Charles Wesley Thomas (June 6, 1860 – June 14, 1907) was an American politician from Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1885 to 1889 and as a member of the Pennsylvania Senate from 1890 to 1898. He was president pro tempore of the senate from 1893 to 1896.
Charles W. Thomas | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).png) Thomas in a 1895 publication | |
| Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 4th district | |
| In office 1890 – March 19, 1898 | |
| Preceded by | John J. MacFarlane |
| Succeeded by | J. Bayard Henry |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the Philadelphia County district | |
| In office 1885 – December 1, 1889 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Wesley Thomas June 6, 1860 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | June 14, 1907 (aged 47) Linwood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Resting place | West Laurel Hill Cemetery Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Mattie R. Conard (m. 1886) |
| Occupation |
|
Early life edit
Charles Wesley Thomas was born on June 6, 1860, to Martha A. and Benjamin Thomas in Philadelphia. His father was a grocer. He attended public schools in Philadelphia.[1][2]
Career edit
Thomas worked in a grocery store. He then became an accounting clerk at the general office of the Pennsylvania Railroad at South 4th Street.[1][2] For a time, he worked in real estate.[1]
Thomas was a Republican. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing Philadelphia County from 1885 to 1889.[1] He resigned on December 1, 1889, to work as the private secretary to Thomas Valentine Cooper, the collector of the Port of Philadelphia from 1889 to 1890.[1][2][3] He was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate, representing the 4th district, in 1890, defeating John S. Golback. He succeeded John J. MacFarlane. He was re-elected in 1894 and served until his resignation on March 19, 1898. In 1893, he was elected president pro tempore of the senate and was re-elected in 1895. He served in the role until 1896.[1][3][2] He was chairman of the corporations committee in the senate.[2] He was a leader of the movement for abolition of the Public Building Commission of Philadelphia.[1] He was assistant secretary of the Republican State Committee in 1887 and secretary in charge of the committee in 1888. He was a delegate to the Republican State Convention in 1888 and 1892.[1]
Thomas was appointed to succeed Thomas Valentine Cooper as collector of customs of the United States Customs Service in Philadelphia. He served from 1898 to 1907.[2][3] In 1906, he helped Philadelphia's port get an A-1 rating for "instituting reform programs and cost efficiency systems".[2]
Personal life edit
Thomas married Mattie R. Conard in 1886.[2]
Thomas died of a heart attack on June 14, 1907, at his summer home in Linwood, New Jersey. He was interred in West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.[2][3]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h Portraits and Sketches of Heads of State Departments and Members of the Legislature of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg Publishing Company. 1895. p. 3. Retrieved December 10, 2023 – via Archive.org.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Charles Wesley Thomas". Pennsylvania Senate Library. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "C. Wesley Thomas". Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
External links edit
Media related to Charles W. Thomas (politician) at Wikimedia Commons
