Ormsby B. Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ormsby B. Thomas
Chairman of the House Committee on War Claims
In office March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891
Preceded by	William J. Stone
Succeeded by	Frank Eckels Beltzhoover
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 7th district
In office March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891
Preceded by	Gilbert M. Woodward
Succeeded by	Frank P. Coburn
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 4th district
In office January 5, 1880 – January 2, 1882
Preceded by	George W. Swain
Succeeded by	Van S. Bennett
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Crawford district
In office January 7, 1867 – January 6, 1868
Preceded by	George F. Harrington
Succeeded by	James Fisher
In office January 2, 1865 – January 1, 1866
Preceded by	Horace Beach
Succeeded by	George F. Harrington
In office January 6, 1862 – January 5, 1863
Preceded by	Daniel Harris Johnson (Bad Ax–Crawford dist.)
Succeeded by	James Fisher
District Attorney of Crawford County, Wisconsin
In office January 2, 1899 – January 5, 1903
Preceded by	Albert H. Long
Succeeded by	W. R. Graves
In office December 1867 – January 6, 1873
Appointed by	Lucius Fairchild
Preceded by	Joseph M. Wilcox
Succeeded by	William Dutcher
In office January 3, 1859 – January 5, 1863
Preceded by	Buel Hutchinson
Succeeded by	L. F. S. Viele
Personal details
Born	(1832-08-21)August 21, 1832 Sandgate, Vermont, U.S.
Died	October 24, 1904(1904-10-24) (aged 72) Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of death	Bright's disease
Resting place	Evergreen Cemetery, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican Natl. Union (1862–1867) Democratic (before 1862)
Spouse	Sarah E. Rosencrans ​ ​ (m. 1875; died 1884)​
Children	Pearl Thomas (b. 1876; died 1877) John Alexander Thomas (b. 1879; died 1954) Carrie Thomas (b. 1881; died after 1904)
Alma mater	State and National Law School
Profession	lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Volunteers Union Army
Years of service	1862–1864
Rank	Captain, USV
Unit	31st Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Ormsby Brunson Thomas (born August 21, 1832 – died October 24, 1904) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Republican Party and a pioneer in Wisconsin. Thomas served three terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1885 to 1891. He also spent five years in the Wisconsin Legislature and 13 years as a district attorney for Crawford County, Wisconsin.

Early Life and First Steps in Law

Ormsby Thomas was born in Sandgate, Vermont. When he was a young child, his family moved to the Wisconsin Territory. They settled in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, which is in Crawford County, Wisconsin.

He went to school at the Burr and Burton Academy in Vermont. Later, he graduated from the State and National Law School in New York in 1856. That same year, he became a lawyer in Albany, New York. Soon after, he returned to Prairie du Chien to start his own law practice.

Thomas quickly became involved in local politics. In 1858, he was elected as the district attorney for Crawford County. A district attorney is a lawyer who works for the government to bring legal cases against people accused of crimes. He was re-elected to this role in 1860.

Serving in the Civil War

When the American Civil War began in 1861, Ormsby Thomas was still the district attorney. He was also running for a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly, which is part of the state's government. He won and served in the 1862 legislative session.

After the session, Thomas helped gather a group of volunteers from Crawford County to join the Union Army. His group became Company D in the 31st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. In September 1862, Thomas officially became a captain.

For several months, his regiment trained and guarded Confederate prisoners. They were then sent to the western part of the war. They spent 1863 protecting supplies in Tennessee. Thomas left the army in January 1864 and went back to Wisconsin.

After the War: Back to Politics

When Thomas returned to Wisconsin, he was elected to the Assembly again. This time, he ran with the National Union Party. This party was a temporary group of Republicans and Democrats who supported the Union during the war. Thomas stayed with the Republican Party for the rest of his life.

In 1867, Governor Lucius Fairchild appointed Thomas to be the district attorney for Crawford County again. He served this term and was re-elected in 1868.

In 1869, he tried to become a Wisconsin State Senate member but lost. However, he was elected district attorney again in 1870. In 1872, he was chosen as a presidential elector for Ulysses S. Grant. This meant he helped formally elect the president.

During the 1870s, Thomas focused on his law practice. He became partners with Charles S. Fuller in 1876. Their law firm became very well-known in the state.

Thomas returned to politics in 1879. He ran for the Wisconsin State Senate and won easily.

Serving in Congress

Thomas did not run for re-election to the state Senate in 1881. In 1882, he tried to get nominated for Congress. Congress is the main lawmaking body of the United States. He didn't win the nomination that year.

Two years later, in 1884, Thomas tried again for Congress. This time, he won the nomination and then defeated the current representative in the election. He was re-elected in 1886 and 1888.

During his time in Congress, Thomas was the chairman of the House Committee on War Claims. This committee dealt with claims related to the Civil War. In 1890, he lost his bid for a fourth term.

After leaving Congress, he went back to his law practice. In 1898, he was elected district attorney for Crawford County one last time.

During his final term as district attorney, Thomas became ill with Bright's disease, a kidney condition. His health got worse after he left office in 1903. He passed away at his home in Prairie du Chien on October 24, 1904. He was known as the oldest lawyer in the State Bar of Wisconsin at the time of his death.

Personal Life

Ormsby B. Thomas married Sarah E. Rosencrans in June 1875. They lived in Prairie du Chien. They had three children together. Sadly, their first child died as a baby. Sarah passed away in 1884.

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  Ormsby B. Thomas