Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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ALBERT THOMAS
THE UNION IRON WORKS, 
 
Nos. 306, 308, 310 and 312 East First street, Los Angeles. This business, which 
holds a leading position among the manufacturing concerns of this city engaged 
in making boilers, steam derricks and machinery, was established in 1884. The 
works occupy a frontage of 250 x 150 feet, and are fitted up with improved 
machinery adapted for the business, giving employment to from forty to fifty 
hands when running to their full capacity. The lines of manufacture include 
electric dynamos, boilers, oil and water-tanks, steam-pumps, beams, girders and 
plates, steam derricks, agricultural iron works, iron and brass castings and 
finishings, etc. They have a foundry in connection with their machine and iron 
works, and do all kinds of foundry and machine work. The business of the Union 
Iron Works is very large, with a heavy patronage in the city and all parts of 
California. Albert Thomas, the proprietor of the Union Iron Works, is a native 
of Swansea, South Wales. After reaching manhood he went to Australia, engaged in 
mining, and remained there nine years. Thence he went to New Zealand, and from 
there came to America. After reaching San Francisco, he went through the 
different mining camps to Salt Lake City, and through the Little Cottonwood 
district, and was at Alta City during the Emma Mine excitement. He came to this 
city in 1886, and since then has been at the head of the Union Iron Works, one 
of the most extensive manufacturing industries in Los Angeles. Isaac Thomas, 
brother of the preceding, has charge of the office and financial department of 
the business just described, and he is also a native of South Wales, England. He 
came to the United States in 1867, engaged in mining interests, and went through 
the mining camps of the West�Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. He was in Salt Lake 
City from 1871 to 1874; came from Denver, Colorado, in 1886, and since then has 
held his present position in the management of the Union Iron Works.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 825
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler