User:Merrimacman

Joshua Thomas, Parson of the Islands.

Joshua Thomas was born 30 August 1776 at Fairmount (Potato Neck), Somerset County, Maryland, USA. He died 8 October 1853 (aged 77), Deal Island, Maryland, USA. Joshua was a well known person on the Eastern Shores of Maryland and Virginia. Much of what we know about Joshua Thomas comes from a biography of Thomas written by the Rev. Adam Wallace and published in 1861. Thomas was regarded as a diamond in the rough due to his work on the Chesapeake Bay as a waterman; fishing, crabbing and traveling the waters spreading the gospel of Methodism. Thomas is known for preaching to the British invasion fleet on its way to attack Baltimore during the War of 1812. It is said that Thomas warned the British not to attack because they would be defeated. Thomas was permitted to preach to the army. Thomas was correct. The British were defeated at Baltimore which was a turning point in the war for the Americans. During World War II a US Liberty Ship was named for Joshua Thomas- the USS Joshua Thomas.