Lee Wilder Thomas
Lee Wilder Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Springfield, Limestone County, Texas or Tehuacana, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | April 11, 1953 (aged 79) |
| Other names | Rev. L.W. Thomas |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, oil industry figure, preacher |
| Years active | Early 1900s–1953 |
| Known for | African-American oil industry entrepreneurship; co-founder and president of Simmons Royalty Co.; founder of African-American community in Summit, Oklahoma; St. Thomas Primitive Baptist Church |
Lee Wilder Thomas, also recognized as Rev. L.W. Thomas (August 15, 1873 – April 11, 1953), was a distinguished African-American entrepreneur and oil industry figure. As a fortunate landowner within the Mexia, Texas oil region, Thomas collaborated in the early 1930s with Jake Simmons, Jr., an affluent African-American oil broker. Together, they established Simmons Royalty Co., a prominent company managing oil and mineral rights royalties in Oklahoma with a focus on African-American ownership.
Early life
Thomas was born in either Springfield, Limestone County, Texas or Tehuacana, Texas, the sole offspring of Boss Thomas and Bettie Arbuckle. His father had relocated from Alabama to Texas.
His spiritual calling emerged during his time at the Sardis Primitive Baptist Church in Mexia, where he also received his foundational education. He later graduated from Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. In 1895, he wed Clemmie Estella Ross, and together they raised thirteen children.
Oil business
In 1912, a significant natural gas reserve was uncovered by the Mexia Gas and Oil Company, followed by oil discoveries in 1920. During the Mexia oilfield boom, Thomas possessed ten active wells on his land.
The rapid expansion of the oil fields brought about social disturbances that compelled Governor Pat Morris Neff to impose martial law in sections of Limestone and Freestone County in 1922 due to crime linked to the boomtown environment. Nevertheless, by the conclusion of 1922, these oilfields were producing close to 34.8 million barrels annually.
Summit, Oklahoma
Thomas had a vision to develop an exemplary African-American community in Summit, Oklahoma, situated along the Jefferson Highway (U.S. 69), approximately southwest of Muskogee, Oklahoma. He invested more than $100,000 into real estate within Muskogee County, subdividing land into residential lots and small farms aimed predominantly at African-American purchasers from Texas.
He founded a general store and real estate office, constructed a $12,000 residence atop a nearby hill, and initiated the building of a cotton gin to bolster local agriculture centered on cotton, peanuts, and vegetables destined for markets in Muskogee and Tulsa.
By 1932, Thomas held the position of president at Simmons Royalty Co., working alongside Jake Simmons, Jr.
St. Thomas Primitive Baptist Church
The St. Thomas Primitive Baptist Church in Summit is a historic structure erected in 1922 under the direction of Rev. L.W. Thomas. It gained recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.