Louisa (Rose) Thomas was born on Dec. 9, 1863 in Kingwood, Somerset County, PA, the daughter of Charles and Catherine (Minerd) Rose.

Louisa married Samuel Thomas (1865-1929), son of Henry and Barbara (Vansickle) Thomas of Maryland. 

Their three children were Sarah Jane Rush, William Henry Thomas and Harvey S. Thomas. 

Early in the marriage, the Thomases lived at Star Junction, Fayette County, PA, where the Connellsville Daily Courier said Samuel "was employed in the mines, before locating at Confluence in 1898." The Courier added that "After residing [at Confluence] for a short time he bought a farm near Draketown and was engaged in farming until about [1925] when he returned to Confluence and engaged in the merchandise business." Circa 1902, they lived at Maple Summit, Fayette County, where their son Harvey was born.

One spring, reported the Somerset Daily American, Samuel tapped 96 maple trees, and their three children helped carry buckets of sap and water to the sugar camp.

The Thomases were members of the Church of God of Ursina, Somerset County, and Samuel was a member of the Lodge of Maccabees of Confluence for 19 years. The Courier said that "He was one of the most substantial citizens of Confluence and was widely known and highly respected in the community." 

Samuel was afflicted with disease of his heart valves. After suffering for a year, he died of this illness on Aug. 12, 1929, just 12 days after his 64th birthday. 

Louisa survived her husband by 27 years. In 1945, she and her son William are known to have attended the 50th wedding anniversary party of her brother J. Grant Rose and his wife Rebecca. 

Louisa died at the age of 92 on March 27, 1956, having endured chronic heart valve disease for decades. They are buried at the Jersey Church Cemetery near Ursina.

The Thomases are mentioned in the book, Reflections: Ursina 1787-1994.

~ Son Harvey S. Thomas ~

Son Harvey S. Thomas (1902-1983) was born on May 15, 1902 in Maple Summit, Fayette County, PA.

He married Isabella Chestnutt (1907-1968).

They together bore the following trio of children -- John H. Thomas, Emma Pearl Rarick and Beverly Hinston.

Harvey owned and operated the H.S. Thomas Coal Company of Listonburg, Somerset County. He also worked for the Bedford Gear Company of Bedford, OH. The family belonged to the Confluenze Church of the Nazarene.

Sadly, Isabella died at the age of 61 in 1968. 

Harvey survived Isabella by 15 years and married again to Rillie (?). They relocated to Williamsport, PA, where they were members of the Trinity Gospel Church.

Harvey passed away in Williamsport Hospital at the age of 81 on May 14, 1983. His remains were brought back to Somerset County to rest with his first wife in Jersey Church Cemetery. Rev. Raymond Schermerhorn officiated at the funeral. An obituary published in the Meyersdale Republic reported that his survivors included nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Son John E. Thomas resided in 1983 in of Farmington Hill, MI.

Daughter Emma Pearl Thomas married (?) Rarick. In the early 1980s, they made their home in Bedford Heights, OH.

Daughter Beverly Thomas wedded (?) Hinston. In 1983, they lived in Linden, PA.

~ Son William Henry Thomas ~

Son William Henry Thomas (1897-1963) was born on Oct. 20, 1897 in Somerset County.

He was a World War I veteran and owned the Thomas Garage in Confluence for many years. 

He married Ona Phelps (1921-1967) and had one son, Herbert Thomas. They dwelled along Ursina Road in Confluence.

William was afflicted with hypertension and hardening of the arteries for a decade. He was felled by a stroke and, combined with bronchial asthma, died on May 30, 1963 at the age of 65. His remains were buried in Jersey Cemetery. 

Ona survived him by four years. She passed away on Oct. 22, 1967.

~ Daughter Sarah Jane (Thomas) Rush ~

Daughter Sarah Jane Thomas (1893-1993) was born on Aug. 1, 1893. 

She married William Harrison Rush Sr. (1889-1964). 

They had 10 children, of whom seven lived to adulthood -- Lawrence E. Rush, Benjamin Rush, William H. Rush Jr., Clara Bell Cannon, Millicent Enos, Leora June Lytle and Roger Rush. 

The other three were taken by the Grim Reaper in infancy -- Joseph R. Rush of tubercular meningitis at the age of three on Dec. 2, 1921; Amos A. Rush of bronchial pneumonia at the age of one month, five days on Feb. 7, 1928; and Janet E. Rush of bronchial pneumonia at the age of six months, 19 days on Nov. 12, 1929. The tender remains of the three youngsters rest for eternity in the Jersey Church Cemetery.

During the 1920s and '30s, William served on the Lower Turkeyfoot Township School Board. 

William died on Aug. 21, 1964, at age 75, with burial in Jersey Cemetery. 

Sadie outlived him by almost three decades. She is pictured on a number of pages in the book, Draketown Past & Present. Among the photos, she is shown making apple butter, and in another with her distant cousin Letitia "Tish" (Ream) Silbaugh.

On her 90th birthday, in July 1983, Sadie was the subject of a major feature in the Somerset Daily American. In the story, she attributed her longevity "To God above, clean, healthy country living, using plenty of herbs and vitamins, along with Dr. Shinolt's chiropractic treatments and a small amount of medical doctoring." Sadie also authored a short autobiography in the volume, `Mongst the Hills of Somerset. 

Sadie passed away on April 4, 1993, and was laid to rest beside her husband.

Son William Harrison Rush Jr. (1915-1983) was born on July 21, 1915. He a veteran of World War II, serving as a private first class with Company C of the 14th Infantry Regiment. He never married. William died on Jan. 22, 1983, at the age of 68, with burial alone in Jersey Cemetery.

Son Benjamin C. Rush (1920-1987) was born in 1920. He married Loretta Bowser ( ? - ? ). They resided in Accident, Garrett County, MD. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy submarine service in World War II, and a member of the Zion Lutheran Church, Friendsville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8769 and the Garrett County Farm Bureau. He was employed as a farmer and school bus driver. Their children were Craig Rush, Norris Rush, Beverly Stone, Linda Price and Nancy Berkebile. Benjamin died at home at age 66 on May 18, 1987, and was laid to rest at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, with Rev. Wilfred Karsten leading the funeral service. At the time, said the Somerset Daily American, he had nine grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and one step great-grandchild.

• Grandson Craig Rush lived in Portland, Maine.

• Grandson Norris Rush resided in Accident, MD.

• Granddaughter Beverly Rush married (?) Stone and dwelled in Annapolis, MD.

• Granddaughter Linda Rush was wedded to (?) Price and lived in Annapolis, MD.

• Granddaughter Nancy Rush married (?) Berkebile and made their home in Accident, MD.

Daughter Millicent Adele Rush (1923-2010) was born in 1923. Prior to marriage, she is believed to have produced a daughter, Deborah Gail Smith. On Feb. 11, 1947, at the age of 23, Millicent married 32-year-old World War II veteran Adelbert Madison "Deb" Enos (1913-2005), son of Walton "Max" and Sarah Jane (Dodson) Enos of the family of Samuel G. and Mary Ann (Younkin) Phillippi. The ceremony took place in Somerset. They had two daughters -- Charity June Enos and Nema Shae Nichols. They resided in Confluence. During World War II, Adelbert was a private first class in the 43rd Signal Company of the Army. Said the Somerset Daily American, Millicent "was a charter member of the Confluence VFW Post 7250 Ladies Auxiliary." Heartache rocked the family when daughter Charity June, age 19, died on Jan. 29, 1967. Adelbert was employed for many years by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation until retirement. He also was active in the community as a member of the Confluence Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ursina American Legion posts and with the Confluence Senior Center. Sadly, the Enoses divorced at some point in time. He died at age 92 in Somerset Hospital on June 13, 2005, with burial in Jersey Church Cemetery. Millicent outlived him by five years and passed away in Latrobe Area Hospital at the age of 86 on March 24, 2010. She was placed at eternal rest in Jersey Church Cemetery. At her death, she had eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

• Step-granddaughter Deborah Gail married (?) Smith. In 1967, her home was in Irwin, Westmoreland County, PA and in 2005, she resided in Latrobe, Westmoreland County, PA.

• Granddaughter Nema Shae Enos was wedded to Martin G. Nichols Jr. ( ? - ? ), son of Margin G. and Hazel M. (Lyons) Nichols of Confluence. The Nicholses lived in Confluence.

Son Lawrence E. Rush (1926-2002) was born in 1926. He married (?) Bowser ( ? - ? ). He "was a retired mechanic, having worked for ParMatt Lanes, Oakland, and a retired machinist, having worked for Glenn L. Martin Co. and A.A.I., both of Baltimore," said the Oakland (MD) Republican. "He was an Army veteran of World War II, having served in the European theatre. An avid fiddle player, he was a member of Hammers & Strings, an old-time string band and the Friday Night Pickers." He died at the age of 76 in 2002.

Daughter Leora June Rush (1931-2011) was born on June 1, 1931 in Confluence. She wed John Lytle ( ? - ? ). She resided for many years in Baltimore, MD, where she was employed at Western Electric Company. She also was a Worthy Matron of the Gleaner chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Baltimore and of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Whitemarsh, MD. She died at the age of 79 on Feb. 10, 2011, in Towson, MD. Her remains were returned to Somerset County for interment in the Jersey Church Cemetery, with her obituary published in the Daily American. 

Daughter Clara Bell Rush ( ? - ? ) was born in (?). She married Henry H. Cannon (1925-1993), a native of Woodland, AL and the son of Albert B. and Nora (Pope) Cannon. The couple did not reproduce. They resided in Confluence after Henry's retirement from the U.S. Navy in 1965 following 20 years of military service. Henry was a member of the Confluence Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7250, the Disabled American Veterans, the Ursina American Legion, the Naval Enlisted Reserve Association and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Henry died on March 1, 1993, with burial in the Jersey Church Cemetery. Rev. John Snyder officiated at the funeral.

Copyright © 2000, 2004, 2006, 2010-2011, 2013, 2016, 2021 Mark A. Miner