... The history of the Thomas family in Indiana begins with Minor Thomas,
who was a native of Connecticut, and of Welsh origin. In 1819, with his
wife, he migrated to Indiana and settled in Fayette county, where he
was especially well known as a Baptist minister, though he also owned
a farm. It was on this pioneer homestead in Fayette county, that his
son Hewitt L. Thomas, grandfather of the Galveston merchant, was
reared. Hewitt L. Thomas was born in New York state April 27, 1805.
During his youth he managed to get some college training and followed
teaching and farming for a number of years. In 1836 he came from
Fayette county to Clinton township in Cass county, where he made his
home until 1853, at which time he moved to Noble township in this
county. From 1855 to 1865 he was engaged in the lumber business and
as a merchant in the state of Minnesota, and then returned to Cass
county and was a resident of Galveston for many years. He was in
the insurance business during most of the time and was prominent in
local affairs. He married in 1826 Charlotte Helm, who was born in
Kentucky August 26, 1808, and was of Scotch and English descent. Her
father had been a soldier under General Harrison during the war of
1812, and had been one of the early settlers of Kentucky who had to
contend against the difficulties of nature and against the hostilities of
the Indian tribes. Hewitt L. Thomas, who with his wife, was a devoted
member of the Baptist church, was one of the organizers of that church
at Galveston and served as its sexton for twenty -two years. A Repub-
lican in politics, he served as justice of the peace, and for ten years was
associate judge, was a township trustee, and during his residence in
Minnesota was state senator. He was president of the first agricultural
society organized in Cass county, and had numerous places of trust and
responsibility thrust upon him during his long and influential career.
His death occurred October 23, 1895. His wife survived until July 3,
1898, passing away at the age of ninety years. They were the parents
of three sons, Meredith H., Minor T., and William H. ...
