Hi, I received these pages about Thomas LUCAS once when I wrote to the National Archives and requested the bounty land warrant application file on James A. RICH. James A. RICH was listed as a 3rd Corporal in the 1st Texas Foot Rifleman Co. C. Houston, Texas mustered in May 25, 1846 and out August 24, 1846 and that is the file that was requested from the National Archives. Thomas LUCAS testified for James A. RICH in his application for bounty land and this story of his is in James A. RICH’s file. Thomas LUCAS testifies that James A. RICH was in the "4thTexas Inf." When I saw there was a Lucas list, I immediately thought of the story that Thomas LUCAS told about his life that was tucked away in a file that perhaps his descendants might not know to look for him in. So I joined the Lucas list to tell Thomas LUCAS’s story in hopes it might help someone in their research. I believe the James A. RICH to be my great uncle and if any one knows of this Thomas LUCAS already and knows of anything of his relationship with James A. RICH or of their Texas days before they went to California or of anything else involving them, I would love to hear from you. Janice Rich Newby jrich@koyote.com ========= Page 1. State of California } County of San Joaquin } S.S. Be it remembered that on this 19th day of July A.D. 1883 before me Charles W Yolland County Clerk of said San Joaquin County and Ex officio Clerk of the Superior Court in and for said County personally appeared Thomas Lucas aged Sixty years residing in the City of Stockton in said San Joaquin County, whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit and who is well and personally known to me as such and who being by me first duly Sworn testified as follows: My name is Thomas Lucas. I am Sixty years of age and am a National- ized citizen of the United States and was born in Germany. My mother’s name before her Marriage was Catherine Oberman. My parents both died when I was quite young and I was raised by my Mother’s family and in that way I took the name of George Oberman. The day I left Germany for America My Uncle informed me page 2. that my name was Thomas Lucas and that was the first time that I knew that such was my name. I was then about fourteen years of age. I landed in New York in the year 1837 and in about the year 1840 I went to Illinois where I lived until the year 1846 when at the City of Chicago in the State of Illinois I enlisted under the name of George Oberman in Company ___ a Rifle Company Commanded by Capt Moore in the First Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry Commanded by Colonel Hardin. I enlisted as a private for one year in the war with Mexico Soon thereafter I went with my company to a place near the City of New Orleans in the State of Louisiana where we camped for about a week. While in camp I on one occasion visited New Orleans with Capt Moore and in a Restaurant I first met and became acquainted with James A Rich who had just returned from Mexico where he had Served as a Soldier in the army of the United States in the war with Mexico. He told me a great deal about that country. We were then marched to Mexico and were placed in General Wool’s Division under General Taylor. I was present at and engaged in the battle of Buena Vista. After that battle and about three months before my term of service expired a call was made by the U.S. Government for volunteers for the war. I responded to the all and reenlisted for the war at Buena Vista in Captain Mayers Company Buena Vista Guards and Served through the whole was and was honorably discharged at Matamorus in about July 1848. In the year 1849 I arrived in California and from that time to the present I have been a resident of San Joaquin County in said State. In the year 1853 or 1854 I again met James A. Rich in the city Page 3 of Stockton in Said San Joaquin County and from that time till his death which occured in August 1880 I saw him repeatedly -more times than I could tell- I had frequent conversations with him and was always his neighbor and friend. The Said James A. Rich died in the City of Stockton in August 1880 and I attended his funeral. On his coffin was placed his medal issued to him by the Government as a member of the "National Association of Veterans" and at the grave that medal was removed by Mr Frank Stewart and given to Mrs Nancy Rich the widow of said James A Rich. On one side of said medal is engraved "James A. Rich 4th Texas Inf." And if he had not served in the war with Mexico he could not have obtained that medal. He belonged, when alive, to an association known as the "Mexican War Veterans" and I belong to the same association and have a similar medal except as to the Page 4 name and Company. I am also well acquainted with Mrs. Nancy Rich who is known to me to be a resident of said City of Stockton and who is the Same person who asserts a claim for bounty land No 335828. I have known her for nearly thirty years and I know that she was the wife of James A Rich. I have seen them both at their house in Stockton where they lived as husband and wife and she was introduced to me by Mr Rich as his wife, and she was so reputed and believed to be by all her neighbors and friends. The said James A Rich and Nancy Rich, his wife, resided continuously in the Said City of Stockton between January 1st 1861 and May 9th 1865 and long before and after said dates, and said City of Stockton was their post Office address during said times. I had frequent conversations with James A Rich during the Rebellion from January 1, 1861 to May 9 1865 on the subject of the war of the Rebellion and I know that he did Page 5 not nor did his wife Nancy Rich, vote for secession, serve in the Confederate Army, hold office under, pay taxes to or in any other manner aid or abet the Confederate Government or manifest Sympathy therewith but that on the contrary they were both distinctly in favor of the suppression of the rebellion My post office address and place of residence from January 1sr 1861 to May 9th 1865, and long before and after those dates was Stockton, San Joaquin County, State of California and I have no interest whatsoever in the claim of Mrs Nancy Rich for bounty land. Subscribed and Sworn to } before me the 19th day } T Lucas of July 1883. And } I certify that I have } no interest whatsoever in } the claim of Mrs Rich } for bounty land. } C W Yolland Clerk of the Superior Court San Joaquin County Cala By J.E. Richardson Deputy Clerk. Page 6 Office of the Register of the U S Land Office Stockton July 19, 1883 I hereby certify that the above named affiant Thos Lucas has been a resident of San Joaquin County, California for the last thirty as I am informed and believe years /\ that he has been loyal to the united States and that he is a respectable person and is in every way entitled to credibility. Geo A McKenzie Register U.S. Land Office Stockton -- Janice Rich Newby jrich@koyote.com