Dr. Henry J. & Harriet Angelia (Andrews) Thomas

Greenwood, Clark County, Wisconsin

Dr. Henry J. Thomas

Greenwood, Wisconsin's First Doctor
 

"Henry" was born 26 Jul 1849, in  Delhi, Delaware Co., NY, the son of Abram and Olive C (Lynch) Thomas.  At the age of ten, he moved with his parents to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where his father practiced law, but his health failed, and he died in Ripon, Fond du Lac Co., WI.  In 1865, at the tender age of fifteen, Henry served with the Union Navy during the Great Civil War.  Most young soldiers of his age were drummers and musicians, but this obviously bright recruit was appointed as an "Apothecary", or in today’s terms a pharmacist, aboard the USS Dictator.  We are not sure if Henry traveled abroad, but we do know he was issued a passport 25 Nov 1870, in New Orleans, LA.

At the close of the war Henry moved to Chicago and was living there at the time of the great fire of 1871. In 1873, he was graduated from the Rush Medical College, of Chicago, being one of the class with Dr. Nicholas Senn, one of the most prominent medical men of the country.

After graduating Dr. Thomas moved to Milwaukee, Wis., where he lived there but a short time, before moving to Greenwood, Wisconsin.  There, he set up his first practice in a store which was later converted to an implement dealership owned by Albert and Adolph Schwarze.  Before he arrived, several good midwives tended to help with the delivery of babies.  One, Kate Scott, an Indian woman, lived near Longwood, and Mrs. Elijah (Olive) Eaton who lived in Eaton Town (Greenwood) were well known and continued to practice, even after Dr. Thomas arrived. When Will Huntzicker was born Frank Zetsche, who was working for Jake Huntzicker, was sent after Mrs. Eaton. It was a very dark night and he went on horseback across the country behind Schofield's house, following the path through the woods. He crossed the river finding the water so deep that it was necessary to keep his feet up as high as possible to keep them dry.

Like all country physicians, Dr. Thomas rode on horseback or in a buggy through paths in the woods, or over rough corduroy roads to treat his patients who could not make it to town.  He was a very successful physician with one peculiarity he was never seen without a flower in his buttonhole as shown in the photo above.

Pictured above is the Schwarze Implement Store on Main St., Greenwood, Wis. where Dr. Thomas had his first office.

In 1880, he married Harriett Angelia Andrews who was affectionately known as "Gelia".  She was the daughter of George and Lorinda (Chamberlain) Andrews and was born in Rawdon Township, Ontario, Canada.  Her father was a well known and respected blacksmith who was born near Smith's Falls, Ontario, December 3, 1830, the son of Elkana (deceased) and Elizabeth (Hutton) Andrews, the father a native of New York, and of English ancestry, and the mother was of Scotch parentage. Gelia's family were some of the town's earliest pioneer residents.  In 1871, the year Gelia turned thirteen, George C. Andrews moved to the United States and settled in Greenwood, where he engaged in his trade. Previous to this, however, he spent the winter of 1858-'59 in this State, just across the river from where Greenwood now stands, the present town site being then covered with a heavy growth of sugar trees. During the spring of 1859 he was engaged in making sugar near the main street, and also drove logs from Poplar River to La Crosse after which he returned to Ontario. During the winter of 1871-'72 he worked many nights until after midnight, and has shod as high as fifty yoke of oxen in one year. He owned 160 acres of land, besides his large shop and residence in Greenwood.

August 24th 1880, a baby boy named Arthur was born who was raised by Henry and Gelia and always known as their son.

Dr. Thomas and his little family resided in Greenwood, Wisconsin for 17 or 18 years.  Then, in about 1891 they moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina where Dr. Thomas lived for fourteen years before his surprisingly early death at age fifty-five.   Dr. Thomas was an honored Mason, being a member of Winston lodge No. 167 and of Piedmont Commandery, RAM, No. 24.  In his obituary notice, The Twin-City Daily Sentinel, Winston-Salem, N. C. said; "For fourteen years Dr. Thomas has been a resident of Winston-Salem and during that time he had built up a lucrative practice, and greatly endured himself to hundreds of our people. Well qualified in his chosen profession, with a kind and sympathetic heart, a jovial nature, he had won a warm spot in the hearts of all who knew him.  In the death of Dr. H. J. Thomas the Twin-City loses one of its most popular and most highly esteemed citizens. Since his death the expression has been frequently heard, "I never heard him speak aught against any man.  Dr. Thomas was exceedingly popular with the poorer people of the city, for many of whom he performed acts of real benevolence. To them he was a friend in need.  The funeral service was conducted from the home with Knights Templar honors at three o'clock Wednesday (Nov. 30, 1905). The interment was made in the Masonic plat in the Salem cemetery and afterward, Gelia returned to Greenwood, Wisconsin to be comforted by her family. 

Once resettled in her old home town, Gelia played an important role in the community, especially in public library where she served on the board of directors.  On May 6, 1913 the City took over the Library with an appropriation of $150.00 yearly and the first Library Board appointed, consisting of P. E. Peterson, Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Wollenberg, Allie Williams and Gelia Thomas.  A motion picture was given and $38.25 received.  The librarian salary was $104.00 yearly until 1922, when it was raised to $156.00 yearly.  The library was in the Farmers and Merchants Building for four months rent free.  It was then moved over Volk’s Tailor Shop, paying $5.00 monthly rent with Gelia Thomas as Librarian.  On Oct. 27, 1914, it was moved over the new Post Office, rent $96.00 yearly.  The first meeting of the Library Board was held May 7, 1913; the following members present - Mrs. Wollenberg, Mrs. Williams, Edith Varney, Jr. Jaastad, school principal, and P. E. Peterson.  The board had no bylaws until April 1916.  In the summer of 1916, Mrs. J. S. Andrews substituted for Mrs. Thomas, who was spending the summer in New York and Boston.  In November 1916 Mrs. Thomas resigned.

Gelia lived with her sister Mary and her husband Erastus Bowen for many years, but died at the home of her brother, James Sheldon Andrews.  It was Tuesday afternoon, June 22, 1926, and the cause of death was anemia.  She would have turned sixty-eight in August and had been a widow for over twenty-one years.  That Thursday, in the early days of summer, she was buried in the Greenwood City Cemetery near many of her family members and friends.

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The "Dictator" was a 4438-ton single-turret seagoing monitor constructed in New York, NY.  It was commissioned to serve the Navy in November 1864. However, her power plant problems kept her initial service relatively brief and she was decommissioned that next September, 1865 at the League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA.  The Dictator sailed in July 1869 to serve with the North Atlantic Fleet, but was again retired in June 1871. Her final period of commissioned service was spent in the Atlantic coast area between January 1874 and June 1877.  Then in Sept of 1883, the USS Dictator was sold for scrap.

Dr. Henry John Thomas John E. Tatro is also featured in the book, "Civil War Soldiers in the heart of Clark Co., Wisconsin."

1881 HISTORY OF NORTHERN WI
Chicago: The Western Historical Company
A. T. Andreas, Proprietor (grammar as is)
Pg. 247

H. J. THOMAS, physician and surgeon, Greenwood, was born in Delaware Co., NY, July 26, 1849. At ten years of age, the family moved to Milwaukee, and he attended school. His father was engaged in practicing law at this time, but his health failed, and he finally died in Ripon, Fond du Lac County. H. J. began studying medicine in 1866, with Dr. E. B. Wolcott, and was on the "Dictator", in the Navy, as physician. He commenced practice in Milwaukee, on the South Side, and in 1869, attended Rush Medical College, at Chicago returned to practice in 1870, and in 1871 he went to Havana, Cuba, and went into the Ballots Hospital. Finally, in 1873, located in Greenwood, where he erected a building and carries on a drug store, which, with a good practice, gives a handsome income. Mr. T. belongs to the Episcopal Church, and is a member of the I. O. O. F.

U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925

Name: Henry John Thomas                         Birth Date: 26 Jul 1849

Birth Place: The State of New York             Passport Issue Date: 25 Nov 1870

Passport Includes a Photo: N          Source: Passport Applications, 1795-1905 (M1372)

[Widow's Pension Application]

Census Records

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Next Household: The Cheesemaker and factory owner, Charles F. Newman and his Swedish wife, Inga.

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