Biography

12/30/1744 - 01/19/1832

Colonel Richard Thomas Jr. (Federalist 9) Chester County 1790-1794

Early Life:

Colonel Richard Thomas Jr., born December 30, 1744, West Whiteland Township, Province of Pennsylvania, British America; now West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania; son of Richard Thomas, Sr. and Phoebe Ashbridge Thomas; educated locally, at home by private teachers; married, Thomzin 'Tammy' Downing, 1774, nine children; colonel, Revolutionary Army; member, Provincial Conference Convention, 1776; member, Pennsylvania State Assembly, 1786-1789; elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1791-1793; declined, rank of Brigadier-General of Militia, Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Mifflin, 1793; elected, Federalist, United States House of Representatives, 1795-1801; engaged, agricultural pursuits; died, January 19, 1832 (aged 87), Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; interment, Friends Western Burial Ground (Defunct), Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Colonel, Revolutionary Army, First Regiment, Chester County Volunteers; served under General George Washington and at the time had been a part of many conferences and conventions including the Provincial Conference Convention that was composed of different county committees which met on June 18, 1776, at that time appointed the Pennsylvania Delegates who had signed the Declaration of Independence. 

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Member, Provincial Conference Convention, 1776. 

Member, Pennsylvania State Assembly, 1786-1789. 

Elected, Federalist, original member, Pennsylvania State Senate, 9th district, Chester County, 1790-1794; William Ross, succeeded. 

Appointed, rank of Brigadier-General of Militia, Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Mifflin, declined, 1793.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Federalist, United States House of Representatives, Pennsylvania's 3rd district, Fourth Congress, Fifth Congress, Sixth Congresses, 1795-1801.

Legacy:

Wife, Thomzin 'Tammy' Downing, granddaughter, Thomas Downing, founder, Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

All properties were sold at auction after his death. 

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "T" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University

Senate1790-1869 (wilkes.edu)

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

Richard Thomas (1744-1832) - Find a Grave Memorial