John Warwick Thomas was born June 27, 1800 and by age 22 owned 384 acres in
the Cedar Lodge area after marrying Mary Lambeth, daughter of Moses Lambeth. By
age 30 he was a state representative. In 1848 he became a state senator. He
pushed to get a railroad built through Davidson County and even invested money.
Knowing the railroad was coming, Thomas built the community's first store in
1852 at present-day West Main and Salem Streets, and the community was named
Thomasville for its founder. In 1855 the North Carolina Railroad was built
through Davidson County, reaching Thomasville November 9. On January 8, 1857,
