J. W. and H. L. Thomas

                       Tisdale Township and Maple City, Spring Creek Township.
                                                          [Handled Sheep.]
Tisdale Township 1873: J. W. Thomas, 48; spouse, Elizabeth, 45.
Tisdale Township 1874: J. W. Thomas, 49; spouse, Elizabeth, 47.
Tisdale Township 1874: H. L. Thomas, 27; spouse, Minnie, 22.
Tisdale Township 1874: J. F. Thomas, 33; spouse, Mary J., 25.
Kansas 1875 Census, Tisdale Township, Cowley County, March 1, 1875.
Name                     age sex color          Place/birth Where from
J. W. Thomas         49  m     w            Ohio                       Iowa
E. Thomas        47    f      w            Ohio                       Iowa
A. A. Thomas         17  m     w            Ohio                       Iowa
H. L. Thomas         14  m    w             Indiana             Iowa
E. H. Thomas           4  m    w             Iowa                      Iowa
Tisdale Township 1880: J. W. Thomas, 55; spouse, Elizabeth, 52.
Tisdale Township 1880: John Thomas, 33; spouse, Mary J., 31.
[Note: Census of 1875 does not correspond to other entries.]
                                               FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.
[TISDALE TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “RUSTICUS.”]
Winfield Courier, August 11, 1881.
There are about 1,000 head of cattle being herded in our part of the county. Sheep and hogs are very scarce, J. W. Thomas and George Brown being the only two men owning sheep in this vicinity.
Winfield Courier, November 30, 1882.
SOME WOOL. Mr. H. L. Thomas brings us a sample of wool seven inches long, from a lamb six months old, bred by his father, J. W. Thomas, of Maple City, from a full bred Cotswold, crossed with a Colorado ewe. This was the first experiment of breeding in that direction, and if anyone can beat seven inches for a first six months’ growth of wool on a lamb, we would like to hear from him. Mr. Thomas has got as healthy and clean a lot of sheep as can be found anywhere and is a success as a sheep breeder.
Winfield Courier, December 7, 1882.
The following are the names of the jurymen in the Colgate case: A. B. Tuggle, Jacob Smith, E. A. Hardy, E. M. Freeman, J. W. Hamlin, J. Camp, Wm. Johnson, R. L. Cunningham, Woods Retherford, Daniel Moffitt, J. W. Thomas, John Nash.
The legal battle over the Colgate case was magnificently fought. The counsel for the State brought in every particle of evidence which could be adduced to prove a circumstance, and carefully and skillfully built up their case until it seemed practically impossible to overturn it—and no one on earth could have done it before a Cowley County jury, but W. P. Hackney. His argument to the jury was startling and his theories in direct opposition to those of his colleague, and they won the case in spite of the evidence and the charge of the court. It is a victory which he may well be proud of.
[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]
Winfield Courier, January 25, 1883.

Recap of Claims Submitted in report of Commissioners Proceedings given by J. S. Hunt, County Clerk of Cowley County.
J. W. Thomas, Talisman.
[MAPLE CITY, SPRING CREEK TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “FLO.”]
Winfield Courier, March 20, 1884.
Mr. Thomas and son sold their farm a few days since.
The Messrs. Thomas’ are losing very heavily with their sheep on account of disease.
Note: It appears that J. W. Thomas and H. L. Thomas went out of the sheep business. I do not know if they were the same individuals mentioned as living in Winfield at a later point. H. L. Thomas, Winfield, was busy putting in crossings. At one point in 1885 Mr. J. W. Thomas provided stone for crossings. MAW