Biography - Charles Thomas
Among the successful practitioners of medicine in this city is Dr. Charles Rainey Thomas. Although a young man he has the reputation that many an older man would envy. His entire medical career has been spent here, and while very unpretentious, he has quietly worked himself into a lucrative practice. His patients include many of the best known people in Roodhouse and surrounding country, and even with such a class for his patrons the past few years has found him much of the time with all he could do.
Dr. Thomas comes from one of the oldest families in Greene County. His grandfather, Samuel Thomas, came to this county from Virginia before the State was admitted to Statehood and built the first house in what is now Greene County. Dr. Thomas was born on his father’s farm, three miles southwest of Carrollton, Illinois, December 12, 1863. He is the son of W. D. and Mary (Rainey) Thomas. The latter is dead; the former is living a retired life in Carrollton. The Doctor’s education was procured in the country schools and high school of Carrollton, being a graduate of that institution in the class of 1884. He chose as his profession in life that of a physician and his first start toward securing his medical education was at the State University of Missouri at Columbia, where he spent a year in laboratory work and then entered the St. Louis Medical College, from which institution he graduated in 1887. During all his school days he was a close student and a good pupil. His grades were always dangerously near the hundred mark. He quietly kept in the front ranks at school and this ambition has never deserted him since he entered his profession.
After graduating in medicine he decide to case his lot in Roodhouse, coming here in April, 1887, and has never had cause to regret his choice of location. At first, like most young physician, his patients were not any too numerous, but strict attention to business, together with successful treatments, gradually increased his business until at present he has no reason to complain of a lack of patronage.
November 6, 1895, Dr. Thomas was married to Miss Lida Thomas, a bright and talented young lady of Winchester, Illinois. He and his estimable wife own a pleasant little home on East Palm street.
Politically Dr. Thomas is a Democrat and has done his party much good service, though he is holding the only office he ever asked form that of Alderman from the First Ward, having been elected in the spring of 1896. He is a member of Worcester Lodge No. 113, K. of P., and M. W. A. Camp No. 483 of this city. He has owned some of the best animals Greene County has produced in recent years. This characteristic is inherited from his father, who is one of Greene County’s prominent horsemen.
Transcribed 25 Oct 2006 by Linda Jones Craig from Souvenir of Roodhouse, 1897.
