Reverend Aaron Manasseth "AM" Thomas was one of the "best known colored ministers in Ohio of his time." Dr. Thomas would have celebrated his 50th anniversary as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Zanesville on Sept. 29, 1940.
He sustained a heart attack on the evening of September 10, 1940 while attending choir practice at the church and had been in a very serious condition since that time.
Death which occurred at midnight at his home in Zanesville brought to a close the long and useful life of Rev. Aaron M. Thomas on September 11, 1940.
Rev. Thomas was a prominent civic and church leader in the city for many years and was to have been honored by the Zanesville Ministerial Association September 29, when a organ was to have been dedicated at his church.
Rev. Thomas was born in April 1862 as one of 11 children born to Robert and Martha Thomas in Halifax County, Virginia. His father was enslaved before emancipation on a large Virginia
plantation.
Early in life Rev. Thomas left his parents' home and went to Danville, Virginia, where he attended schools while living with relatives. At an early age he enrolled at Union University, Richmond, Virginia, and prepared himself for the ministry. While a student, he worked in a large Richmond tobacco plant.
After graduation in 1882, he returned to Danville where he was ordained into the First Baptist Church. A year later he was called to serve the pastorate of the Zion Baptist church at Parkersburg, West Virginia. For five years he was pastor there and during that time he married Miss Mattie Jane Thomas. Afterward, he was called to the Union Baptist Church of Zanesville, Ohio.
On Sept 12, 1890, Pastor Thomas delivered his first sermon at the Union Baptist church. Since that time he had served continually at the church.There were but 50 members of the church at that time and through his leadership the congregation increased to a 'membership of more than 250 persons. After Pastor. Thomas had been at Union for one-year, a new church was built and it was enlarged 10 years later.
Rev. Thomas was a great leader in church circles. He served as President of the convention of Colored Baptist Churches of Ohio (Ohio Baptist State Convention, Colored) from 1908-1919.
In 1915 the University of Raleigh in North Carolina conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Rev. Thomas is survived by his wife, Mattie. He was the last of a family of 11 children.
He sustained a heart attack on the evening of September 10, 1940 while attending choir practice at the church and had been in a very serious condition since that time.
Death which occurred at midnight at his home in Zanesville brought to a close the long and useful life of Rev. Aaron M. Thomas on September 11, 1940.
Rev. Thomas was a prominent civic and church leader in the city for many years and was to have been honored by the Zanesville Ministerial Association September 29, when a organ was to have been dedicated at his church.
Rev. Thomas was born in April 1862 as one of 11 children born to Robert and Martha Thomas in Halifax County, Virginia. His father was enslaved before emancipation on a large Virginia
plantation.
Early in life Rev. Thomas left his parents' home and went to Danville, Virginia, where he attended schools while living with relatives. At an early age he enrolled at Union University, Richmond, Virginia, and prepared himself for the ministry. While a student, he worked in a large Richmond tobacco plant.
After graduation in 1882, he returned to Danville where he was ordained into the First Baptist Church. A year later he was called to serve the pastorate of the Zion Baptist church at Parkersburg, West Virginia. For five years he was pastor there and during that time he married Miss Mattie Jane Thomas. Afterward, he was called to the Union Baptist Church of Zanesville, Ohio.
On Sept 12, 1890, Pastor Thomas delivered his first sermon at the Union Baptist church. Since that time he had served continually at the church.There were but 50 members of the church at that time and through his leadership the congregation increased to a 'membership of more than 250 persons. After Pastor. Thomas had been at Union for one-year, a new church was built and it was enlarged 10 years later.
Rev. Thomas was a great leader in church circles. He served as President of the convention of Colored Baptist Churches of Ohio (Ohio Baptist State Convention, Colored) from 1908-1919.
In 1915 the University of Raleigh in North Carolina conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Rev. Thomas is survived by his wife, Mattie. He was the last of a family of 11 children.
Reverend Aaron Manasseth "AM" Thomas was one of the "best known colored ministers in Ohio of his time." Dr. Thomas would have celebrated his 50th anniversary as pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Zanesville on Sept. 29, 1940.
He sustained a heart attack on the evening of September 10, 1940 while attending choir practice at the church and had been in a very serious condition since that time.
Death which occurred at midnight at his home in Zanesville brought to a close the long and useful life of Rev. Aaron M. Thomas on September 11, 1940.
Rev. Thomas was a prominent civic and church leader in the city for many years and was to have been honored by the Zanesville Ministerial Association September 29, when a organ was to have been dedicated at his church.
Rev. Thomas was born in April 1862 as one of 11 children born to Robert and Martha Thomas in Halifax County, Virginia. His father was enslaved before emancipation on a large Virginia
plantation.
Early in life Rev. Thomas left his parents' home and went to Danville, Virginia, where he attended schools while living with relatives. At an early age he enrolled at Union University, Richmond, Virginia, and prepared himself for the ministry. While a student, he worked in a large Richmond tobacco plant.
After graduation in 1882, he returned to Danville where he was ordained into the First Baptist Church. A year later he was called to serve the pastorate of the Zion Baptist church at Parkersburg, West Virginia. For five years he was pastor there and during that time he married Miss Mattie Jane Thomas. Afterward, he was called to the Union Baptist Church of Zanesville, Ohio.
On Sept 12, 1890, Pastor Thomas delivered his first sermon at the Union Baptist church. Since that time he had served continually at the church.There were but 50 members of the church at that time and through his leadership the congregation increased to a 'membership of more than 250 persons. After Pastor. Thomas had been at Union for one-year, a new church was built and it was enlarged 10 years later.
Rev. Thomas was a great leader in church circles. He served as President of the convention of Colored Baptist Churches of Ohio (Ohio Baptist State Convention, Colored) from 1908-1919.
In 1915 the University of Raleigh in North Carolina conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Rev. Thomas is survived by his wife, Mattie. He was the last of a family of 11 children.
He sustained a heart attack on the evening of September 10, 1940 while attending choir practice at the church and had been in a very serious condition since that time.
Death which occurred at midnight at his home in Zanesville brought to a close the long and useful life of Rev. Aaron M. Thomas on September 11, 1940.
Rev. Thomas was a prominent civic and church leader in the city for many years and was to have been honored by the Zanesville Ministerial Association September 29, when a organ was to have been dedicated at his church.
Rev. Thomas was born in April 1862 as one of 11 children born to Robert and Martha Thomas in Halifax County, Virginia. His father was enslaved before emancipation on a large Virginia
plantation.
Early in life Rev. Thomas left his parents' home and went to Danville, Virginia, where he attended schools while living with relatives. At an early age he enrolled at Union University, Richmond, Virginia, and prepared himself for the ministry. While a student, he worked in a large Richmond tobacco plant.
After graduation in 1882, he returned to Danville where he was ordained into the First Baptist Church. A year later he was called to serve the pastorate of the Zion Baptist church at Parkersburg, West Virginia. For five years he was pastor there and during that time he married Miss Mattie Jane Thomas. Afterward, he was called to the Union Baptist Church of Zanesville, Ohio.
On Sept 12, 1890, Pastor Thomas delivered his first sermon at the Union Baptist church. Since that time he had served continually at the church.There were but 50 members of the church at that time and through his leadership the congregation increased to a 'membership of more than 250 persons. After Pastor. Thomas had been at Union for one-year, a new church was built and it was enlarged 10 years later.
Rev. Thomas was a great leader in church circles. He served as President of the convention of Colored Baptist Churches of Ohio (Ohio Baptist State Convention, Colored) from 1908-1919.
In 1915 the University of Raleigh in North Carolina conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Rev. Thomas is survived by his wife, Mattie. He was the last of a family of 11 children.
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