Historic Houses of Sumas, WA. Part 3 of 4...The Thomas House

The Thomas house is a beautiful Sumas landmark.  It was built in 1911 by Reese Thomas, a successful businessman in early Sumas. This house was originally built with features that demonstrated the family’s wealth such as a ‘dumb waiter’ and cost the princely sum of $2400.00 to build.

picture 1

Photograph posted with permission of the Edwards family

Thomas house looking SE

photograph date unknown

Rees Thomas was born in Glamorganshire, Wales in 1862 and immigrated to the United States with his family as a child around 1866.  He married Susan Francis Baldwin in 1887.  Susan was born in Illinois and resided in Nebraska as a young woman. Rees and Susan (better known as Fanny) resided in Nebraska until relocating to Sumas sometime before 1906.

In Sumas, Rees Thomas established a hardware store around 1906 and operated it with the help of his son Clifford. 

Rees Thomas died 16 November, 1933 at the age of 72 and was buried at the Sumas cemetery.  Fanny died in 1941.

Picture 2

Rear row, left to right:

Clifford Thomas, Zoe Thomas, Susan Francis (Baldwin) Thomas, Sarah Alta Thomas, Edgar (Ted) Thomas

Front row, left to right:

Lee Baldwin Thomas, Rees Thomas, Jack Rees Thomas

Photograph circa 1906-1907

Picture 3

 Rees Thomas Hardware store was located on the northwest corner of Cherry and Garfield Street, Sumas.

Picture 4

Rees Thomas in his hardware store, taken about 1915.

Picture 5

The Thomas  House was beautifully restored by the Edwards family.  It was one of the high points of the Sumas Historical House tour, October 24, 2015. It is located at 207 First Street in Sumas and is now a private resident.