[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 145 (Wednesday, November 14, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S6787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING SAMUEL WILSON THOMAS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to a 
respected historian of my hometown of Louisville, KY, who has sadly 
passed away. Samuel Wilson Thomas died on Thursday, October 4, of this 
year, at his home at the age of 74.
  Louisville is a wonderful city, and I am always pleased to sing its 
praises. This is much easier to do thanks to the work of Mr. Thomas. He 
wrote 18 books touching on every corner of Louisville history, from the 
famous Churchill Downs to the legendary Cave Hill Cemetery, from Oxmoor 
Farm to Crescent Hill.
  Sam Thomas received his bachelor's degree and Ph.D. from the 
University of Louisville. He is best known for serving as the first 
director and curator of Locust Grove, a National Historic Landmark that 
was the home to George Rogers Clark, the founder of Louisville. Locust 
Grove also hosted three U.S. Presidents--Monroe, Jackson, and Taylor--
and was a stopping point for famed explorers Meriwether Lewis and 
William Clark upon their return from their expedition to the Pacific.
  The log cabin at Locust Grove was Sam Thomas's home for two decades. 
In his role as director and curator, he oversaw Locust Grove's 
restoration with careful attention paid to the preservation of its 
history.
  Mr. Thomas also taught at the University of Louisville, edited 
numerous local publications, and published a host of articles. His role 
in preserving the history of Louisville and the legacy of its famous 
inhabitants was tremendous and will not be forgotten.
  I know my colleagues join me in expressing gratitude for Sam Thomas's 
body of work and in extending sympathies to his family, including his 
wife, Debbie; his brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Susanna; his 
niece, Sheena McGuffey; his nephews, Ian Thomas, Mason Thomas, and Cas 
McGuffey; and many other beloved friends and family members.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that an obituary for Mr. 
Samuel Wilson Thomas printed in the Louisville Courier-Journal be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

          [From the Louisville Courier-Journal, Oct. 6, 2012]

 Samuel Wilson Thomas, 74, Died Thursday, October 4, 2012, at His Home

       Born on January 21, 1938, in Chestnut Hill, Penn., Sam 
     moved to Louisville shortly after his graduation from 
     Chestnut Hill Academy. He received his B.A. (1960) and Ph.D. 
     (1964) in chemistry from the University of Louisville.
       Although Sam taught for a short time at UofL, his life and 
     career were forever changed when he began his long 
     association with Locust Grove, overseeing its restoration and 
     serving as its first director and curator. The log house 
     there was his home for nearly two decades.
       Sam is the author of 18 seminal books on Kentucky topics, 
     all meticulously researched and primarily focused on 
     Louisville: its neighborhoods, landmarks, and corporations.
       His most recent work includes histories of St. Matthews, 
     Anchorage, the Cherokee Triangle, Crescent Hill, Oxmoor Farm, 
     Cave Hill Cemetery, and Churchill Downs, but the project 
     closest to his heart was an overview of early Louisville 
     architecture.
       He edited numerous publications for the Courier-Journal's 
     book division and published many articles on a host of 
     Kentucky subjects. He also co-authored with his brother Jim 
     ``The Simple Spirit,'' a pictorial history of Shaker Village 
     of Pleasant Hill.
       He was also involved in the restoration of the Jefferson 
     County Courthouse, the Ferguson Mansion headquarters of The 
     Filson Historical Society, and the 1785 log house at Oxmoor. 
     He was a founder of Preservation Alliance and the George 
     Rogers Clark Press, a member of the Louisville Landmarks and 
     Preservation Districts Commission, and archivist of Jefferson 
     County.
       Sam is survived by his wife, Debbie; brother, Jim 
     (Susanna); niece, Sheena McGuffey; and nephews, Ian Thomas, 
     Mason Thomas and Cas McGuffey.
       Sam chose cremation and requested that no funeral or 
     memorial service be held. The family will receive friends 
     from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, October 8, 2012, in the Audubon Room 
     at Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane.
       Memorial gifts may be directed to Locust Grove or to the 
     University of Louisville Photographic Archives, to which Sam 
     gave his collection of photographs and research materials.

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