John W. Thomason House

John Thomason Jr. was born on February 28, 1893 here in Huntsville. His father was a well-respected ear, nose, and throat doctor and philanthropist. His many accomplishments and activities included founding the Walker County Medical Society, serving as a medical advisor to the State Penintetiary, sponsoring a scholarship at Vanderbilt University for medical missionaries, and supporting Prohibitionism. Thomason Jr.'s mother, Sue, was the daughter of James Goree, who served as a high ranking military officer for Confederate military generals, including Robert E. Lee, during the Civil War. Thomason Sr. built the house, and a medical office next door, around 1890.

Thomason Jr. was the eldest of nine siblings and, by all accounts, grew up in a loving household. His parents nurtured learning and outdoor activities. The house had a large library and the family property at the time also had barns and stables. Thomason loved to read the books in the library and learned how to fish, ride horses, and hunt. He also took an interest in drawing and his talent was evident at a young age. When he was twelve, one of his sketches was published in a Houston newspaper.

As a young man, he attended Southwestern University, the University of Texas, the Art Student's League in New York City (he later attended the Army and Navy War colleges in the 1930s). He became a teacher, principal, and, in 1916, writer for the Houston Chronicle. On April 6, 1917, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps as a second lieutenant, serving in the 4th Marine Brigade of the 5th Marines, which was part of the 2nd Division of the American Expeditionary Force. He met his future wife, Leda, in New York City, and they got married after he joined the Marines. As noted above, Thomason participated in several battles during World War I. In the coming years, he would be in China, Cuba, Nicaragua, and with the USS Rochester.

After the war, he started to publish his writings and drawings. Some of his most famous works are Fix Bayonets, Jeb Stuart, Gone To Texas, Lone Star Preacher, and Salt Winds and Gobi Dust. He received wide acclaim, especially among fellow service members, for his realistic portrayal of the war.

During World War II, he was stationed in San Diego at the Latin American desk of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Admiral Chester Nimitz appointed Thomason as war-plans officer and inspector of Marine bases, a position that was based at Pearl Harbor. In this role, he toured the Pacific Theater, including Guadalcanal. He dodged being killed when a Japanese dive bomber struck an anti-aircraft gun pit he was inspecting on the island of Munda (one of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific); the whole gun crew was killed.

Although Thomason survived, by then his health was failing. Years of overwork, stress, and drinking took its toll. Unfortunately, the cumulative effects of these factors is what prevented him from moving up in the ranks, which is what he wanted. By December 1943, he was in San Diego at the Naval Hospital receiving treatment for ulcers and cardiovascular issues. He passed away on March 12, 1944. He was just 51 years old. Not long after he died, the Navv named a destroyer ship after them, the USS John W. Thomason. He also received a number of awards including the Silver Star, Navy Cross, and Air Medal. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery here in Huntsville. As for the house, it remained in the family, according to the sources, at least through the early 1990s.

Dwyer, Charles L. & McComb, Viva M. "Thomason, John Willam, Jr. (1893-1944)." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed November 06, 2020, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/thomason-john-william-jr.

Morris, Donald R. "Thomason U.S.M.C." American Heritage Magazine, vol. 44, no. 2. November 1993. Retrieved from the WebArchive November 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20090109165437/http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1993/7/1993_7_51.shtml.

Nagle, Barbara. "Thomason, John W., House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. August 11, 1982. https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/NR/pdfs/82004528/82004528.pdf.