Member Biography

Biography

Daniel J. Thomas (R30) Schuylkill (Part) County 1903-1906

Early Life:

Daniel J. Thomas, born 1839, Swansea, South Wales; worked, coal mines, 1851 (12 years old); night school education; immigrated America, 1861, locating, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania; engaged, Luzerne and Schuylkill, coal mines, 1862-1875; mine foreman, Cambola mines, superintendent, Beaver Brook colliery, Luzerne County; superintendent, Morea Colliery; superintendent, Kaska William Colliery, 1897; elected, school director, Luzerne County; elected, school director, Mahanoy, Schuylkill County; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1903-1906; owner, Pennsylvania Hotel, Mahanoy City, 1899; married, Mary Lloyd, children, David Lloyd Thomas, Margaret Thomas Beck, William Garfield Thomas; died, February 18, 1912 (aged 72–73), Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, interment, Charles Baber Cemetery, Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Charter member, Tamaqua Lodge of Elks

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, school director, Luzerne County; elected, school director, Mahanoy, Schuylkill County. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 30th district, Schuylkill (Part) County, 1903-1906; standing committee assignments, Senate of Pennsylvania, extraordinary and regular session, 1906, Canals and Inland Navigation, Federal Relations Judiciary Special, Library, Pensions and Gratuities, Public Printing, Public Supply of Light, Heat and Water (Chairman).

Extraordinary session, legislation accomplished by the Senate, 1906, personal registration law, direct primary legislation, enacted; up until this legislation candidates were chosen at conventions.

Legacy:

Ardent baseball fan and during his residence in Mahanoy City he was the mainstay of the Mahanoy City Brewers in that city and his one delight was to take a team to Pottsville to take the scalp of the county seat tossers. 

Cited:

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "T" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1906). Cochran, T.B., (Editor) Miller, H.P. (Assistant Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 823, 829-834, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 805.

Evening News (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) Monday, February 19, 1912.

Daniel J Thomas (1839-1912) - Find a Grave Memorial