Individual Details

George Thomas has some correspondence from L. Starling in 1913.
Said to be the eldest son. Prepared for the practice of law but seems not to have always practiced law. Married Elizabeth Sheffield about 1882, daughter of William Sheffield and had two daughters, Mary Reamy and Katherine, and a son Archie.
The marriage record in Henry Co, states his parents as C. Y. and M. A. Thomas. Hers as W. A. and C. M. Sheffield.

In 1880, "Sturling" was listed as a Journalist. His age this year agrees with the 1860 census. A note online states that he published the "Martinsville Herald"

1900 Census. Martinsville, Henry Co VA, Hh 342
L. S. Thomas, b. Jan 1859, age 41, married 18 years, Lawyer
Bettie S., wife, b. Aug 1859, 3 children
Mary, dau, b. Jul 1885, age 14
Catherine, dau, b. Oct 1892, age 7
Ida Turner, servant, Black, b. Jul 1881, age 18
Peter Barrow, Boarder, b. Dec 1883, age 16

1910 Census. Martinsville, Henry Co, VA, Hh 9
L. Starling Thomas, age 51, married 1 time for 29 years
Elizabeth S., wife, 51, 3 children
Mary R., dau, 24
Catherine S., dau age 17


THE HENRY BULLETIN, Martinsville, Va., Tue., April 16, 1920, p. 1, col. 5, [edited].
Hon. L. Starling Thomas, a prominent and beloved citizen of Martinsville, died at his home on Starling Street in this city Tuesday, April 13th, after an illness of several months. The funeral service was held from the home Wednesday afternoon. Burial was made in Oakwood Cemetery. Out of town relatives attending were Mr. Frank W. Thomas, brother, of Topeka, Kansas; Mr. William Archer Thomas, son, and his wife, from Buffalo, N. Y., Miss Catharine Sheffield Thomas, daughter, from New York City; Dr. W. P. Few, son-in-law, from Durham, N.C.; Mr. Kit Thornton, cousin, from Schoolfield, Va. and Miss Nannie Gravely from Leatherwood, Va.

Paper dated Apr. 16, 1920, p. 6, col. 1 [edited].
Though only 62 years old at his death, Tuesday, Lyne Starling Thomas was the oldest native of Martinsville. He was born at the Thomas home on Church Street, was reared here and spent his life in his native town, with the exception of a few years at the college and a year in Lynchburg where he held a government post as Deputy Collector.
He was a life-long friend of the public schools, and it was fitting that death should have come to him while he held a position (as a member of the Martinsville School Board) connected with the object of his life long enthusiasm. Mr. Thomas was a facile writer, and as editor in years gone by of the Martinsville Herald, he made his newspaper a worthy and potent agency for the public good.
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Another very long article about his life appeared in the paper dated April 30, 1920, p. 9, col. l.

Birth	18 Jan 1859	Henry County, Virginia
Marriage	26 Jan 1881	Henry County, Virginia - Elizabeth Ann "Bettie" Sheffield
Death	13 Apr 1920	Martinsville, Henry County, Virginia
Burial		Oakwood Cemetery, Martinsville, Henry County, Virginia

Spouse	Elizabeth Ann "Bettie" Sheffield (1859 - 1927)
Child	Mary Reamy Thomas (1885 - 1971)
Child	Catherine Sheffield Thomas (1892 - 1983)
Child	William Archer Thomas (1882 - 1959)

Father	Christopher Yancey "C. Y." Thomas (1818 - 1879)
Mother	Mary Anne Reamy (1834 - 1911)
Sibling	Ann Hope Thomas (1861 - 1947)
Sibling	John Watkins Thomas (1861 - )
Sibling	Faith Thomas (1863 - )
Sibling	Jane Thomas (1865 - )
Sibling	Katherine "Kate" Thomas (1867 - )
Sibling	Frank W. Thomas (1869 - 1945)
Sibling	Susan Thomas (1870 - )

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