Dennis Glyn Thomas -- Trigg County Entrepreneur

 

Dennis Glyn Thomas

Dennis Glyn Thomas was born on June 7, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. He was the youngest of six children born to Hubert Jackson “Tige” Thomas and Vada Helena Wallace Thomas.  Hubert operated an automobile body shop and was a native of Trigg County.  Vada was a native of Dover, Tennessee. Dennis was a descendant of Starkie Thomas.

Dennis’ siblings were Carolyn Sue Thomas, born in 1934 and died at the age of 1 day; Billie Joe Thomas, born in 1935 and married Carolyn Raquel Williams; the triplets, Andrew Thomas, born in 1937 and married Frances Carol Bridges; Bruce Thomas, born in 1937 and married Joyce Ann P’Pool; and Charles Thomas, born in 1937 and married Martha Ann Myers and later married Clara Ellen McKinney.

Dennis spent his first years growing up in Detroit, but moved to Trigg County, Kentucky in 1946, He attended the Trigg County schools and graduated from Trigg County High School in 1962.

On January 25, 1965, Dennis married Linda Dale Hancock.  Linda was born on June 9, 1948 in Christian County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Luther Thomas Hancock and Ada Augusta Carpenter Hancock.  Luther was a farmer and was a native of Trigg County.

Dennis was a very successful entrepreneur in Trigg County. He established the Cadiz Drywall Contractors, Inc. in 1975 where he hired and mentored several young men helping to give them a career in the construction and drywall industry.  He was a long-time career real estate and land developer and well respected in the county. Dennis’ entrepreneurial spirit and loved of Trigg County were the driving force behind many of his business endeavors and he was also a supporter of many local charitable causes. Linda was a co-owner of the Kentucky Smokehouse Restaurant and Cadiz Drywall Contractors, Inc.

Dennis and Linda were the parents of two children, Dennis Glyn Thomas, Jr., born in 1966 and married Sherry Ann Ramey and then married Addie Eaves and Dana Michelle Thomas, born in 1969 and married Karl Robert Erickson.

Linda died on December 2, 2013 at the age of 65 at the Saint Thomas Medical Center West in Nashville, Tennessee.  She was buried in the Lucian Thomas Family Cemetery in Trigg County.  Dennis died on June 17, 2021 at the age of 77 at the Saint Thomas Medical Center West .  He was buried in the Lucian Thomas Family Cemetery next to his wife.

Linda Thomas

 

Dennis and Linda tombstone

LINEAGE: (Dennis Glyn Thomas was the son of Hubert Jackson and Vada Helena Wallace Thomas. Hubert was the second child of Lucian M. and Inez B. Crews Thomas.  Lucian was the fourth child of Jonathan Starkie and Julia Dyer Thomas.  Jonathan was the third child of William Bridges and Nancy Jane Rogers Thomas.  William was the first child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Mosco Doris and Myra Dean Sumner Bridges -- Farmer/Carpenter and State Park Worker

 

 Mosco and Myra Dean Bridges with their three children

Mosco Doris Bridges was born on July 20, 1919 in the Mount Pleasant community of Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the youngest of eight children born to Drew Manley Bridges and Lena Mae Guier Bridges.  Drew was a farmer and both he and Lena were natives of Trigg County.  Drew was a son of Starkie T. Bridges.  

Mosco’s siblings were Lolo Jo Bridges, born in 1901 and married Andrew Abner Gray; Robbie Bell Bridges, born in 1904 and married George Clyde Cunningham; Sidney Gordon Bridges, born in 1906 and married Jane Ernestine Bridges; Sarah Elizabeth Bridges, born in 1907 and married Henry Cullen Thomas; Clifton Earl Bridges, born in 1910 and married Inez Lorene Lancaster; John Thomas Bridges, born in 1915 and married Mary Henrietta Sumner; and Clovis Manley Bridges, born in1918 and married Ruby Helen Huddleston.

Mosco’s family moved to a farm in the Maple Grove community in December of 1925 when he was six years old. He grew up in the Maple Grove community and attended the local schools.

On September 27, 1941, Mosco married Myra Dean Sumner in Charleston, Missouri. Myra Dean was born on December 25, 1924 in Trigg County, the ninth of eleven children of John Calvin Sumner and Lucy Ethel Lawrence Sumner.  John Calvin was a farmer and both he and Lucy were natives of Trigg County.  John was a grandson of Drewry Bridges and Lucy was a descendant of Starkie Thomas.

Myra’s siblings were William Odell Sumner, born in 1907 and married Julia Ruby Cameron;  Lacy Calvin Sumner, born in 1909 and married Lorena Farmer and later married Mary Bryant; James Woodson Sumner, born in 1911 and married Myra Lorraine Thomas; an unnamed infant, died at birth; Martha Alberta Sumner, born in 1915 and married George Lewis Gothard; George Robert Sumner, born in 1917 and married Dorothy Mae White; Mary Henrietta Sumner, born in 1919 and married John Thomas Bridges; John Lawrence Sumner, born in 1921 and married Belva Marie Compton; Sarah Frances Sumner, born in 1926 and married Forrest Lanston Matthews and later married John Franklin Phillips and then Clarence Noble P’Pool; and Perry Cullen Sumner, born in 1927 and married Lorena Farmer.

On June 2, 1942 Mosco enlisted at Louisville, Kentucky in the U.S. Navy.  He received his naval training at Chicago and served until July 23, 1943 when he was discharged.

After Mosco returned from his military service, he and Myra Dean lived at Mosco’s family home in Maple Grove where he worked as a farmer.  In 1968, Mosco and Myra Dean bought property on the Old Dover Road and built their new home.  He continued to work as a farmer and also worked as a carpenter until he retired in 1978.  Myra Dean worked at the Lake Barkley State Park for ten years until she retired in 1986.

Mosco and Myra Dean were the parents of three children, Mosco Doris Bridges, Jr., born in 1943 and married Sharon Faye Johnson and later married Frances Diane Henderson; Joseph Edward Bridges, born in 1950 and married Judy Lane Fowler; and Rhonda Faye Bridges, born in 1959 and married Isaac Greer Wells and later married a Mr. Hogan.

Mosco died on September 9, 1994 at the age of 75 in Murray, Kentucky at the Murray-Calloway County Hospital.  He was buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz.  Myra Dean died on January 19, 2004 at the age of 79 in Cadiz at the Trigg County Hospital.  She was buried in the East End Cemetery next to her husband.

 Mosco and Myra Dean tombstone

LINEAGE: (Mosco Doris Bridges was the son of Drew Manley and Lena Mae Guier Bridges.  Drew was the seventh child of Starkie T. and Elizabeth Lawrence Bridges.  Starkie was the second child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

(Myra Dean Sumner was the daughter of John Calvin and Lucy Ethel Lawrence Sumner.  John was the third child of Benjamin Miles and Henrietta Gabrella Bridges Sumner.  Henrietta was the first child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges.  Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Lucy Ethel was the third child of James H. and Lucy Thomas Lawrence II.  Lucy was the eighth child 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. )

Drew Manley Bridges -- Early Trigg County Farmer

 

Drew Manley Bridges was born on September 26, 1875 in the Maple Grove community of Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the sixth of eight children born to Starkie Thomas Bridges and Elizabeth W. Lawrence Bridges.  Starkie  was a farmer and both he and Elizabeth were natives of Trigg County.  Drew was a grandson of William Bridges.  

Drew’s siblings were Laura Bridges, born in 1864 and married Alford McClelland Calhoun; Ida Bridges, born in 1866 and married a Jefferson Hargrove; Starkie Emerson “Bud” Bridges, born in 1868 and married Matilda Elizabeth Wallis; Mary Priscilla Bridges, born in 1872 and married James Robert Harris; Sanford Fayer Bridges, born in 1874 and married Rose Lee Hawkins; Effie Bridges, born and died in 1878;  and John Robert Bridges, born in 1883 and married Georgia Mae Hargrove and later married Jesse Lee Williams.  In addition, Drew had one half sister from his father’s first marriage, Martha Frances Bridges, born in 1853 and married William Henry Sholar and later married John Labon Lawrence.

Drew grew up in the Maple Grove community and records indicate that he did not attend any schools although census records over the years state that he was able to read and write.  At an early age he worked as a farmer, starting out primarily on his father’s farm.

On October 30, 1900, Drew married Lena Mae Guier.  Lena was born on July 2, 1882 in Trigg County.  She was the daughter of John Fredrick Guier and Sarah A. Adams Guier.  Both John and Sarah were natives of Trigg County and their family home was located in the Blue Spring community on property which is now the location of the Boots Randolph Golf Course.

After Drew and Lena were married, they bought a farm in the Mount Pleasant community where they lived until late 1925.  At that time, they bought a farm back in Drew’s home community of Maple Grove. On this new farm they raised their children and lived for the rest of their lives.

Drew and Lena were the parents of eight children, Lola Jo Bridges, born in 1901 and married Andrew Abner Gray; Robbie Bell Bridges, born in 1904 and married George Clyde Cunningham; Sidney Gordon Bridges, born in 1906 and married Jane Ernestine Bridges; Sarah Elizabeth Bridges, born in 1907 and married Henry Cullen Thomas; Clifton Earl Bridges, born in 1910 and married Inez Lorene Lancaster; John Thomas Bridges, born in 1915 and married Mary Henrietta Sumner; Clovis Manley Bridges, born in 1918 and married Ruby Helen Huddleston; and Mosco Doris Bridges, born in 1919 and married Myra Dean Sumner.

Drew died on February 16, 1943 at the age of 67 at his home in Maple Grove.  He was buried in the Drury Bridges Cemetery in the Maple Grove community.  Lena died February 23, 1967 at the age of 84 at the Trigg County Hospital in Cadiz.  She was buried in the Drury Bridges Cemetery next to her husband.

Drew and Lena tombstone

LINEAGE: (Drew Manley Bridges was the son of Starkie Thomas and Elizabeth W. Lawrence Bridges.  Starkie was the second child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Sallie Roberta Thomas Futrell -- Wife of a Farmer

 

RobertaThomas Futrell

Sallie Roberta Thomas was born on June 22, 1887 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  She was the sixth of seven children of William Henry Thomas and Sidney Dyer Thomas.  William Henry was a farmer, and he and Sidney were both natives of Trigg County.  Roberta was a descendant of Starkie Thomas.

Roberta’s siblings were Stanley Dyer Thomas, born in 1875 and married Willie Ethel Hite; Lilburn Clinton Thomas, born in 1878 and married Verna Mae Herndon; Johnnie Vara Thomas, born in 1880 and married Thomas Green Williams; Rufus Kenneth Thomas, born in 1882 and married Tina Avery Wood; Arvin Henry Thomas, born in 1885; and William Cyrus Thomas, born in 1889 and died at the age of four.  Sallie had one half-sibling from her father’s second marriage to Ophelia Tinsley, Conrad Tinsley Thomas, born in 1892 and married Nola Lorraine Sholar.  Sallie also had six half-siblings from her father’s third marriage to Martha Ellen “Mattie” Tinsley, Marcellus Jagoe Thomas, born in 1897 and married Minnie Olive Leitch and later married Augusta Evelyn Jennings; Ophelia Angela Thomas, born in 1899 and married Lester Perry Ellis; Raymond Redmond Thomas, born in 1901 and married Bertha Violet Stewart; William Street Thomas, born in 1903 and married Louise Jones; Herschel Dunning Thomas, born in 1907 and married Mary Lou Wolfe; and Norbet Hilton Thomas, born in 1910.

On December 18, 1910, Roberta married Lamont Benton Futrell at the home of Rev. Sam Sumner in the Delmont community.  Lamont was born on November 14, 1888 in Trigg County, the son of Jonathan Bluford Futrell and Omega Nunn Futrell.  Jonathan was a farmer and both he and Omega were natives of Trigg County.  Lamont had three brothers, of which two were the notable Trigg County physicians, Dr. John Futrell and Dr. Elias Futrell.  

Lamont was a farmer for most of his adult life.  He and Roberta lived in the Linton community where Lamont did his farming.  After his father’s death in 1939, Lamont inherited his portion of his father’s farm land located on the Cumberland River.  Lamont and Roberta resided in Linton until 1947 when he purchased a farm near Trenton in Todd County, Kentucky.  Lamont lived on the Todd County farm until his death. Roberta continued to live in Todd County until shortly before her death when she moved back to Trigg County.

Roberta and Lamont were the parents of two sons, Charles Hobart Futrell, born in 1911 and married Kathleen Ruby Perkins and Homer Ray Futrell, born in 1916 and married Jewel Kathryn Thomas.

Lamont died on December 18, 1960 at the age of 72 of a heart attack while he was enroute to the Trigg County Hospital in Cadiz.  He was buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz.  Roberta died on March 23, 1967 at the age of 79 at the Trigg County Hospital.  She was buried in the East End Cemetery next to her husband.

Lamont and Roberta tombstone

LINEAGE: (Sallie Roberta Thomas was the daughter of William Henry and Sidney Dyer Thomas.  William Henry was the third child 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.)