Obit: Thomas, William R. (1872 - 1954) 

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Thomas, Harrison, Banditt, Colby, Ingersoll, Nelson, Merwin, Olson, Gear, Kunzi, Cook, Masters, Swigert, Ziegert, Cook, Rogers 
 

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 03/11/1954 
 

Thomas, William R. (13 May 1872 - 5 Mar. 1954) 
 

Funeral services for William R. Thomas, 82, who died Friday at the Marathon County Home, Wausau, were held Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock at the Zink Funeral Home. The Rev. Richard Harrison conducted the rites after which internment was made in the family lot in the Colby cemetery. 
 

Pallbearers were Leo Banditt, W. O. Colby, Kenneth Ingersoll, Albert Nelson, Ben Merwin, and Harry Olson. 
 

William Thomas was born May 13, 1871, in Calumet county, near Menasha. He lived on a farm there and operated it until the death of his parents. 
 

In 1899, he married Clarissa Gear, at Menasha, and the young couple came to the town of Hull and cleared about 15 or 20 acres of a piece of land where the present Joe Kunzi farm is. In addition to farming, Mr. Thomas worked on the construction of the round house when the railroad division was here and in the woods during the winter. 
 

About 1910, he and his son, John, came to Abbotsford. They made their home with his brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Dave Thomas, and two children, Jane, now Mrs. Lester Cook, of Mt. Vernon, Ia., and Roland, deceased. 
 

The two brothers had a mill for grinding feed and followed that business, from 1911 to 1933, when it was destroyed by fire. The mill was located east of Danielson Dry Cleaners. 
 

Ten years ago Mr. Thomas went to the Marathon County Home, where he died Friday. 
 

Surviving are an only son, John, who has been at Athens and Wausau, recently. A son, William, died in infancy and his wife died Feb. 15, 1916, at Menasha. Two brothers, Dave and John, and a sister, Sarah, preceded him in death. He has one living sister, Mrs. Annie Masters, of Hammond, Indiana. 
 

Relatives attending the funeral included John Thomas, and Mr. and Mrs. Swigert, of Black Creek.  
 

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 03/18/1954 
 

In the obituary of William Thomas, printed last week, there was some misinformation. Mr. Thomas was born May 13, 1872, and is survived by his son, John, two nieces, Mrs. Nellie Ziegert, of Black Creek; Mrs. Lester Cook, Mount Vernon, Iowa; and two nephews, Nathan and Charles Rogers, of Appleton. 
 

Mr. Thomas was the last of his family, as his two sisters and three brothers are deceased.