This journey is going to lead me down the path of the Birch's and all those other names that have joined them. I know this will take me to England, Germany, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois and elsewhere. The men in this family will be working as coalminers, railroad brakemen and Laborers in Saw Mills.

The common name "birch" is derived from an old Germanic root, birka, with the Proto-Indo-European root *bherəg, "white, bright; to shine."

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Tombstone Tuesday ~ George S. Thomas

George S. Thomas is pictured here with his wife Lydia (nee Livingston) Thomas, their baby Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Thomas, and Lydia is pregnant with Jacob K. Thomas.  All of that is confirmed by the writing on the photo as is the date of 1906.

George was born July 7, 1859 in Conemaugh, Somerset, Pennsylvania where he remained the rest of his life.  He and Lydia had a total of 7 children - Elizabeth Ann Thomas, Jacob K. Thomas, Daniel Lawrence Thomas, Millie Mae Thomas, Amanda Thomas, Miller Thomas and Nannie Thomas.

George's father's name was Emanuel Thomas and his mother was Hannah Thomas, both of them born and died in Pennsylvania.

The 1880 census shows George, age 20,  living at home and employed as a "laborer" "odd jobs".  His family was living next door to the Livingstons.

The next census I find is 1910. George was now married to Lydia Livingston with their only children at the time being "Lizzie" and "Jacob". Her family is on the property next to them.   It appears she is not far from home and I'm sure had the help of her family with the children.  It again list's George's work as a "Laborer" doing "odd jobs".   They don't realize yet that they would have five more children.

George died on September 20, 1928 at the age of 69.  He left behind Lydia and their children.  Lydia went on to live until 1954 to the age of  73.

Here is George Thomas's tombstone.  It has been clearly noted that the "M" is not correct and his middle initial is in fact "S".

His final resting place is in Sala-Livingston Farm Cemetery, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA.



Warm Regards,