Optional page text here. John Richard Thomas

John Richard Thomas

John Richard Thomas was born July 5, 1829 in Dallas County, Alabama. In 1854, along with his mother and unspecified relatives, John moved to Walker County, Texas along the banks of the Trinity River near the present town of Riverside, Texas, about 9 miles north of Huntsville. There, the Thomas family established a plantation, which flourished until the onset of the Civil War. When war began, John enlisted with the 25th Texas Cavalry Company K, 3rd regiment of Carter's brigade. John was the rank of 2nd Lt. He was captured in the Battle of Arkansas Post in January 1863 and died a month later February 6, 1863 at Camp Chase in Ohio.
Family Lore says the Thomas Family exchanged over 2 million dollars of gold into Confederate currency. Whether this story is true or not we probably will never know* but my grandmother Mildred Carrie Thomas (the last living Thomas) tells me that when she was a child, she remembers playing in their families' attic with at least 4 large trunks of what they referred to as "play" money. John was a widower as far as I can tell, no pension was ever applied for.
John's grave at the Camp Chase Confederate Cemetary is marked but it says that he belonged to the Texas 26th cavalry. In a letter from John he clearly mentions his Colonel Gillespie and Captain Singletary
My Great Grandfather, "Big Six" Millage Thomas, burned his house down immediately after my Great Grandmother passed away. This site overlooks the Sam Houston State University Bearkat Football Stadium

Submitted by Glen A. Miller
(descendant of Leroy Thomas)

Texans in the Civil War
The General Store