Andrew Thomas

Andrew J. “Andy” Thomas (May 30, 1860 – March 1, 1915) was a Grave Hill man who served as sheriff of Scott County in the 1910s.

See Also: Sheriffs of Scott County
Preceded By: Sam Sexton • Succeeded By: Gilbert Sexton

Biography

Born May 30, 1860, Andy Thomas was the son of Calvin Thomas (1824-1899) and Fannie Brown (1834-1917). The Thomas family was from the Grave Hill area west of Oneida.

Thomas was from a large family; he had at least 10 brothers and sisters. Among his known siblings: Sarah, Isaac, Mahala, John, Littleton, Moses, William Harrison, Elizabeth, Lewis Sylvester, and Lucinda.

Thomas married Nancy Rosemary West on Oct. 16, 1879. She was the daughter of John Wesley West and Phoebe Phillips. They had three children: Sally (1880), Esaw (1883) and Mitchell (1886).

Nancy died on June 17, 1908, at the age of 45. Andy remarried to Rebecca Jane Carson, the daughter of James Bailey Carson and Frances “Franky” Smith of Oneida, in 1910. They had no children together, through Rebecca had a daughter by another man: Bertie Dell Carson.

Sheriff

Andy Thomas was elected sheriff in 1908, replacing Sam Sexton, who was term-limited. He served a single two-year term before being replaced in 1910 by Gilbert Sexton, who was Sam Sexton’s first cousin.

Prior to being elected sheriff, Thomas was a farmer.

Death

Thomas died of pneumonia on March 1, 1915, at the age of 54. He was buried at Grave Hill Cemetery, where both his wives are also buried.