W. B. Thomas
W. B. Thomas, attorney, Ravenna, is a son of William D. Thomas, who was born in South Wales, February 18, 1810, and married Miss Ann Davis, of Llandowey, Carmarthenshire, South Wales, June 10, 1832, and April 14, 1836, with his wife and two small children—Sarah and David—left a large number of relatives and emigrated to America. They were forty days on the ocean. Arriving at New York they took passage up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal to Buffalo, N. Y., thence to Cleveland, Ohio, by boat, and thence, with others who settled in Palmyra, this county, to Ravenna on foot (having a wagon to carry their baggage), arriving at the old Exchange Hotel June 10, 1836, unable to speak a word in English, and $30 in debt. He was a very industrious man. For years he worked for Zenas Kent as a farm laborer in summer, and threshed with the old hickory flail in the winter. He was ever grateful to David Jennings and others who aided him when in need. In April, 1846, he removed to Paris Township, and after some years of constant labor and economy on the part of himself and wife, who is a good financier, became the owner of a large farm and pleasant home, where he lived to the close of his life, April 10, 1881. He was a man of sympathetic nature, conscientious and honest. Mr. and Mrs. William D. Thomas were the parents of six children: Sarah A., David W., Mary A., John R., William B. and Amelia (the first and last named are deceased). Our subject, W. B., was born in Franklin Township, this county, about three miles west of Ravenna Village, on the Kent farm, May 1, 1845. He was brought up on the farm, and knew what it was to milk ten cows night and morning, and to mow his own swath. He first acquired a common school education, then attended the academy at Newton Falls, Ohio, then taught district and select school, saving from his earnings enough to complete his education. In 1863 he attended Hiram College, this county, at which time political proscription and intolerance was indulged in by the Faculty to such an extent that he and seven others refused to submit and withdrew from the college. This subsequently caused the removal of the President of the college, J. H. Rhodes. Young W. B. then attended college at West Farmington until the fall of 1864, when he entered the law school at Ann Arbor, Mich., where he graduated on March 22, 1866; was admitted to practice in Michigan, intending to remain at Ann Arbor, but was called home by his parents. He was admitted to practice in Ohio September 12, 1866. at Canfield, Ohio. Again he taught school and aided his parents upon the farm until April 23, 1868, when he hung out his shingle as a lawyer in the Empire Building, Ravenna Village, and has ever since occupied the same rooms as his office. He is earnestly devoted to his clients and is in every sense a successful lawyer and an enterprising citizen. On June 22, 1870, at Chardon, Ohio, he was married to Willia Abbie Belden, born in Farmington, Trumbull Co., Ohio, July 22, 1850, and daughter of Dr. C. L. Belden, now of Portage County, Ohio, and by her he has the following children, all living: Winnie B., born in 1874; Ida T., born in 1876, and Charlie B., born in 1881; and of his children our subject is very fond.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885