"Hon. John W. E. Thomas Dead: Highly Respected and Wealthy Citizen is no More."
Item
Title
"Hon. John W. E. Thomas Dead: Highly Respected and Wealthy Citizen is no More."
Description
This is an obituary for John W. E. Thomas, the first African-American elected to the Illinois General Assembly. The obituary also features a sketch of Thomas' portrait.
The obituary text reads: "Hon. John W.E. Thomas, a well-known politician, died at 12:10 Monday afternoon of kidney trouble at his home, 3308 Indiana avenue. He had been ill for a number of months and for the last three weeks was confined to his bed. Thomas was reputed to be one of the wealthiest Afro-Americans in Chicago. He went to that city in 1870 from Alabama, and for twenty-nine years had taken part in Republican politics, having been a member of the legislature three terms. When a member in 1885, he succeeded in having passed the first equal rights bill, which prohibited discrimination against people on account of color in Illinois. Dr. L. A. McCluskey, of Mobile, Ala., raised Thomas, who was born in Alabama in 1847. Dr. McCluskey gave him an education in Mobile, employing tutors for the purpose, and he taught school in Mobile and other towns in Alabama. He studied law in the office of Judge Hawes. He was admitted to the bar in 1880.
By his first wife he had one child, a girl, now Mrs. Edward Morrison, and by the second wife, who survives him, four children, all of whom are living. He was a member of Olivet church."
The obituary text reads: "Hon. John W.E. Thomas, a well-known politician, died at 12:10 Monday afternoon of kidney trouble at his home, 3308 Indiana avenue. He had been ill for a number of months and for the last three weeks was confined to his bed. Thomas was reputed to be one of the wealthiest Afro-Americans in Chicago. He went to that city in 1870 from Alabama, and for twenty-nine years had taken part in Republican politics, having been a member of the legislature three terms. When a member in 1885, he succeeded in having passed the first equal rights bill, which prohibited discrimination against people on account of color in Illinois. Dr. L. A. McCluskey, of Mobile, Ala., raised Thomas, who was born in Alabama in 1847. Dr. McCluskey gave him an education in Mobile, employing tutors for the purpose, and he taught school in Mobile and other towns in Alabama. He studied law in the office of Judge Hawes. He was admitted to the bar in 1880.
By his first wife he had one child, a girl, now Mrs. Edward Morrison, and by the second wife, who survives him, four children, all of whom are living. He was a member of Olivet church."
Date, date span, or circa acceptable
1899-12-23
File name
"Hon. John W. E. Thomas Dead: Highly Respected and Wealthy Citizen is no More."
Sources archive, University Archives and Special Collections or Women and Leadership Archives
Library of Congress
Subject
John W. E. Thomas
Chicago
L. A. McCluskey
Rights
The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety.
