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J. A. Thomas' brick home, near Golden Church and cemetery, near Ryan, Iowa. J.A. donated the property for the church and parsonage in 1869. In 1862, J.A. Thomas drove 950 sheep from Michigan and kept them there for 7 years, buying 100 acres more land each year from the profits of his flock. Land was cheap and the wool market was good owing to the war and the Jones Woolen Mill. The post office and hamlet of Almira was named for Mrs. J.A. Thomas. The town of Ryan was started by J.A. Thomas, Arthur Flint and A.E. Anderson. (*Information taken from A History of Delaware County, Iowa by Belle Bailey)
My great grandfather was W. A. Thomas. J.A. was, I believe, an uncle of his. Who knew when I named my son Ryan, that there was a Ryan in the families past, albeit a town.
2 comments:
The baby's name might be Abigail- Abby for short. We will not decide officially until she is born. Jon wants to see her first. :)
Abigail, her father's joy, how pretty
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