Lawyer.
Born at Deloraine on 25 November 1892, son of William James Thomas and Mary Ann Robertson, brother of Edgar James Thomas, he received a BA degree from United College, in 1914. He then articled in law with the Winnipeg firm of Jacob Moore and Morton. In June 1915, he enlisted in the 61st Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He played hockey with the battalion team and won the 1916 Allan Cup. He went overseas with the 8th City of London Regiment. He returned to Winnipeg in May 1919 and resumed his legal training with the firm of Marlott, Warner, and Evans. He was called to the Manitoba Bar in June 1920.
On 21 July 1920, he married Thelma Estelle Neelands (1899-1978) of Winnipeg. They had two daughters: Shirley Thomas (?-1981, wife of James Smith) and Catherine Thomas (wife of Thomas Wood). The family homesteaded near Glenella where he practiced law. He also served as a school trustee, administered two rural school districts, and was on the board of the Glenella United Church. He was a member of the Riding Mountain Association that worked to establish Riding Mountain National Park.
The family moved to Portage la Prairie in 1941 where he had the position of Deputy Clerk of the County Court of Portage la Prairie, and District Sheriff. He was a member of the Law Society of Manitoba and the Masons. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Rural Municipalities Secretary Treasurers Association of Manitoba, and a member of the Manitoba Volunteer Reserve Organization.
He died at Edmonton, Alberta on 13 January 1985 and was buried in Hillside Cemetery at Portage la Prairie.
His articles for the Manitoba Historical Society:
Birth Pangs of a National Park
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 15, Number 1, Winter 1970
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Riding Mountain Visitor Centre (Wasagaming, Riding Mountain National Park)
Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 16 January 1985, page 45.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 2 December 2022
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