John M. Thomas was born in Danville, Virginia on September 21, 1955 and was raised in Caswell County. Both of his parents were natives of Caswell County - his father, a WWI veteran, being born in Leasburg in 1895 and his mother being born in Milton in 1915.

John attended Caswell County public schools from first through ninth grades, then attended and graduated from Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1973. Thereafter, John went on to attend Brevard College in the mountains of North Carolina. After obtaining an Associate of Arts degree from Brevard, John went to East Carolina University where he obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1978 with a major in ceramics and a minor in drawing.

After college, John attempted to make a living as an artist for a short period of time but quickly turned his attention to vegetable farming, selling his produce at farmer’s markets in Chapel Hill and Carrboro and to restaurants and grocery stores in Chapel Hill and Durham. This experience instilled in him a profound humility as well as great respect for those who are successful in the business of farming.

John decided to go back to school after his stint in vegetable farming and was accepted at North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1986. While in law school, John worked for George B. Daniel, P.A. in Yanceyville as a law clerk during the summers, and at the same time operated his farm at home. During his third year at North Carolina Central University Law School, John participated in the Criminal Legal Clinic, representing indigent defendants in the Durham County Courts.

John graduated from North Carolina Central University School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 1989 and was licensed to practice law in North Carolina in August 1989. Immediately after law school, John accepted the opportunity to work on a per diem basis as an Assistant District Attorney in the 15A Judicial District (Alamance County) from October 1989 through April 1990. Thereafter, John returned to the private practice of law in May 1990, at the law firm of George B. Daniel, P.A., now Daniel | Thomas, where he has practiced continuously since May 1990.

John has served as the attorney for the Town of Milton since 1992. John has also served as the President of the Caswell County Bar Association, is a past President of the 9A Judicial District Bar, and is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association.

John and his wife, Angela, together have six children, two of whom are currently in middle school. John enjoys the outdoors, heats his house with wood that he cuts and splits with the help of his two youngest children, and takes a long walk with his three golden retrievers every morning and evening. His farming activities are currently focused solely to tree farming.

• Real Estate Law
• Estate Planning and Administration
• Business Law
• Property Tax
• Civil Litigation
  

• Brevard College, A.A. - 1975 
• East Carolina University, B.F.A. - 1978
• North Carolina Central School of Law, J.D. - 1989