Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


JOHN M. THOMAS.
 
         Among the well‑known men of Los Angeles County is the above named 
gentleman. Mr. Thomas was born in Randolph County, Indiana, February 14, 1836. 
His parents were Benjamin and Eliza (Morris) Thomas, the former a native of 
South Carolina, and the latter of North Carolina. They both came to Indiana when 
children, and were reared in that State. The subject of this sketch was reared 
on his father's farm, and when but fourteen years of age the death of his father 
threw upon him the care and responsibility of the farm and family; and he was 
thus early in life not only inured to hard labor, but was taught to bear the 
burden and responsibilities of manhood. He continued upon the old homestead in 
Indiana until 1856, when he moved to Nebraska and commenced pioneer farming in 
that new country. In 1859 he continued his westward march and came across the 
plains to California, arriving in Plumas County in August, 1859. There he 
engaged in mining and logging until the next January, when he moved to Nevada 
and located in Thomas's Ca�on, near Washoe Valley. There he engaged in the 
lumber business, owning mills and carrying on an extensive business for years. 
During that time he was also engaged more or less in mining enterprises. In 1868 
Mr. Thomas closed out his business in Nevada and returned to California, 
locating in Los Angeles County, at El Monte, where he engaged in farming until 
the fall of 1871. He then turned his attention to sheep-raising, and spent the 
next two years in San Bernardino County. In 1873 he returned to Los Angeles 
County, and had his herds in various locations until 1877. In that year he 
rented the Town Ranch and other lands where the town of Whittier now stands. 
From nearly his first occupation of those lands he commenced their purchase. In 
his sheep-raising and general farming he was successful, and was soon the owner 
of a large tract of land. In 1886 he sold out his interests at Whittier to Birch 
& Bohl, and established his residence in Los Angeles. In January, 1887, Mr. 
Thomas became interested in Monrovia, purchasing 160 acres, known as the Beal 
Ranch, located on the north side of Banana avenue. Upon this he has made many 
improvements in tree-planting, and he has also developed three inches of water 
in the Clam-Shell Ca�on. At this writing Mr. Thomas is the owner of ninety acres 
of his original purchase, mostly hill and ca�on land. He has nine acres planted 
with fruit trees, three acres in oranges, and the balance in deciduous fruits, 
comprising apples, apricots, plums, peaches, etc. He is an energetic and 
enterprising man, and is destined to have one of the finest places in Monrovia. 
He is a believer in the future possibilities of Monrovia, and is a strong 
supporter of any enterprise that tends to build up that city and Los Angeles 
County. He is one of the incorporators and a director of the Granite Bank of 
Monrovia. In political matters Mr. Thomas is a stanch Republican, and is well 
known as a worker in the ranks of his party. He has several times been a member 
of county and State conventions, and is also a member of the State Central 
Committee. For over twenty-five years he has been a member of the Odd-fellows 
order, and is now affiliated with Los Angeles Lodge, No. 35. Mr. Thomas is a 
successful man in life's pursuits, and may well be styled a self-made man. His 
sterling qualities and consistent mode of life have gained him hosts of friends 
in whatever community he has resided. Although he has many interests in 
Monrovia, he still retains his residence in East Los Angeles. In 1866 Mr. Thomas 
married Miss Jane Champion, the daughter of James Champion, of New York. There 
is but one child from this marriage, Mary Nevada, now the wife of Milton S. 
Monroe, of Monrovia.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 822
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler