Webb Thomas's older brother Seth left PA first, initially moving to Prince William county, VA with his wife Ann and father Samuel, then back north to PA after the 1st and 2nd battles of Bull Run destroyed the area they lived in just southeast of Manassas. Seth did not fight in the Civil War, possibly because of his upbringing by his Quaker mother. His father Samuel died after returning to Columbia county, PA. He was buried in the Bear Gap cemetery. Seth, his wife Ann and their children moved west, first to MN, then IA where they were later joined by Webb, his wife and children, and mother Hannah. Seth and his family later moved to Nebraska, where their descendents remain.
After serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, Webb Thomas married Mary Ann Morgan who was born in Wales or England to parents Richard and Mary (Jones) Morgan. She immigrated to the US with her family around 1845 and settled in Montour county, PA. After marrying, Webb and Mary lived in Columbia county for several years, then moved west to Dickinson county, IA bringing with them their 4 children (Hannah Jane, Edward, Morgan, and Sarah) and Webb's mother Hannah (Webb) Thomas. Mary's family followed them west, settling first in and around Butler county, IA and later in Jackson and Nobles counties, MN. Hannah (Webb) Thomas died January 28, 1883 and was buried in the Thomas family plot in the Lake View cemetery in Spirit Lake, Dickinson county, IA.
Mary Ann (Morgan) Thomas died Aug 27, 1873 when her son Edward was just 8 yrs old. His father Webb, being of stern principles, forbade Edward from crying at his mother's funeral. As suddenly single parents were often forced to do back then (as it was difficult to run a farm and raise children single-handedly) Webb remarried approximately 6 months later. The woman's name was Helen (Ellen) Clark Bowman, and she was a widow with one son (George) from her previous marriage. She gave Webb one more child, Earnest Thomas. The couple also raised an orphan, Florence Clump.
Edward Thomas married Phebe Louisa Price, and they eventually moved to Choteau, MT. It was there that their daughter Mabel Ette Thomas (my g-grandmother), met and married Alvin Ole Reiquam, who had been working in Choteau at the grain elevator.
