Thomas, Charles G. (of Galena, IL)

Born: 1807-11-08 Milton, Pennsylvania

Died: 1886-01-17 California

Flourished: Galena, Illinois

Charles G. Thomas was a probate judge, justice of the peace, customs service official, farmer, and postmaster. He spent his boyhood and early manhood in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. In 1830, Thomas married Barbara Eckert, with whom he had seven children. Thomas learned the trade of a hatter while living in Pennsylvania, but he gave up that trade for legal pursuits. In 1834, he moved to Galena, Illinois, where he devoted himself to the law and other pursuits. Jo Daviess County voters elected Thomas to several terms as probate judge of the county. He also became a prominent landowner, accumulating over 700 acres of public land. In 1850, Thomas was working as a merchant and owned real estate valued at $15,000. In 1851, Thomas moved to California, settling in San Francisco, where he worked for the U.S. Customs Service. His wife and family joined him in 1852, and they moved to Santa Clara County, settling on a farm two and a half miles north of San Jose. In 1860, Thomas was farming and owned real estate valued at $4,000 and had a personal estate of $1,000. In addition to his work in agriculture, Thomas served as justice of the peace for Santa Clara County and as postmaster of Santa Clara. He was a Republican and a member of the Odd Fellows.

H. S. Foote, ed., Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California (Chicago: Lewis, 1888), 548; U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census of the United States (1850), Galena, Jo Daviess County, IL, 310; Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales, Jo Daviess County, 711:12, 28, 40, 43, 74, 141; 714:166, 174, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; U.S. Census Office, Eighth Census of the United States (1860), San Jose, Santa Clara County, CA, 167.