Olif Clifton Thomas -- Rubber Industry Worker

 

 

 

Olif Clifton Thomas was born on November 16, 1907 in the Donaldson Creek community of Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the first of seven children born to Alfred Herman Thomas and Maggie Lee Emma Carr Thomas, both natives of Trigg County with Alfred being the great-grandson of Cullen Thomas.  Alfred grew up on a farm but moved with his family to Akron, Ohio in the 1920s where he worked in the rubber industry.  Maggie worked as a housewife.

Olif’s siblings were Mary Thomas, born in 1909; Edith Eugenia Thomas, born in 1913; Rollo Ellis Thomas, born in 1915; Nora Lee Thomas, born in 1918; Sammie Virginia Thomas, born in 1923 and Marian Shirley Ann Thomas, born in 1931.

Olif spent his youth working as a farmer along with his father in the Donaldson Creek area.  In 1927, he moved along with his family to Akron, Ohio where his father began working in the rubber industry, primarily in the manufacture of tires. During the 1920s, many families moved to Akron, Ohio for the jobs that were available as Ohio emerged as the leader of rubber production in the United States and Akron became known as the “Rubber Capital of the World.” Shortly after arriving in Ohio, Olif, like his father also joined the rubber industry when he became an employee of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. Olif was an employee with the company for more than 30 years until his early retirement in 1958 due to a heart ailment.

Olif enjoyed returning to Kentucky to visit his home county.  He made numerous visits to Cadiz where he would spend a Saturday or two meeting old friends around the courthouse and in the local stores. Although he lived in Ohio, he considered Kentucky his true home.

Olif’s wife, Mellie Juliette Cox, was born in the Maggie community of Trigg County, Kentucky on March 12, 1909, the daughter of John Chappell Cox and Sibbie Ophelia Martin Cox. John was a native of Trigg County and Sibbie was a native of Christian County. Mellie lost her mother when she was ten years old and at an early age she learned to cook and be a housekeeper. In 1929, she moved from Kentucky to live with her sister, Ruby, in Akron, Ohio.  She worked as a housekeeper for several families and then as a teletype operator for Western Union.  On February 13, 1933, in Ohio, Mellie did something she said she would never do, she married a “Thomas” boy from Trigg County.

Olif and Mellie were the parents of four children, Layton Chappell Thomas, born in 1933; Judith Arlene Thomas, born in 1937; Larry Clifton Thomas, born in 1938 and Lonnie Clark Thomas, born in 1945.

Olif died in Akron on February 13, 1967 at the age of 59.  He was buried in the Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Akron.  His wife, Mellie, died on July 12, 2004 in Akron at the age of 95.  She was buried in the Greenlawn Memorial Park next to her husband.

Mellie Thomas, wife of Olif Thomas

 

LINEAGE:  (Olif Clifton Thomas was the son of Alfred Herman and Maggie Lee Emma Carr Thomas and the grandson of James Dillard and Sarah Armentia Sholar Thomas.  James Dillard was the fifth child of Peyton and Sarah Ethridge Thomas.  Peyton was the third child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas.  Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)