Thomas, Richard, 1744-1832

Richard Thomas was born Dec. 30, 1744 in West Whiteland Twp. During the Revolutionary War, he served as a colonel of the First Regiment Chester County Volunteers. After the war he was elected a Representative of Pennsylvania to the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Congresses (1795-1801).

Richard Thomas was born in West Whiteland Township on 30 Oct. 1744, a descendant of Richard Ap Thomas of Whitford Garden, Flintshire, North Wales. A Quaker, Thomas was appointed a colonel of the 5th Battalion of Association in Chester County by John Morton on 19 Apr. 1776. He was disowned from Uwchlan's Friends Meeting for his military service. During the Revolution, Thomas participated in a campaign into New Jersey (as far as Amboy) as part of the military's efforts to protect Philadelphia. Thomas was appointed Brigadier General of Chester County on 19 Apr. 1793 but declined the promotion. He began his political career in 1786, serving as an assemblyman until his election as a State Senator in 1790. In 1794 he became a member of Congress for the fourth, fifth and sixth sessions (1794, 1796, 1798). Thomas was married to Thomazine Downing on 20 Oct. 1774 at Uwchlan Meeting, and the couple had eight children.Col. Richard Thomas died 19 Jan. 1832.

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Richard Thomas was born in West Whiteland Township on October 30, 1744, a descendant of Richard Ap Thomas of Whitford Garden, Flintshire, North Wales. Colonel Thomas was the third Richard in the Ap Thomas lineage. (“Ap” is a prefix that was used in Wales to indicate “son of.” 1 )

A Quaker, Thomas was appointed a colonel of the 5th Battalion of Association in Chester County by John Morton on April 19, 1776 (see Box 2, Folder 3). He was disowned from Uwchlan’s Friends Meeting for his military service on August 10, 1775 2 . His brother George remained in the Society of Friends, but according to a letter in the collection, seems to have aided the Revolutionary cause in other ways (see Box 2, Folder 4). After the war, George was a member of the Commission that planned the building of the “Philadelphia-Lancaster Turnpike.” George died after contracting yellow fever in 1793 after attending a commission meeting in Philadelphia. 3

During the Revolutionary War, Colonel Thomas participated in a campaign into New Jersey (as far as Amboy) as part of the military’s efforts to protect Philadelphia.

Thomas was appointed Brigadier General of Chester County on April 19, 1793, (see Box 2, Folder 4), but declined the promotion according to Futhey & Cope’s History of Chester County (1881). He began his political career in 1786, serving as an assemblyman until his election as a State Senator in 1790. In 1794 he became a member of Congress for the fourth, fifth and sixth sessions (1794, 1796, 1798).

Thomas was married to Thomazine Downing on October 20, 1774, at Uwchlan Meeting. They had eight children: Richard, Mary, George, Jacob, Phebe, Thomazine, Samuel and William. Richard married Rebecca Malin. 4 Thomazine married William Ashbridge and Phebe married Samuel Hains.

Colonel Richard Thomas died January 19, 1832 in his eighty-eighth year.

Sources for above include:

History of Chester County, Futhey & Cope, 1881.

1 Brown, Francis G. Downingtown Friends Meeting, p 47.

2 Ashbridge, W.T., The Ashbridge Book, p. 153.

3 Ibid, p. 48.

4 Chester County Historical Society Broadside T-15.