Andrew J. S. Thomas was born at Bennettsville, December 14, 1852, being one of eleven children born to Rev. Dr. J.A.W. Thomas and Margaret (Spears) Thomas. He attended Furman University 1872-1875. Dr. Thomas went from Furman to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 1879.

• Ordained June 24, 1877
• 1880 to 1883 - First pastorate was at Batesburg.
• 1883 to 1887 - pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charleston.
• 1887 to 1891 - pastor at Orangeburg, leaving there in 1891 to become editor of The Baptist Courier.
• 1885 - Elected secretary of the S.C. Baptist Convention, a position that he held until 1891.
• 1889 - Elected vice president of the Foreign Mission Board of South Carolina.
• 1907 - President of the S.C. Baptist Convention, serving in that capacity two years.
• For many years he was a member of the State Missionary Board and of the boards of trustees of Southern Baptist Theological seminary and of Benedict College at Columbia.
• Received honorary degree of doctor of divinity by Columbia College at Washington.
• Died April 1, 1911 in Greenville, S.C.