as follows: Blanche, the wife of C. R. Horn.;
Mary, died at the age of twenty-eight years; Rowland D.; Ruth, the widow of W.
A. McKee; Helen, is married to Dr. J. J. Hornbeck; Catharine, died aged
eighteen years; and Hopkin.
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