Donald William Thomas -- Victim of a Lake Drowning

 

 

 

Donald William Thomas was born in Angora, Nebraska on December 13, 1920.  He was the fifth of seven children born to Rufus Kenneth and Tina Avery Wood.  Rufus was born in Trigg County, Kentucky in 1882 and had moved to western Nebraska in the early 1900s.  It was there he met his wife, Tina Wood and they were married on June 9, 1909 in Alliance, Nebraska.

Don’s six siblings were Leonard Gotch Thomas, born in 1911; Russell Kenneth Thomas, born in 1917; Mildred Lavina Thomas, born in 1915; Dorothy May Thomas, born in 1917; Leo Vern Thomas, born in 1923 and Betty Thomas, born in 1931.

Don attended high school in Alliance and in 1942 he joined the US Army.  He went on to serve in the European, African and Middle Eastern Theaters during the war. He was in the 59th Armored Field Artillery Battalion.  On October 17, 1945, he was discharged from the army and he returned to his home in Alliance. 

During the time Don was in the military, he was stationed at Fort Smith, Arkansas when he married Opal Henley on February 27, 1943.  Opal was from his home town of Alliance.  Opal and Don were divorced on May 18, 1951. 

In January of 1953, Don along with his brother, Leo moved to Waneta, Nebraska.  There they formed the Thomas Gas Service which was a propane gas distributing business.  Don and Leo were very successful with the business. 

On October 10, 1953, Don married his second wife, Bonnie Marie Berry in McCook, Nebraska.  Bonnie was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Berry of Wauneta, Don and Bonnie had their only child, Debra Kay Thomas, who was born on September 20, 1954.

Don Thomas lost his life in a tragic accident on Sunday evening, November 7, 1954 when he was drowned In Enders Lake, Nebraska. Don and Bonnie, along with their six-week-old daughter, Debra and their close friends, Fred Heldenbrand and his wife had spent most of Sunday afternoon boating on the lake. As it neared dusk, shortly after five o'clock, they brought the boat to shore at the dock on the north side of the lake and all of them left the boat preparing to go home.  During the afternoon ride they all had worn life jackets but had removed them as the boat was brought to the dock. Fred Heldenbrand went to a nearby location to get the pickup truck and boat trailer to load the boat for the return trip home.   Don decided that the boat should be loaded on the trailer from the opposite direction as to where they had docked it, and said he was going to take one more little spin on the lake so as to bring the craft in from the direction in which he wanted to load it on the trailer.  Don had taken off his life Jacket and donned a heavy coat.  As he was turning the boat around in the water it capsized throwing him into the lake. He was not a good swimmer and being handicapped by the cold water, was not able to make any progress toward the dock which was some 200 yards from where the boat had capsized. Fred quickly sent the ladies to get help while he tried to help Don. He shouted for Don to make for the overturned boat Instead of trying to swim to shore. Fred entered the water and tried to swim to Don’s assistance. However, the very cold water and cramps forced him to return to shore and Don was unable to get back to the boat.  Several members of the local fire departments, and a large number of other people quickly responded as the call for help, but they were unable to rescue him.  His body was not recovered until the following Monday afternoon, where it found not far from where the location of the overturned boat had been marked in water, about 50 feet deep and where there were strong undercurrents.  Don was 34 years old at the time of the accident.

Don was still involved in the gas distributing business at the time of his death.

Don was buried in the Alliance Cemetery in Alliance, Nebraska.

(LINEAGE:  Donald William Thomas was the son of Rufus Kenneth and Tina Avery Wood Thomas, grandson of William Henry and Sidney Dyer Thomas, and great-grandson of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas.  Stanley was the second child 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.)

Thomas Golladay Evans -- Westinghouse Engineer

 

Thomas Golladay Evans was born on October 17, 1923 in Old Hickory, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. He was the son of John Towles Evans, a native of Lafayette, Alabama and Sarah Elizabeth Golladay, a native of Trigg County, Kentucky.  His only sibling was his brother, John Towles Evans, Jr., who was born in 1921.

Tom grew up in Nashville and entered Vanderbilt University where he earned a degree in electrical engineering.  In 1945 he went to work for the Westinghouse Electric Company where he worked for 37 years.  At that time, Westinghouse was rebuilding infrastructure shattered during World War II and bringing power to countries that had none.  During those 37 years, Tom Evans became a dynamic Westinghouse engineer who helped build power plants and desalination facilities around the globe.

On December 26, 1945 Tom married Elaine Lataste Killebrew, a Vanderbilt graduate from Anniston, Alabama. Tom and Elaine had met when they were both freshmen at Vanderbilt.  They became the parents of three daughters, Susan Evans, born in 1946, Sarah Evans, born in 1949 and Vivian Evans, born in 1950.

Tom and Elaine moved to New York City and for the next 27 years Tom worked in engineering, construction and marketing of power plants around the world. Business travel took him to over 50 countries, often for weeks or months. His longer stays included trips to the Philippines, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Haiti, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Australia. In 1972 he and Elaine moved to Brussels where Tom served as President of Westinghouse Electric Nuclear Energy Systems Europe for three years. He retired in 1982 after heading up strategic planning in Pittsburgh. Tom and Elaine raised their three daughters in Glen Rock, New Jersey, where he opened the eyes of his family to the international world with his exciting travel stories.

As Tom wrote in a Vanderbilt alumni magazine: "I was robbed by a Moro tribesman with a wicked-looking dagger on an inter-island freighter in Philippine waters; nearly drowned off the coast of Africa and barely escaped a murderous mob in Lagos, Nigeria, that was angered over the 1960 assassination of Congo leader Patrice Lumumba. I stayed in a hotel in New Delhi that had open windows that had monkeys climbing in my room. I argued the pros and cons of democracy for three hours with the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza, and made a presentation on nuclear power plants to a utility company in Hiroshima, Japan, after the president of the utility opened the meeting by telling me his wife and children had been killed by the atomic bomb." 

When Cuba's Fidel Castro shut off the water to the U.S. base at Guantanamo in 1964, the Navy called Westinghouse, and Tom was dispatched to Washington.  At that time, the Navy had three tankers continuously hauling water to Guantanamo, and it wanted desalination plants built at Guantanamo within six month. Under Tom’s direction, Westinghouse disassembled a plant it had recently built in California, and the plant was reassembled and two similar plants were built within six months at Guantanamo.

After his retirement from Westinghouse, Tom and Elaine moved to Alpharetta, Georgia where he worked for many years in community projects. Tom died on January 12, 2011 in Naples, Florida from complications following a stroke. He was buried in the Highland Cemetery in Anniston, Alabama next to his wife, Elaine, who died in 2008.

Tom Evans Tombstone

LINEAGE:  (Thomas Golladay Evans was the son of John Towles and Sarah Elizabeth Golladay Evans, grandson of James Richard and Ida Thomas Golladay and great-grandson of Alfred Marshall and Eliza Anne Martin Thomas.  Alfred Marshall was the fifth child 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. )

Charles Seaborn Abel

 

Charles Seaborn Abel was born on March 4, 1938 in Ashland, Oregon.  His parents were Charles Virgil and Charlotte May Mitchell Abel.  When Charles was young, his family moved to Modesto, California where he lived most of his life.  He had two brothers, Mike and Greg Abel and one sister, Robin Abel. He attended Modesto High School until his enlistment in the US Army in 1955.

Charles was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky when he met Mary Ann Thomas.  Mary was born on March 14, 1937 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and was the daughter of Vernon Jagoe and Ruby Lee Byrd Thomas.   Mary Ann had three older sisters, Ruth Mae Thomas, Naomi Lee Thomas and Dorothy Nell Thomas.

After their marriage, Charles and Mary Ann settled in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and became the parents of three children.  Gina Renea Abel was born on January 14, 1961 at Fort Campbell and died the following day on January 15. Their second child, Tonya Jill Able was born on December 22, 1961.  Their third child, Charles Scott Abel was born on December 18, 1964 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

In 1963, Charles attended and graduated from the US Army Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia.  He received his commission as a second lieutenant in the army infantry.  

Charles had been stationed at Ft. Campbell for about six years serving as a career officer with the 101st Airborne Division. On June 15, 1966 he began a tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam.  At that time he had been promoted to Captain and was a co-pilot on an UH-1B “Huey” helicopter.  He flew with the 68th Aviation Company, which was called “The Top Tigers”. On September 13, 1966 he and his unit were called upon to supply a platoon and a heavy fire team to support a classified operation.  Charles’ helicopter was one of two gunships escorting five military helicopters without armaments that were being used to transport troops and cargo.  They encountered bad weather and were unable to locate their landing zone.  While attempting to return to their base their aircraft became separated from the others because of heavy rain.  His helicopter was last seen through a low ceiling and ground fog, slowing and settling into the jungle canopy.

The military was unable to locate the missing helicopter and all aboard were considered missing in action.  His wife, Mary Ann, was notified that her husband was missing in action a few days after the incident.

Nine months later, in June 1967 the military discovered the wrecked helicopter and Charles’ body was recovered. Mary Ann was officially notified that her husband, Captain Charles Able had died of wounds suffered in battle.  She had not received any information about his condition since the initial missing in action notice in September 1966.

Charles’ body was and returned to US soil on 10 Jun 1967 and his body was returned to Hopkinsville for burial.  He was laid to rest in the Green Hill Memorial Gardens in Hopkinsville. He was 28 years old at the time of his death.

 Charles Abel's Grave Marker

LINEAGE:  (Charles Seaborn Abel was the husband of Mary Ann Thomas.  Mary was the daughter of Vernon Jagoe and Ruby Lee Byrd Thomas, granddaughter of Robert Henry and Jennie Lee Ezell Thomas and great-granddaughter of Rufus King and Alvie Adeline Dunn Thomas.  Rufus was the fifth child of Perry and Elizabeth Bridges Thomas. Perry was the third child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Horace Dean Aikins --Attorney

 

Horace Dean Aikin was born on May 12, 1909 in Saluda, North Carolina, the son of Grant and Maude Chase Aikin.  At an early age, he and his family moved to St. Petersburg, in Pinellas County, Florida. It was there that his father, Grant became the first city attorney of St. Petersburg. Growing up in Florida, he graduated from the University of Florida where he was the editor in chief of the college yearbook.  He continued his studies at the university and in 1929; he graduated from the University of Florida Law School.

Dean began his career as an attorney in St. Petersburg and in the early 1930’s; he was elected for a term as the mayor of Sunshine Beach, now Treasure Island, Florida. Returning to his law career, he became a partner in the law firm of Thompson and Aikin with Dean specializing in title law.

On June 18, 1939, Dean married Martha Buckner Trice.  Martha was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on February 13, 1907 and was the daughter of Frank Dagg and Katherine Quick Trice. Her mother was the daughter of John Carr and Martha Jane Thomas Quick.  Her family had moved to Florida in the mid 1930’s and Martha had graduated from the Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee.

Dean became a partner in the Aikin Open Air School, which was founded in 1912 by his mother, Maude Chase Aikin and was the oldest private school in Florida.  Martha became a teacher at the institution and in 1936 she became the principal of the school and Maude served as the superintendent.  The school had a system of teaching based on the tutor idea.  All classes were held in the open except in inclement weather when the class rooms were used.  A second Aikin open-air school was opened in 1924 in Coral Gables, Florida and was the largest institution of its kind in the Miami area.

Dean served as a City Judge for St. Petersburg for a number of years and in 1946 Dean went exclusively into the title business when he joined Guarantee Abstract Co. as title officer.  He later became vice president of the company where in 1953 he was named Boss of the Year.  Dean became the attorney for the draft board and In 1948, he was appointed to serve on the Civil Service Commission for St. Petersburg.  He left Guarantee Abstract Co. and joined Fidelity Title Company where he remained until his retirement in 1984 when he was in his mid 70’s.

Maitland Knapp, president of Fidelity Title Co. said, "Dean was a true Southern gentleman. He was a compassionate man and always tried to find the good in everyone rather than looking at their faults."

Dean died on August 3, 1984 in St. Petersburg and was buried in the Saint Thomas Episcopal Church Columbarium. Martha died on December 21, 1998 in St. Petersburg and was buried in the Columbarium with Dean.  Dean and Martha had no children.

 

Tombs of Dean and Martha Aikin

LINEAGE (Horace Dean Aikin was the husband of Martha Buckner Trice. Martha was the daughter of Francis Dagg and Katherine Quick Trice, granddaughter of John Carr and Martha Jane Thomas Quick and great-granddaughter of Allison William and Catherine Elizabeth Carloss Thomas.  Allison was the third child of Perry and Elizabeth Bridges Thomas.  Perry was the third child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Elizabeth was the sixth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Ann Light Stallons -- Victim of a Night Club Fire

 

Ann Rita Light was born on December 10, 1932 in Trigg County, Kentucky, the sixth of seven children of Elzie Bertram Light and Peachie Adeline Bridges. Elzie was a farmer in the Maple Grove community where Ann and her siblings grew up.

On June 7, 1953 Ann married Marshall Wendell Stallons.  Marshall was born on January 30, 1931 in Trigg County and was the son of Clarence Monroe Stallons and Myra Dean Terrell.  His mother was the daughter of Robert Terrell and Emma Skagg Bridges, a descendant of the Simco Bridges family.

Ann and Marshall lived in Murray, Kentucky where she worked as a bookkeeper for a local accounting firm and Marshall worked with Southern Bell Telephone Company. They were the parents of two daughters, Marsha Ann Stallons who was born January 15, 1954 and Rayetta Fay Stallons who was born April 9, 1957.  Marshall died at the early age of 41 on August 3, 1972. He was buried in the Green Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Hopkinsville.

Ann was a victim of a tragic fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky on May 28, 1977.  The fire which occurred on a Saturday night over Memorial Day weekend was one of the worst night club fire disasters ever in the United States at that time.

The three-story, brick-walled Beverly Hills Supper Club, was crowded with thousands of holiday weekend merrymakers when fire broke out, apparently in the basement. Most of the victims died of suffocation, although many of those trapped inside were badly burned. The building had no sprinkler system as there was no law requiring one at the time of construction in 1970 and a subsequent law was not retroactive. Property damage was estimated at $2 million at the time.   Kentucky governor Julian Carroll told a news conference the following morning that it was believed the fire started in the basement, spread there without anyone realizing it and then suddenly broke through the floor of one of the dining areas.

The patrons were scattered in dozens of rooms and alcoves at the popular nightspot located just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. Many guests were finishing their dinner and preparing to walk to the Cabaret Room for a show by headliner John Davidson. Estimate of the number of patrons inside the club ranged from 3,500 to 5,000. Several waitresses in the dining area where flames were first seen tried unsuccessfully to put the fire out with portable extinguishers. . Word spread quickly for guests to leave, but thick black smoke spread even faster through the corridors blocking the main entrance entirely, making it impossible to see and ultimately choking hundreds of persons to death.  Fire trucks had difficulty reaching the scene because the club was located on an isolated 17-acre site atop a high bluff, reachable for the last quarter-mile only by a narrow two-lane road which became the site of a massive traffic jam.

When firemen arrived, they poured their energies into helping patrons escape rather than trying to douse the flames. The fire was brought under control about 1 a.m., but the rubble still smoldered as dawn broke that Sunday morning. About 125 bodies were taken to a makeshift morgue at a nearby armory and lined in rows on the floor where the dead were slowly identified by relatives and friends. In all 165 people perished in the fire.  The exact location of Ann’s body within in the building is not known.  It was determined later that the fire was apparently started by defective wiring in the walls or ceiling of the club's Zebra Room. That room apparently was added, without the fire marshal's inspection or approval, after the club was built in 1970 and allowed to open in 1971.

Ann was buried in the Green Hill Memorial Cemetery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky where her husband Marshall Stallons was buried.

 Ann Rita Light Stallons Grave Marker

LINEAGE:  (Ann Rita Light was the daughter of Elzie Bertram Light and Peachie Adeline Bridges, the granddaughter of John J. Light and Emeline Catherine Thomas and John Richard Bridges and Nancy Bell Meador and the great-granddaughter of Stanley Thomas and Emily Ann Light and Drewry Bridges and Peachie Ann Tart.   Stanley was the second child of Starkie Thomas and Mary Bridges.  Starkie was the fourth child of James Thomas and Mary Standley Thomas.  Drewry was the fourth child of William Bridges and Mary Thomas. William was the fourth child of Drury Bridges and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)