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 Samuel Thomas ~

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

He married Isabella "Isabelle" Chestnutt (1907-1968), daughter of Benjamin Franklin "Frank" and Mary Ellen (McNear) Whaley of Lower Turkeyfoot Township.

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

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 in Cleveland, OH at the age of 60 on June 19, 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 H. Thomas (1927-2005) was born on Dec. 13, 1927. He wed Fay K. Nickelson (Oct. 21, 1929-2007), daughter of Morris and Velma (Whaley) Nickelson of Confluence. Their union held firm over the ebbs and flows of a remarkable 59 years. A trio of children in their brood were John Thomas, Nancy Martindale and Brenda Thomas-Matycich. They resided in Detroit in 1968 and in Farmington Hills, MI, in 1983-2005. At the age of 77, John died in Farmington Hills on July 10, 2005. His remains were transported to his native Confluence to sleep for the ages in the Jersey Baptist Church Cemetery. Rev. Duane Riddle led the obsequies. He was survived by five grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Faye outlived her husband by nearly two-and-a-half years and remained in Farmington Hills. She was spirited away into the heavenly host at the age of 78 on Dec. 21, 2007. Rev. Riddle also presided over her funeral service.

• Grandson John Thomas tied the knot with Barbara. They dwelled in Jackson, MI in 2005.
• Granddaughter Nancy Thomas was joined in wedlock with Jess Martindale. Circa 2005, she made her residence in Brighton, MI. 
• Granddaughter Brenda Thomas (1954-2023) was born on Oct. 17, 1954. She was united in matrimony with (?) Matycich. Their only son was John Matycich. In 1989, she was arrested and charged with possession or sale of cocain with her name appearing in the Detroit Free Press. Later in life she was a companion of Larry Didur ( ? - ? ), son of David M. and Amelia Didur of Sterling Heights, MI. They put down roots in Fowlerville, MI. An obituary said that Brenda "enjoyed spending time in Florida. She liked to challenge her son with a new recipe for her to try. She also enjoyed gardening and farming [and] was an avid animal lover, especially elephants." She surrendered to the angel of death at the age of 68 on July 6, 2023.

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 Carl Thomas moved to Michigan and in 1968 lived in Detroit.

~ 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 (Jan. 25, 1926-2002), the daughter of Charles and Arletta (Burkhardt) Bowser. They resided in Accident, Garrett County, MD. Their children were Craig Rush, Norris Rush, Beverly Stone, Linda Price and Nancy Berkebile. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy submarine service in the South Pacific during World War II. At one time during his service, for a span of six months, his family feared he had been lost on a submarine known to have been sunk. Benjamin was 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. In her own right, said the Meyersdale New Republic, Loretta was "a charter member of the Northern Garrett County Rescue Squad past chairman of the Salvation Army, a member of the Garrett County Farm Bureau and the Deer Park VFW Auxiliary." Benjamin died at home at age 66 on May 18, 1987, and was laid to rest at Zion Lutheran Cemetery, with Rev. Dr. 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. Loretta remained in Accident for her 13 years as a widow. She was gathered away by the angel of death at the age of 76, in Garrett County Memorial Hospital, on Sept. 11, 2002. By that time, the headcount of offspring had swelled to 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. As he had done for Benjamin, Rev. Dr. Karsten presided over the obsequies.

• Grandson Craig Rush lived in South Portland, ME in 2002.

• Grandson Norris Rush resided circa 2002 in Accident, MD. In 2006, at the age of 52, in what he called a "drunken altercation," he shot a friend with a .22 caliber handgun after the friend stabbed him in the hand with a butcher knife, with the friend dying that evening in Garrett County Memorial Hospital, as reported in the Somerset Daily American. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in July 2008 and was jailed in Washington County. Two months later, reported the Baltimore Sun, his sentence was reduced from 10 years to 18 months followed by three years of supervised probation and then two years of unsupervised probation.

• Granddaughter Beverly Rae Rush ( ? - ? ) is an alumna of Northern High School and Garrett County Community College. In young womanhood she was employed by the General Assembly in the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis. Beverly married Patrick Lynn Stone ( ? - ? ), son of Eualine Stone of Clearfield, PA. They exchanged their marital vows in the Zion Lutheran Church of Accident, MD, by the hand of Rev. Fred Illick. The happy event was announced with their photograph in the Clearfield Progress, which said the bride "wore a white taffeta gown with silk organza overdress, long puff sleeves and full-length train attached at the waistline. Lace and pink ribbon accented the gown. Her long tiered veil was handmade by the maid of honor, and she carried a white prayer book topped with a corsage of carnations with ground pine and streamers." Patrick was a graduate of Clearfield Area High School, had served in the U.S. Navy and at the time of marriage was self-employed in Baltimore. The Stones have dwelled in Annapolis.

• Granddaughter Linda Rush was wedded to (?) Price and lived in Annapolis, MD in 1987 and Sykesville, MD in 2002. evidence suggests that she has been employed as a registered nurse at Carroll Hospital Center.

• Granddaughter Nancy Rush married Gary Berkebile, believed to be the son of Harold C. and Nettie A. (Housel) Berkebile. The pair has made their home in Accident, MD. Two known daughters was Becky Berkebile and Lacie Berkebile. Gary was employed as Garrett County Sheriff in 2008 at the time his brother-in-law Norris Rush made headlines with an accidental shooting death. On Dec. 19, 2019, Nancy and her grandson Wade Yost were pictured in the Garrett Republican when placing a wreath on the grave of Nancy's grandfather Benjamin C. Rush, a World War II veteran, at Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery. The local observance was part of the national Wreaths Across America program. 

  Great-granddaughter Becky Berkebile ( ? - ? ) received her bachelor's degree in agricultural and extension education from West Virginia University in 2010. She was profiled in WVU Today saying she wanted to "ultimately become an agriculture education instructor and [to be] teaching about where food originates." At the time, she volunteered as treasurer of the Mountaineer Collegiate Future Farmers of America and held a membership in the Collegiate Farm Bureau, Alpha Tau Alpha and the WVU Livestock Judging Team. She also gave of her time with Relay for Life, Maryland State FFA and 4-H.

  Great-granddaughter Lacie Berkebile ( ? - ? ) is believed to be a 2007 graduate of Frostburg State University.

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 ( ? - ? ). The pair did not reproduce. 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 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. Her obituary was published in the Daily American, in which her husband was not named.

Daughter Clara Bell Rush (1922-2016) was born on April 10, 1922 in Confluence. 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 Wilmerding, PA in 1964 and 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. Clara outlived her spouse by a baker's dozen years. Toward the end she was admitted to resided in Jefferson Hills (PA) Manor. At the age of 93, she died on Feb. 7, 2016. Rev. Sam McClintock officiated the funeral rites, with burial in the sacred soil of Jersey Baptist Church Cemetery. An obituary was published in the Somerset Daily American. 

Son Roger C. Rush ( ? - ? ) was born on (?). During the early years of the Vietnam War circa 1957, he joined the U.S. Navy and trained as a radioman at the Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia. As of 1964, he resided in Irwin, Westmoreland County, PA. He entered into marriage with Virginia Lea Klug (Feb. 7, 1933-2025), daughter of George and Anna (Felix) Klug of McKeesport, PA. A trio of offspring in this family were Karen Fao, Kim Schwartz and Roger A. Rush. Virginia was an alumna of McKeesport High School. Said the Connellsville Daily Courier, she "used her clerical talents at Firth Sterling Steel Company as a confidential secretary. A member of the Owensdale United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir, Virginia was grounded in faith. Her family was her top priority. She was our role model and source of strength, always had that listening ear and sound advice we all counted on. She loved gardening, singing hymns, giving of herself, drinking coffee, and taking a ride around the farm." Sadly, Virginia passed away at home at the age of 92 on June 4, 2025.  Pastor Shawn Robbins led the funeral rites, with burial following in Scottdale Cemetery.

• Granddaughter Karen Rush married Tony Fao. They live in Dawson. They are the parents of Deidra Fao, Dominic Fao and Anthony Fao. Sadly, their son Anthony was deceased by 2025. 

• Granddaughter Kim Rush wed Mark Schwartz. Their home in 2025 was in Tarrs, Westmoreland County. Two known children were Jeremy Schwartz and Jason Schwartz. 

• Grandson Roger A. Rush has resided in Hunker, Westmoreland County. He is thought to be the father of Alyssa Rush, Paige Rush and Felisha Rush.

Copyright © 2000, 2004, 2006, 2010-2011, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2025 Mark A. Miner