In the accompanying paper entitled, The Thomases of Indian Quarter and Piney Point, we find Wesley Thomas, born 01 Jul 1849, the son of William S. and Sarah ( nee Warfield) Thomas, Sr. For most of his life, Wesley was a mariner on the Chesapeake Bay.

The following is from the PORTRAIT and BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD - CITY OF BALTIMORE and BALTIMORE COUNTY, Chapman Publishing Co. 1897:

"Capt. Wesley Thomas, commander of the Ida, of the Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railroad Company, is a most successful steamboat man and a worthy citizen of Baltimore. He was born in July, 1849, near Cambridge, in the eighth district, Dorchester County, Md., a son of William and Sarah (Warfield) Thomas, natives of the same county. The father, a farmer by occupation, was the owner of the old homestead called Pinepoint, where he died at the age of fifty-nine years, the result of an accident. Our subject, at that time only four years old, was the youngest of eight children, five still living. One brother, James H., was for twenty-five years a pilot in the employ of the Maryland Steamboat Company, but is now engaged in farming in Dorchester County. The mother was called to her final rest at the age of sixty-seven.

"Until thirteen years of age Captain Thomas remained at Pinepoint, which was pleasantly situated on Philips Creek between the two Choptank public schools, and at that time secured a position on a schooner; was made mate at sixteen and two years later was promoted to captain of the John A. Stevens schooner, which sailed on the bay. Subsequently he was captain of the William L. Franklin, one of the finest schooners on the bay, was later on the Julia and many others. During the war the schooner with which he was connected was in the government service, and was at Quarry Creek when Lee entered Maryland the second time. Faithful and diligent in the performance of every duty, he steadily worked his way upward from lookout man until he became commander on some of the best vessels which sail on the bay. As mate he was with Capt. Samuel Crosby on the Highland Light, Enoch Pratt and Kent, of the Maryland Steamboat Company, for eight years; was later mate with Captain Wheeler on the Joppa, and subsequently with Capt. Frank Kirby on the Joppa, Helen Light and Enoch Pratt. In 1882 he was made captain of the Kent for the Maryland Steamboat Company, and ran to Salisbury for two seasons. For the following five years he was captain of the Avalon, and since the Ida was rebuilt in July, 1889, he has been her master. This vessel makes two trips a week, running four hundred and forty miles between Baltimore and Virginia, and stopping at twenty-six different wharfs and five different counties.

"In Baltimore, Captain Thomas was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Roberts, a native of the city, and five children bless their union, all still at home, namely: Howard, Grace, Harry, Bruce and Fletcher. The captain's pleasant, genial manner has gained him a host of warm friends and he enjoys the respect and confidence of all who know him."

From the obituary in the Baltimore Sun on July 21, 1909:

"For Many Years He Was Captain of Chesapeake Bay Vessels. Capt. Wesley Thomas, late, died early yesterday morning at his home, 2131 East Preston street, of heart failure. He had been complaining for some time and had been confined to his home since May 1. Born in Dorchester county, July 1, 1849, Captain Thomas spent most of his time after his twelfth year near the steamboat landings. At the age of 16 he became the mate of the schooner John A. Stevens and two years late became master. In 1874 he entered the employ of the present Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway Company, which at the time was known as the Maryland Steamboat Company. In the following years he captained many of the company's steamers, and his last charge was the Neuse, of the Great Wicomico and Piankatank River Line. A brother of Captain Thomas, Mr. James H. Thomas, was for many years a pilot of the Maryland Steamboat Company, but is now engaged in farming in Dorchester county. He is survived by another brother, Mr. Edward Thomas of Cambridge, his widow, Mrs Mary E. Thomas, four sons -- Messrs Howard, Robert Bruce, Harry Wesley and Charles Fletcher -- one daughter, Mrs Grace Armstrong, and two sisters, Mrs. Sarah C. Thomas and Mrs Hester A. Burton, both of Cambridge."

Bay Country Landing

Chesapeake Bay Harbor

Chesapeake Bay Steamboat "Joppa" - Paul McGehee 1983

The following prints are reproduced with the permission of the Steamship Museum housed at the University of Baltimore.