Sylvia Irene Thomas

NOTE: She placed an S at the end of her name as she did not want to be identified with Brigham Young. I have found no documents to support any relationship of her family (not including her husband) to Brigham Young. Some family members also changed their name to Youngs.

SYLVIA IRENE YOUNGS. Sylvia was born 21 April 1917 at Dunbar, Kanawha County, WV the daughter of James Wayne and Zora Ethel Shook Youngs. She married CLAVIS ANDREW THOMAS on 31 May 1935 in Salem, Harrison County, WV. He was age 23 and she was 17. They both lived in Salem. Consent for her marriage was given by James Wayne Youngs the surviving parent of Sylvia. The ceremony was performed by Paul L. Flanagan a Methodist Minister. Clavis was called Andy.

Sylvia and her brother and sisters were placed in an adoption home in Indiana. Her sister Opal was adopted by another family and did not know she had any relatives until 1968. The children were forced into the adoption home as their mother Zora Ethel Shook was placed in a mental institution. She had taken a handgun into the factory where her husband James Youngs worked. She attempted to shoot him but someone grabbed her arm and the bullet went through the roof of the factory. When she went before the judge, he was about to dismiss her case when she started cursing him. The judge ordered her to be placed in a mental institution.

When she was 12, her father took her and her sisters to the plant where he worked. Sylvia stated to her sisters: "Girls pick out the man you are going to marry". She chose Andrew and would always hang around the plant and peek at him through the key hole of the door where he was working. He would throw glass knobs at the door to try to scare her away. They ended up marrying in 1935.

Sylvia had diabetes and was placed on a dialysis machine for 9 years. She also had bleeding ulcers which could not be operated on. Her heart and the loss of blood caused her death on 30 November 1989. Her death certificate states 2 December 1989 only because she was placed on life support with little brain activity.

She raised 13 children: Donna, Bud, Irene, Rose Mary, Walter, Sonda, Rex, Alta, Jerry, Eugene, Clarence, Sylvia and Howard. One child Debra Lyn was stillborn as a result of the umbilical cord being wrapped around her neck. She also had six miscarriages.

Clavis Andrew Thomas was born 5 December 1912 at Salem in Harrison County, West Virginia a son of Joe and Addie Cunningham Thomas. His birth was not recorded until 22 September 1968 on a Delayed birth Certificate.

Andy served in the U. S. Navy as a Cook in World War II. His military records are on file in the Harrison County Court House at Clarksburg, WV in Military Book 14 Page 205. He worked as a grinder and decorator at. McBride Glass Company, later named the Minners Glass Company in Salem, West Virginia. He also worked for the City of Salem in the Water Department.

Resident at Route 1, Box 22, Jasper, Pickens County, GA, Andy died on 30 November 1983 at the R. T. Jones Memorial Hospital in Canton, Cherokee County, GA. Andy was buried on 3 December 1983 in the Cross Roads Baptist Church Cemetery near Jasper. Resident of Route 2, Box 223, Jasper, Pickens County, GA, Sylvia died on 02 December 1989 at the Kennestone Hospital at Marietta, Cobb County, GA. She was buried beside Andy. When Sylvia died she had 7 sons, 6 daughters, 26 grandchildren and 14 great grand children living.

CHILDREN OF CLAVIS ANDREW & SYLVIA IRENE YOUNG THOMAS:

• 1. DONNA MARIE THOMAS: Born 7 June 1936 at 9:50 a.m. at home on Buffalo Calf, Salem, Harrison County, WV the daughter of Andy and Sylvia Thomas. Her dad was a glass worker. The Doctor was Xenia E. Bond. Dr. Xenia E. Bond graduated from Rush Medical School in Chicago in 1905:Because she was the only woman Doctor in Salem, she built a large practice in Obstetrics.

Donna married ORAL HERROD. They lived at Marshville in Harrison County, WV. Donna was a clerk at the former Parson-Souders store. She and Oral were divorced. Donna died of cancer on 26 August 2001 at her residence on Burton Avenue in Nutter Fort, Harrison County, WV. Her caretaker had been Bill Scott of Nutter Fort. Funeral services were with Davis Weaver Funeral Home in Clarksburg, WV. Donna was buried at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens at Quiet Dell near Clarksburg.

• 2. CLAVIS ANDREW THOMAS: Called "Bud". Born at 3:40 a.m. on 24 January 1938 at home on Buffalo Calf, Salem, WV. His doctor was also Xenia E. Bond. Bud's family lived in Churchville, Md. Bud married Dorothy and had one daughter, Pamela Thomas McElwain. Bud divorced Dorothy and married Betty Bruffy. He divorced her and married Connie. Bud died 31 January 2007 in Eldersburg, Carrol County, Md. of prostate cancer. A memorial service was held Friday, February 9, 2007 at Reisterstown Bible Church in Reisterstown, Md. Funeral arrangements were with the Haight Funeral Home & Chapel in Sykesville, Md. He was cremated.
• 3. XENIA IRENE THOMAS. Called "Renie". Still living.
• 4. ROSE MARY FRANCES THOMAS. Born 29 September 1941 at home on Buffalo Calf, Salem, Harrison County, WV. She had a child named John Aaron Thomas born at St. Mary's Hospital in Clarksburg, WV on 19 June 1960. He mother's doctor, George W. Rose, signed the certificate of birth. She married Joseph "Bob" Gene Starkey in 1960 and lived in Clarksburg, WV. She had two other children: Joseph Gene Starkey, Jr. and James Edward Starkey who reside in Clarksburg, WV. She divorced Bob in 1969. Her oldest son John died of an overdose of drugs and was buried in the Salem IOOF cemetery. She was cremated.

She married WILLIAM HENRY RARDIN 15 May 1971. William was born 17 June 1931 in Ritchie County, WV a son of Orin Wayne and Opal Agnes Ryan Rardin. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving in Korea and Vietnam. He worked at the Nation Machinery in Clarksburg for 12 years and then owned his own home remodeling business, W. R. Contracting for 10 years. He died on 15 july 1997 at Katy Lick, Sardis District of Harrison County, WV where the family live. Two step sons survived him: Joseph Gene Starkey, Jr. and James Edward Starkey of Clarksburg, WV, one brother Karl Lee Rardin of Davisson Run, Clarksburg who died shortly after William. He was cremated.

• 5. WALTER WAYNE THOMAS. Nicknamed "Pollock". Walter was born 10 February 1944 at home on Buffalo Calf, Salem, WV.

Walter married Helen Bish and had a daughter named Waynetta. They divorced and Walter married Dorothy Carroll and had two daughters, Eleanya and Susan. He divorced her and married Sharon McIntyre and had a daughter named Betty. He had a partner named Susan who worked as a nurse in Weston WV and had a daughter named Susan. There may be other children but their identities are unknown.
Walter was employed by B & R Construction on the oil and gas pipeline and was a glassworker at the Salem Glass Factory. He also worked in Mississippi and Texas on oil rigs.
Walter died on 23 Octber 2003 at the United Hospital Center in Clarksburg, Harrison County, WV as his bodily organs completely shut down. Service was held by the Harbert Funeral Home in Salem with Reverend Olen Robertson officiating. Burial in the Salem IOOF Cemetery.

• 6. SONDA LOU THOMAS. Still living.
• 7. REXLL DUANE THOMAS. Still living.
• 8. ALTA SUE THOMAS. Still living.
• 9. JERRY FREDERICK MICHAEL THOMAS. Still living.
• 10. EUGENE THOMAS. Still living.
• 11. DEBORAH LYNN THOMAS. She died at birth at 8:45 p.m. on 10 April 1955 at St. Mary's Hospital in Clarksburg, WV. Grave site rites were held Tuesday, 12 April 1955 at the Salem IOOF Cemetery. The Reverend Virgil Conant, pastor of the Salem Methodist Church officiated. Services were by the Harbert Funeral Home.
• 12. CLARENCE EDWARD THOMAS. Born 22 September 1957 at home in Salem, WV. He worked in the Salem Glass Factory, in construction and lawn work. He died in his apartment 4 November 2010. He was cremated. Harbert Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
• 13. SYLVIA YVETTE ETHEL THOMAS. Still living.
• 14. HOWARD JAN THANIEL THOMAS. Still living.