Thomas Coffin Ragsdale Jr. joined J. P. Morgan Co. in New York after service in the Air Force. He returned to Jamestown, North Carolina in 1972 and was chief executive officer of Oakdale Cotton Mills until 1991 and then was property management president of Cedarwood, Inc. at Jamestown. He was mayor of Jamestown from 1989 until his death and was active in church and civic affairs.