THOMAS, William A. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Hillsboro -- William A. THOMAS, 63, died suddenly at 9 o'clock Saturday night from heart failure. Mr. Thomas had been down town during the afternoon and while not feeling very well no one suspected that he was ill as he greeted friends as usual. He retired shortly after supper and at 9 o'clock asked his wife to send for a doctor saying that he felt very ill. With that he fell over dead. Mr. Thomas was one of the highly respected residents of the city. He was a son of John Thomas and was born on the old Scott Farm at Scott's Prairie. He engaged in farming all his life and prospered at it retiring 3 years ago and moving tot he city. He married Miss Amanda Adkins and to this union six children were born, 3 still living, a son, Harry Thomas and two daughters, Mrs. Charles Parker and Miss Dorothy Thomas, the latter a student at DePauw. He is also survived by a brother, Frank Thomas of this place and sister, Mrs. Jennie Bever of Farlington, KS. Funeral arrangements have not been completed but will probably be held on Tuesday, the hour awaiting information from the sister in Kansas.

William A. Thomas, son of John Thomas and Rebecca Vangundy Thomas was born in the vicinity of Hillsboro Indiana 23 May 1861 and died April 7, 1923 at the age of 61 Y 10M 14 days. At an early age, his parents both died and young William was compelled to fight life's battles without a father's guiding hand mother's tender love. In the year 1886 he was united in marriage to Amanda Adkins, the daughter of Dr. Jehu Adkins and ELizabeth Rhodes Adkins. He became a member of the Disciple Church of Chirst in 1891 at Ingersoll Chapel and afterward removed his membership to Scott's Praire Church and during his later years attended the Disciple Church at Hillsboro, Ind. After a short sickness and when seemingly on his way to recovery and health and after a pleasant conversation with his dear wife he lay down on his couch, remarking to her that he believed he would lie down for a few moments and rest. A moment later death's silken hand had seized our parting friend and borne him to that realm where the weary are ever at rest, where pain comes never more where the pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, flows in God's wonderful and beautiful city forever more. He left surviving him to mourn over his departure, his wife, Amanda Thomas and two daughters, Ethel Thomas Parker and Dorothy and one son, Harry M Thomas, one brother, Frank Thomas and one sister, Zelda Bever of Gerard, KS 6 grandchildren and a host of friends. Many friends are left who will miss Brother Thomas as a consistant and congenial friend, as a successful business man who made for himself a beautiful home in which to live while here and who did not fail to plan for that eternal home in Heaven. His friends will long remember him as a man that arranged to go to "eternal and everlasting city whose Maker and builder is God."