Wesley Gunn Thomas, was born April 1, 1859 in Trigg County, Kentucky and was one of eleven children born to Stanley and Emily J. Light Thomas. He was a highly respected farmer and longtime resident of the Oak Grove community. Known throughout Trigg County as "Cousin Wes," he was a great-grandson of James and Mary "Mollie" Standley Thomas, who migrated to Trigg County from North Carolina and settled on Donaldson Creek in about 1806.
On March 17, 1881, he was married to Eliza S. Henderson, daughter of John and Susan Larkins Henderson of Caldwell County, Kentucky, with whom he had ten children. A deeply religious man, he was of the primitive Baptist faith. He and his wife raised their ten children on an 150-acre farm on Birds Creek not far from Oak Grove Baptist Church. She passed away in March, 1936.
Those who knew him always mention in particular--his remarkable memory, especially about his family. He had an ability to recall who descended from what branch of the large Thomas clan, and could even recall individual dates of birth. In 1928, when G.A. Bridges and Maston Thomas put together the first history of the Thomas and Bridges families, they relied heavily on "Cousin Wes" for assistance. Additionally, many in Oak Grove and nearby communities sought his assistance in verifying their birth when they applied for birth certificates. He was also well known for his love of Southern Harmony hymns. He traveled throughout Western Kentucky to "all day singings." For many years, the main highlight of his year was to attend the "Big Singing" (of Southern Harmony hymns), a ritual that has been held annually at the Marshall County Courthouse in Benton since 1884.
His children were Mattie Pearl Thomas Hughes, Hazie L Thomas., Eura Wesley Thomas, Leslie Edwin Thomas, Annie Thomas Bridges, Peachie Thomas Terrell, James Stone Thomas, Lucien M. Thomas, Luther Thompson Thomas, and Berta Thomas Francis.
Wesley Gunn Thomas died on February 3, 1946 in Cadiz, Kentucky at the age of 86 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Peachie Terrell. Funeral services were conducted on Wednesday, February 4th, 1946 at Dyer's Chapel Methodist Church with burial in the nearby Lawrence Cemetery. Pallbearers included Hershel Thomas, Hugh Thomas, Elzie Light, Allen Lawrence, Clarence Bruce and D. Bruce.
(Biographical information from obituary in Cadiz Record February 5, 1946 and from an article "Cousin Wes" which appeared in the Thomas-Bridges Association newsletter)
THE LINEAGE:
(Wesley Gunn Thomas was the sixth child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas and the grandson of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas. Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)
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