The History of Hendricks County (Chicago: Interstate Publishing, 1885)--Center Township, pages 537-538
Elder Erasmus D. Thomas was born in Harrison Township, Fayette County, Ind., Nov. 13, 1821. He was reared a farmer, receiving his early education in the schools of his native county. When nineteen years of age he began teaching school and taught in his own district three winters. He was married March 16, 1843, to Mary G. Thompson, a native of Warren County, Ohio, born Feb. 17, 1825, a daughter of Wilson Thompson, a minister of the Regular Baptist church, and widely known for his successful ministry and prominent work in political circles, being two terms a member of the Indiana Legislature, and at one time a candidate for Congress from his district. After his marriage Mr. Thomas engaged in farming in Fayette and Tipton counties for seven years. In 1849 he embraced Christianity, and united with the Regular Baptist church. He very soon felt it his duty to devote his life to the work of his divine Master, and began preparatory studies for the ministry. In May, 1851, he was ordained at Williams Creek church, Fayette County, and the next two years were spent in that county. In the fall of 1853 he was called to the pastorate of the church at Big Run, Marion Co., Ind., and now for a period of nearly thirty-two years he has had charge of that parish, although at the same time he has had the care of other churches. He now has charge of four--Big Run, Mount Pleasant, Danville and Palestine. He lived in Franklin Township, Marion County, till October, 1863, when he moved to Hendricks County, and has since lived in Center Township, on section 30, where he owns a good farm of 140 acres, which is carried on by his sons. His wife died May 17, 1870, leaving a family of ten children--John A., a minister of the Christian church, located at Columbus, Ohio; Charles, an attorney of Bedford, Iowa; Lewis E., a minister of the Regular Baptist church, at Ashley, Ohio; William, of Eel River Township; Albert M., with his father; Erasmus W., of this township; Edward D., of California; Marshall, at home; Mrs. Phoebe E. Morgan, of Taylor County, Iowa, and Mrs. Hattie M. Tinder, of this township. May 17, 1871, Mr. Thomas married Mrs. Mary E. Holcomb, a native of Posey County, Ind., born Oct. 8, 1845, widow of Tillman Holcomb, and daughter of James Rosborogh She has one son by her first marriage--Aubrey Holcomb. Five children were born to this marriage--Harvey C., Joseph (deceased), Frank W., Mary and Raymond. Elder Thomas is a son of David F. and Phoebe Thomas, natives of Tompkins County, N.Y., and early settlers of Fayette County, Ind. His father was a hero of the war of 1812. His mother died in Fayette County in 1872, aged seventy-eight years, and his father in this township in October, 1882, aged eighty-eight years. His grandfather, Miner Thomas, was a minister of the Regular Baptist church in New York, and moved to Fayette County, Ind., in 1821, where he lived till his death, in July, 1830. He was in the active work of the ministry about forty years, and administered the rite of baptism to over 1,200 persons.