View source for S.M. Thomas - Exclusive meeting

Silas M. Thomas was born around 1833 in Connecticut. Moved to Wabaunsee, KS in the early 1850's, and after his wife died, he lived around 1900 with his daughter Carrie and her husband Edward Copeland in Rhinehart, Dickinson, KS.  In 1880 there was an Exclusive Brethren meeting in Wabaunsee, KS with S.M. Thomas listed as contact.

===Marriage===
Silas married Cornelia M. Lines (b. 1838 CT) on Dec. 23, 1857 in Wabaunsee, the third marriage in the county. Cornelia was born about 1838 in New Haven, CT to Charles Burrill Lines (1807-1889) and Maria Wooding Lines (1808-1897).

By 1860, Charles and Maria were living in Wabaunsee, raising two other children: Olivar E. Lines (b. 1840) and Louisa B. Lines (b. 1844) who married George Sharp Burt Sr. (b. 1837 Markesan, WI, d. 1924 Topeka, KS).

===Occupation===
Silas' occupation in 1860 was listed as a Camaje Maker (restaurant?).  In 1875-1882 he served as postmaster of Wabaunsee. Cornelia died at 41 in June 1879 of a nervous breakdown.

===Descendants===
Silas and Cornelia had at least two children:

* Carrie Thomas (b. 1864 CT) married Edward Robert Copeland in Geary, KS in 1891. Edward's parents were born in England, and he was born 1871 KS, and farmed in Rhinehart, Dickinson, KS as late as 1900 before moving to Los Angeles, CA in 1902, by 1910 they lived in Burbank. Edward died in 1942 in L.A.. They had several children:
** Harold Copeland (b. 1893 KS) married Matilda Nielsen (b. 1894) from NJ, whose parents (Christian N. & Christina Nielsen) were born in Denmark. In 1930 they were living in Pasadena, CA. Matilda later married a Christensen. Matilda died in 1986 in Riverside, CA. They had at least four children:
*** Isabel Harriet Copeland (1915-2008) married 1940 in Pasadena, CA to Frederick Kenneth Oliver (1918-2011) at Lincoln Ave Presbyterian Church; Died in Riverside, CA. Frederick served in the Army Air Corps during WWII.
*** [[Edwin Robert Copeland]] (1917-2012) married Dorothy Brickert, both served U.S. Navy during WWII. Bob was awarded four Air Medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Victory Medal. Worked as a Postal supervisor later, living most of life in Temple City, CA before moving to Vicksburg, MS in 2010. Obit says he was a member of the Shadow Hills Assembly of PB. Cary Stockett officiated the funeral service. Bob also served with the Gideons. Children:
**** Ronald Copeland of Vicksburg, MS.
**** Nancy Copeland Johnson of Arcadia, CA
*** Alvin Lester Copeland (1918-1981) served as TSGT U.S. Army WWII 1940-1945; died in Riverside, CA;
*** Charlotte Lenore Copeland Weaver (1928-1990) married Robert E. Weaver in 1947 in CA; Died in Riverside, CA;
** Alvin Silas Copeland (1895-1967) schoolteacher L.A., CA; married Martha Chamberlain Dale (1894-1988) born in Newton, MA to Thomas William Dale (1849-1932) and Helen Chamberlain Dale (1859-1940); died in San Bernadino, CA; Children:
*** Marguerite Martha Copeland White (1923-2011) married Gerald F. White in 1958 in Ventura, CA;
*** Richard Alvin Copeland (b. 1926) married Thoranne N. Judkins in 1955 in L.A., CA;
** Sherman Lester Copeland (1899-1988) married Sara M. Morrison (b. 1903 PA); 1930 lived in L.A., CA; Children:
*** Evelyn Copeland (b. 1936 CA)
** Edwin Robert Copeland (1902-1992) married Gladys Lorena Bone (1906-1984) in 1926 in McCain, OK; died Valley View, TX;
* Jennie Thomas (b. 1867) married Mathias Niersbach and by 1900 they were living in Los Angeles, CA where Mathias was employed as a wagon driver of retail dry goods by at least 1910. Mathias was born 1871 in IL, his parents were born in Germany. They had at least four children:
** Geraldine Sydenia Niersbach (b. 1900) married Charles Alexander Conner (b. 1898 NE) and they lived in 1930 in Los Angeles. They had two children:
*** Robert Edward Conner (1924-2005) born and died in Los Angeles, CA.
*** Barbara G. Conner Ryan (1925-2009) born Los Angeles, married Dan Ryan; died Temperance, MI at Hickory Ridge Care Center, buried Toledo, OH. Obit says she was an avid seamstress, enjoyed music, but her main focus in her life was her Savior. Children:
**** Patrick Ryan
**** Sharon Ryan Martin (d. before 2009)
**** Charlotte Ryan Mearns
**** Marjorie Ryan Bauman
** Elsie Marie Niersbach (b. 1903), never married, died 2003 in Manhattan Beach, L.A., CA. In 1930 (aged 27) she traveled from L.A. with her sister Jean (aged 24) to Ensenada, Mexico, then in 1931 to Mazatian, Mexico.
** Percival Mix Niersbach (b. 1905). In 1930 was employed as a schoolteacher in L.A., then married before 1940 to another schoolteacher, Helen Elenore Lynch and he taught school in San Antonio, L.A. Percival died in L.A. in 1992.
They had at least two children:
*** Helen Jean Niersbach (b. 1936)
*** Joan Aileen Niersbach Donnelly (b. 1938)
** Lois Jean Niersbach (1907-1997) never married, died in L.A.


===Sources===
* 1880 Exclusive Brethren Address Book
* [http://www.findagrave.com FindaGrave.com]
* [http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry.com]
* [https://archive.org/details/earlyhistoryofwa01thom/page/n5 1901 Early History of Wabaunsee County]