Background
Thomas Thomas was born in England, United Kingdom.
Thomas Thomas was born in England, United Kingdom.
Arriving in New York in his youth, he worked as draftsman at first, but soon established his own office and acquired a large and successful practice. On December 6, 1837, he met with ten other architects to form a "National Institute of Architecture,” which twenty years later was re-organized as the American Institute of Architects.
One of the most important buildings in New York designed by Mr. Thomas was the old Astor Library, an imposing Italianate structure on Lafayette Place opposite LaGrange Terrace. In later years he was joined in practice by two sons, Thomas, Jr., and Griffith. While they assisted him in his work, he remained personally responsible for most of the business structures and residences planned and built for well known persons of that era who were his clients.