Note Type
Historical NoteNote
Judge Athanasius "Atha" Atila Thomas Sr., was born on October 5, 1828, in Williamson Count, to William Thomas and Eliza Bass Thomas. At the age of 17, he entered Salem Academy in Rutherford County, Tennessee, studied there two years and then went to Wirt College in Sumner County, graduating from the college at the age of 20. After that, he taught school, but then attended Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, as a law student. After completing his law studies, he was admitted to the bar, but he decided to not practice law. He married Sarah North in 1855. She died shortly after the birth of their only son, William Henry Thomas. Thomas returned to the teaching profession and headed the Thompson Male Academy that was located in Williamson County. He taught at the academy until 1861.
During the Civil War, Treasurer Atha Thomas was associated as a teacher with the Harpeth Academy and the Franklin Male Academy. After the war ended, Treasurer Atha Thomas entered the practice of law in Middle Tennessee in 1865. A Whig before the Civil War, Treasurer Atha Thomas became active in state Democratic Party politics after the war. During the turbulent years of the Reconstruction Period, he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives. He served in the 36th General Assembly from 1869 to 1871 and represented Williamson County. At the same time he served, one of his brothers, Dorsey B. Thomas, was speaker of the Tennessee State Senate.
He married Bettie Whitaker Sikes in 1881, they had three sons: Atha, Woodlief and Spencer Martin Thomas. In 1883, Governor William B. Bate appointed Treasurer Atha Thomas as the new state treasurer, a move approved by the state legislature. Treasurer Atha Thomas served as State Treasurer until April of 1885 when his successor James W. Thomas took the position. After his service in the post was completed, Treasurer Atha Thomas was appointed as a member of the state's Board of Railroad Assessors. Following the sudden death of Treasurer Thomas in 1886, he was reappointed, serving until 1889. He died at the age of 73 in Franklin on January 2, 1901, and was buried at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Franklin.(https://treasury.tn.gov/Explore-Treasury/Meet-Treasurer-Lillard/History-of-TN-Treasurers/ProfileAtha-Thomas_1st)