John A. Thuma
John A. Thuma, member of the Adams & Thuma Lumber Company at Jamestown, is a native of Virginia, born in Augusta county, in the Old Dominion, December 16, 1851, son of Robert and Catherine (Brennaman) Thuma, both of whom were born in that same state.
Robert Thuma was born about the year 1830 and in 1850 was married. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted his services in behalf of the Confederacy and went to the front as a member of Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson's brigade, with which command he was serving when killed at the battle of Port Republic, June 9, 1862. He was the father of four children, those besides the subject of this sketch having been Thomas N., who is now living in the vicinitv of Winchester, Indiana; Hiram, who died in infancy, and Mrs. Fannie E. Shobe, who died near Winchester, Indiana. About 1866 Mrs. Catherine Thuma, mother of these children and widow of Robert Thuma, married John Crum, of Virginia, and moved to Indiana, where she spent the rest of her life, her death occurring at Saratoga, that state, in 1902. To that second union was born one child, a daughter. Florence, who married C. M. Shierling.
Reared in Virginia, John A. Thuman received his schooling in the common schools of his home neighborhood and was early trained to the carpenter trade and the saw-mill business. After his marriage in 1875 he made his home in Virginia and there continued engaged in the carpenter and milling houses until the spring of 1882, when he came to Ohio and located at Jamestown, arriving there on May 6, of that year. Mr. Thuma presently bought a half interest in the business of the J. L. Ginn Lumber Company and has ever since been engaged in the lumber business there, the firm also operating a planing-mill. After J. L. Ginn was succeeded by E. E. Ginn Mr. Thuma continued his association with the latter until Ginn sold his interest in the concern to J. Q. Adams, who is still connected with the company.
On April 15, 1875, in Virginia, John A. Thuma was united in marriage to Virginia H. Clark, who also was born in that state, a daughter of William D. and Rachel (Miller) Clark, who were the parents of eight children, namely: Mrs. Mary J. Staubus, of Reesville, this state; Mrs. Sallie A. Landis, of Augusta county, Virginia; John, deceased; Virginia H., wife of Mr. Thuma; Alexander, deceased; Mrs. Ida C. Early, of Stanton, Virginia; Mrs. Rebecca McConnoughey, of Reesville, and Willliam D., of Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Thuma have three children, namely: Charles Ernest Thuma, born in Virginia on February 4, 1876, now associated with his father in business at Jamestown, who married Bertha Gregg and has two children, Willard and Lela; Clara Edna, born on October 29, 1879, who married George H. Eckerle, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and has two children, Catherine and Clark; and Mable Grace, March 18, 1885, who married O. F. Reeves, a clothing merchant at Jamestown, and has three children, Frances. Virginia and Robert. Mr. and Mrs. Thuma are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Jamestown.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918