Processed in November of 2008.
This collection was purchased for the USU Special Collections and Archives from a manuscript dealer in August 2005.
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Thomas family letters must be obtained from the
David Palmer Thomas was born October 25, 1851 in Llandybie, Wales. He married Margaret Davies, born February 21, 1854 in Pentregwenlais, Wales, on March 25, 1874 in Llandybie, Wales. It was here that they had their first child, Alfred August Thomas, born July 19, 1875. After the birth of Alfred, they immigrated to Utah and settled in Salt Lake City. Here they had nine more children, for a total of ten children, six boys and four girls: Moroni Job born July 31, 1878; Elmer Gwyn, September 21, 1880; Warren John Thomas, December 20, 1882; David Palmer Jr., February 11, 1885; Margaret Natilie, March 11, 1888; Melvin Davies, January 29, 1890; Evelyn Anne, February 28, 1892; Moyer Delwyn, August 29, 1894, and Mary Gladys, September 22, 1896.
The Thomas family continued to live in Salt Lake City while Alfred Thomas served a mision for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Germany; Elmer served in the Spanish-American War as a bugler in the Battery A, Utah Light Artillery, 3rd brigade, U.S. Army; and Rhone worked in the mines in Montana and Nevada. (It appears that he is also the son of Margaret and David, but genealogical evidence is lacking.)
Two of the children are buried in Cache Valley. Alfred died October 29, 1919 in Richmond, Utah and is buried in the Richmond cemetery. Moyer died September 10, 1975 in Salt Lake and is buried in the Logan City cemetery for reasons unknown. This may be the reason why USU has this collection.
This collection contains 37 letters (110 pages) from 1897-1912 written by the Thomas family. The letters are exchanged between the following people:
A. Margaret Davies Thomas (Mother): 3 letters/4 pages total, 1898-1899. She writes to Elmer, letter to Margaret from Rhone or Moroni, envelope addressed to Margaret from Elmer.
B. David Palmer Thomas (Father): 4 letters/5 pages total, 1898-1912. He writes to Margaret and Elmer, Rhone(?). There is also a small piece of paper stating the birth and death of son Moroni Job Thomas.
C. Alfred Augustes Thomas: 10 letters, 1 fragment/ 28 pages total pages, 1989-1899. He writes of his activities as an LDS missionary, and talks of home and concern for his brother Elmer, who was in the Philippines as a soldier in the Spanish-American War.
D. Elmer Thomas: 6 letters/13 pages total/7 envelopes, 1898. Letters to parents and family written from his troop ship on the way to the Philippines (he was a bugler in Battery A, Utah Light Artillery, 3rd Brigade, U.S. Army), and then he writes from Manilla in the Philippines. There is also a letter to Elmer from his cousin John Thomas.
E. Rhone Thomas: 9 letters/14 papers total, 1905-1912. Letters to mother and family and sister Gladys. He writes of his job in the mines of Montana and Nevada.
F. Natilie (Tillie) Thomas: 3 letters/6 pages total, 1 fragment, 1898. Tillie writes to her brothers while living in Salt Lake City, Utah with her parents.
Letters are arranged alphabetically by sender.