John Robert Thomas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Roving Judge for the United States Court for the Indian Territory | |
| In office June 30, 1897 – June 30, 1901 | |
| Appointed by | William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Charles W. Raymond |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 18th district | |
| In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883 | |
| Preceded by | William Hartzell |
| Succeeded by | William R. Morrison |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 20th district | |
| In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | George W. Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 11, 1846 Mount Vernon, Illinois, United States |
| Died | January 19, 1914 (aged 67) McAlester, Oklahoma, United States |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Charlotte Maria Culver |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Attorney |
John Robert Thomas, Sr. (October 11, 1846 – January 19, 1914), also known as J. R. Thomas,[1] was a U.S. representative from Illinois. He was later appointed a U.S. district judge in the Indian Territory, which then encompassed most of the eastern part of present-day Oklahoma, serving from 1898 to 1901. After statehood, he served on the Oklahoma State Code Commission which was tasked with reviewing and editing the new state laws that had been hastily put together during the rush to statehood. After returning to his private law practice, he went to the Oklahoma state prison at McAlester to interview an inmate on January 19, 1914, when he was killed by three other inmates who shot him to death while escaping prison.
Judge Thomas was also the father of Carolyn T. Foreman, who married banker Grant Foreman in 1905. After their marriage and the judge's death, Carolyn and Grant become noted Oklahoma historians.
- ^ January 20, 1914. Seven are Slain in Prison Battle. The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2022.