Charles John Thomas
Encyclopedia
Charles John Thomas was the director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
for part of the 1860s, and was involved in several other musical endeavors in early Utah
.
, Lancashire
, England
. His parents were Joseph K. Thomas and Margaret Spotswood. Charles J. Thomas was a member of an orchestra by the age of nine. He had been trained up to this point in music by his father, who made his living in orchestras. In 1851 he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The rest of his family joined the LDS Church shortly afterward, following his being healed after being administered to by elders of the church.
During the 1850s, Thomas traveled with an Italian opera company and some of his compositions were played at London theatres.
In 1861, Thomas emigrated to Utah Territory
. Among the first things Thomas did on arriving in Utah was taking over the band of the late Ballo. He not only lead the Tabernacle Choir for a time but was also the first orchestral director at the Salt Lake Theatre. From 1862 until 1865 Thomas was director of the Tabernacle Choir. He was the first director to lead the choir in the current Salt Lake Tabernacle building
. From 1865 until 1871, Thomas lived first in the St. George
area and then in Beaver, Utah
. In both locations he was involved in organizing choirs and teaching music.
Thomas was asked by Brigham Young
to return to Salt Lake City in 1871 and again take the lead of the Salt Lake Theatre Orchestra. In the following years in Salt Lake City Thomas formed the first male glee club in Salt Lake City in 1876. He also taught music lessons in Salt Lake City, where he had among other students Heber J. Grant
.
In 1887, Thomas served as a Mormon missionary
in Great Britain. After his return to Salt Lake City, he was head of music for the Salt Lake Temple
. He also was appointed by Evan Stephens
to direct a choir made up of those members of the Tabernacle Choir that did not go to the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893
and thus provide music at the Tabernacle while most of the Tabernacle Choir was absent.
Thomas married Charlotte Gibbs. Charlotte died in 1875 and in 1878 Thomas married Amy H. Adams. Between his two wives Thomas had a total of 13 children, however only six of his children were alive in 1904, the rest having died primarily at very early ages.
Thomas's sister Margaret married George Romney (1831–1920), who was a brother of Miles Park Romney, the grandfather of George W. Romney
, and the great-grandfather of Mitt Romney
.
Among the works written by Thomas was the music to "Sons of Michael, He Approaches", a hymn that was in previous Latter-day Saint hymnals, but is not contained in the latest English-language hymnal
of the LDS Church..
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
for part of the 1860s, and was involved in several other musical endeavors in early Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
Biography
Thomas was born in BurnleyBurnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His parents were Joseph K. Thomas and Margaret Spotswood. Charles J. Thomas was a member of an orchestra by the age of nine. He had been trained up to this point in music by his father, who made his living in orchestras. In 1851 he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The rest of his family joined the LDS Church shortly afterward, following his being healed after being administered to by elders of the church.
During the 1850s, Thomas traveled with an Italian opera company and some of his compositions were played at London theatres.
In 1861, Thomas emigrated to Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. Among the first things Thomas did on arriving in Utah was taking over the band of the late Ballo. He not only lead the Tabernacle Choir for a time but was also the first orchestral director at the Salt Lake Theatre. From 1862 until 1865 Thomas was director of the Tabernacle Choir. He was the first director to lead the choir in the current Salt Lake Tabernacle building
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah along with the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Temple.-History:...
. From 1865 until 1871, Thomas lived first in the St. George
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
area and then in Beaver, Utah
Beaver, Utah
Beaver is a city in Beaver County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,454 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Beaver County.Settled by Mormon pioneers in 1856, Beaver was one of a string of Mormon settlements extending the length of Utah...
. In both locations he was involved in organizing choirs and teaching music.
Thomas was asked by Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
to return to Salt Lake City in 1871 and again take the lead of the Salt Lake Theatre Orchestra. In the following years in Salt Lake City Thomas formed the first male glee club in Salt Lake City in 1876. He also taught music lessons in Salt Lake City, where he had among other students Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant
Heber Jeddy Grant was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale...
.
In 1887, Thomas served as a Mormon missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in Great Britain. After his return to Salt Lake City, he was head of music for the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
. He also was appointed by Evan Stephens
Evan Stephens
Evan Stephens was a Latter-day Saint composer and hymn writer. He was also the director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 26 years .-Early life and family:...
to direct a choir made up of those members of the Tabernacle Choir that did not go to the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
and thus provide music at the Tabernacle while most of the Tabernacle Choir was absent.
Thomas married Charlotte Gibbs. Charlotte died in 1875 and in 1878 Thomas married Amy H. Adams. Between his two wives Thomas had a total of 13 children, however only six of his children were alive in 1904, the rest having died primarily at very early ages.
Thomas's sister Margaret married George Romney (1831–1920), who was a brother of Miles Park Romney, the grandfather of George W. Romney
George W. Romney
George Wilcken Romney was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962, the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973...
, and the great-grandfather of Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
.
Among the works written by Thomas was the music to "Sons of Michael, He Approaches", a hymn that was in previous Latter-day Saint hymnals, but is not contained in the latest English-language hymnal
Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)
Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official hymn book of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
of the LDS Church..