Captain John Thomas

of

Buckingham County, Virginia

     Captain John Thomas of Buckingham County is often confused with "Capt" John Thomas of Albemarle County but the John Thomas of Albemarle was not officially a Captain. He was an Ensign who was given a brief command during a mission and his title was given out of a sense of respect.

     Captain John Thomas of Buckingham was born on May 1, 1756. He could have been the son of Michael, Joseph, or John Thomas. He was not a son of Henry because he deposed that he was a "first cousin" of Joseph Thomas, a known son of said Henry. He was also not a son of Edward Thomas because he was too young. Edward Thomas had made his son John a co-executor of his will in 1760, so he would have had to at least 16 at the time. John Thomas and Winifred Dameron had a son named John who is named in his 1760 will and most researchers link this John with the John who moved to Adair County Kentucky. I don't feel completely comfortable with this assumption for several reasons. First, Dameron researchers seem to agree that Winifred married John Thomas around 1744. Second, The children of Lazarus Dameron all appear to have been born between 1720 and 1735. Third, John Thomas wrote his will in 1760 his oldest son appears to be Charles Thomas born 1743 and two of his children are stated as being "under 18". The John Thomas who moved to Adair Ky was probably born around 1738.

Fourth, the only Thomas grandchild mentioned in the 1749 will of Lazarus Dameron was Charles Thomas.  All of this makes me feel that I need a little more evidence.

     Captain John Thomas married three times during his lifetime. His first wife was Sarah Roberts, whom he married on February 9, 1780 in Amherst County, Virginia. Sarah was the daughter of Elliot Roberts and Elizabeth Phillips. We have a complete list of their children thanks to a chancery suit over the estate of Elliot Roberts. Sarah died around 1798. The children of John Thomas and Sarah Roberts were:

1. Elliot Roberts Thomas b. June 3, 1784 d. May 24, 1854. He married Mary Trent and their family moved to Randolph County, Missouri.

2. Allen Thomas b. c1787

3. Judith Thomas b. c1789 d. February 17, 1826. She married George Burks on September 23, 1809 in Amherst.

4. Nelson Thomas b. c1790

5. John Stevens Thomas b. March 7, 1797 d. November 23, 1884.  He married Sarah Bransford and the family moved to Sullivan County, Missouri.

Capt John Thomas married Sarah Price West on October 6, 1799. She was born February 2, 1770 and died around July 26, 1820 in Buckingham County. Their children were:

6. Schuyler W. Thomas b. September 7, 1801 d. March 20, 1881 in Culpeper County, Virginia. He married Sabrina Olivia Scruggs. 

7. Harmon Thomas b. July 15, 1803

8. Alfred Sterling Thomas b. c1806 and died in Highland County, Ohio. He married Elizabeth Newton.

9. Sarah Price Thomas b. July 16, 1809 d. February 9, 1899. She married Thomas Pledge Woodson and they moved to Pike County, Missouri.

10. Nancy Nevil Thomas b. December 23, 1811 d. July 28, 1869. She married Albert Augustus Sweeney and they moved to Pike County, Indiana.

Captain John Thomas married a third time on February 1, 1821 to Susannah Crouch. Susannah Crouch was born September 25, 1766 and died February 9, 1842. At the time of her marriage to John she was the widow of David Nowling. They had no children.

Capt John Thomas Revolutionary War Application S46515

Capt John Thomas in the 1840 Buckingham pensioner census as John "C" Thomas. (The "C" was for Captain).

     

The Thomas family of Tornado, WV

     Henry Thomas was born in Virginia or Wales in 1728. He was most certainly the youngest son of Michael Thomas who died before December of 1747 near present day Willow, Amherst County, Virginia. The family lived on a branch of the Pedlar River. In December of that year Edward Thomas was called to appear in court as Michael's heir-at-law.

     According to the court records of Albemarle County, Virginia, Henry Thomas recorded a land transfer from Edward Thomas in August of 1747. This was most likely a legacy from his father Michael who had died in the latter part of the previous year. This may have been the 600 acres of land that Henry owned in Amherst mentioned in the Lee Marmon Manuscript.

     On August 20, 1748 Henry was granted a patent containing 172 acres on Rock Island Creek in present Buckingham County, Virginia next to his brother Edward. He sold it to Thomas Robinson on May 10, 1759. He received a patent containing 218a on May 3, 1760 and one containing 179a on April 10, 1781, both nearby on Rock Island Creek. He probably moved to Rock Island Creek around the time of the first patent. I have been unable to discover what happened to his Amherst land.

     On March 29, 1750 the Rev Robert Rose wrote in his diary that Henry Thomas was employed as his overseer. His job was to supervise the four slaves delivering shipments of tobacco by canoe, probably along the James River. 

     I can't say that I know what Henry Thomas did with the rest of his life. He lived in the area that became Buckingham County, Virginia. Buckingham County was burned during the Civil War and sadly experienced total record loss up to that date. We know very little about his family due to this tragedy. To date I have only discovered his wife's first name and four of his son's.

     Henry married a lady named Sarah. We find her name listed in the tax digest after his death in 1789. From about 1786 his two son's Nicholas and Pleasant were tithibles in his household. Their names were written by the sheriff. Later after Henry died in 1789, they were listed with Sarah.

     Known children:

1. Pleasant Thomas was born before 1769 and died around 1807 in Buckingham County. Samuel Shelton was the executor of his estate. In 1790 he owned 100 acres of land jointly with his brothers. This land was almost certainly the inheritance from his father who died the previous year. His estate is mentioned in Kanawha County chancery, which acknowledges James Thomas of Kanawha as one of his heirs. From this record we can assume that he either died unmarried or without issue.

2. Nicholas Thomas was born before 1769 and I have not been able to find anything else on him. He owned 100 acres jointly with his brothers in 1790 which was likely land from his father's estate.

3. James Thomas was born before 1765. He may have been the oldest since he wasn't listed as one of the owners of the 100 acres of land that his brothers held jointly.  He appears to have lived in Amherst County for a period of time. He married Elizabeth Roberts there on May 3, 1786. She was the daughter of Elliot Roberts and Elizabeth Phillips. He moved his family to Kanawha County, West Virginia in 1795. Together they built the first grist mill on the Upper Falls of the Coal River. James was a Revolutionary War soldier but sadly, he drowned in the Coal River on May 17, 1819 before he could claim a pension. His children were:

a.  Sarah Elizabeth Thomas b. March 17, 1787 d. March 23, 1833. Married Jacob L. Hill.

b. Adocia Thomas b. c1789 d. c1833. She is in the early court records. There are references to her guardian. She may have had some sort of mental deficiency.

c.  Nancy Thomas b. May 3, 1792 d. February 13, 1859. Married Samuel Hudson. 

In her diary, Mary Jane 'Mollie" Hansford referenced the Hudson family when talking about her friend Mary Hudson, "They were very well off and lived in comfort and plenty on their farm. They gave nice parties and I have passed some of the most pleasant days of my life visiting there. Her mother (Nancy) was such a warm-hearted, plain and practical woman. We girls always did as we pleased there and she was always in good humor and had a nice dinner or supper ready for us."

The Kanawha Valley Star
Tuesday, March 22, 1859
Died at the residence of her husband, (Mr Samuel Hudson), near the mouth of Coal River in Kanawha County, Virginia, Mrs Nancy Hudson.
Mrs Hudson was born on the 3rd of May 1792 and died on the 13th of February 1759, being 66 years 9 months and 10 days old.  She was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Thomas, who came to Kanawha in the year 95.  She was a member of the M.E. Church South since last summer.  She died of consumption.

Nancy Thomas Hudson is buried in Hudson Cemetery in St Albans, Kanawha County, WV

d. Elizabeth Thomas b. April 30, 1795 d. January 10, 1868. She married a cousin named Lindsey Thomas, who it appears was the son of Joseph Thomas and Prudence Childress.He seems to be listed in an 1827 chancery suit as one of the children of Joseph.

They lived on Upton's Creek in Spring Hill, Kanawha County, WV. They purchased the 750 acre tract of land in 1822 from Elliot Roberts Thomas, son of Capt John Thomas of Buckingham County, who had purchased it from Joseph Upton in 1798. Lindsey Thomas was originally made an executor of James Thomas's estate and this has led to a common error among many genealogists that assumed HE was a child of James. Sadly, they did no further research in the records to ascertain that he was in fact the son-in-law. Lindsey was a much respected business man in the Kanawha Valley, he was a Freemason and a strong believer in Temperance. Lindsey and his wife Elizabeth are buried in Thomas Cemetery at the juncture of Upton Creek and Pike.

e. Pleasant Thomas b. 1797 d. August 1, 1867. He married Sarah Margaret Rust who was the daughter of John Rust and Mary McClanahan. 

Pleasant Thomas lived on the banks of the Kanawha near the mouth of the Coal River. He moved to Jackson County to live with his son John M. Thomas in his final years. 

f. Jane H. Thomas b. c1799 Married Benjamin Rust.

Her date of death is unknown but she only had one child named Elizabeth who was born in 1818. Benjamin Rust died in 1824 and there is no mention of Jane in his estate records. It is pretty common for the wife to purchase back some of the items from the estate but she is no where to be found.

g.  Henry Roberts Thomas b. 1802 d. 1869 Married first to his cousin Helena A. Thomas, second to Mary Jane Henley, third to Margaret Jane Bryant. He is buried in the Thomas Cemetery in Tornado, WV at the Upper Falls.

h. Elliot Roberts Thomas b. 1804 and died in Boone County, WV. He married first Ruth Blaine and second Susan Watt. His son William Joseph Thomas was a soldier in the Civil War and was taken prisoner and sent to Camp Chase in Ohio. He wrote a letter home that mentions family and friends.

Dear Pa

     I am happy to say that I am in good health and hope these few lines may find you all well. I was captured on the 7 of August with four hundred other confederate soldiers. I have been as well treated as I could expect to be. Uncle Robert and Charles are well. I heard from them just before I was captured. I find I am very much in need of some clothes & money you can send the clothes in a box and the money in a ? Do you remember when a man was stayin at our house some three years ago by the name of Henry Sadler? He say’s tell sisters to send him a few ?           William Thomas

(the uncles were Blaine's)

i. Willis Thomas b. c1806 d. January 26, 1832 Died unmarried

j. Susan Thomas b. March 11, 1808 d. February 13, 1895 Married first Isaac Reaburn, second Squire Daggs, third William Smith Tinsley.

Susan's first husband Isaac Reaburn committed suicide and left a note that was admitted to court as a will. She died in Clark County, Missouri.

k. James Madison Thomas b. March 1, 1811 d. July 12, 1833 Married Caroline Ward the daughter of Langston Ward.

4. Joseph Thomas was born on August 3, 1759 and died on August 1, 1839. He married his cousin Rebecca Thomas in 1781 near Providence Meeting House in Buckingham County. She was the daughter of William Thomas and Rebecca Upton.  They traveled to Kanawha County in 1795 to claim the tract of land that Rebecca had inherited from her Uncle Thomas Upton. The tract consisted of 200 acres on the Upper Falls of the Coal River. It was on this tract that Joseph and his brother James built the first grist mill in the area. Joseph bought the remaining tracts of Upton's Upper Falls tracts from the heirs of Joseph Upton who moved to Kentucky in 1802. Joseph Thomas was a Revolutionary War soldier. He is buried in Thomas Cemetery in Tornado, WV near the Upper Falls. His children were:

a. Lewis Thomas b. August 21, 1782 d. 1850 Married Dorothy Reed.

Lewis Thomas moved to Foutain County Indiana with his brother Norbourn. He eventually settled in Parke County, Indiana where he lived until around 1850. Lewis is the subject of quite an interesting tale. In 1837 a man named Luke Mead was found dead on the road a broken liquor bottle next to him, a dead snake under him and scratches on his neck. They used an old superstition where if the murderer touched a corpse it would bleed if the party were guilty. The entire neighborhood was aware of an ongoing feud between Luke and Lewis so they forced Lewis to touch the corpse. He trembled and turned pale but the corpse did not bleed. Many felt his behavior was enough to indict him so he was arrested for murder. When they couldn't produce enough evidence to hold him they let him go. Regardless, his neighbors still believed that he killed Luke Mead and he was the subject of gossip and avoidance. He became a heavy drinker and finally gave up altogether and moved to California in 1850 during the Gold Rush. It is said that he died of Typhoid not long after.

b. Mary Thomas b. February 7, 1784 d. September 20, 1848 She married Levi M. Jones and they moved to Wayne County, Indiana. A biography written about her children supplies us with the name and age of Henry Thomas who was her grandfather.

c. Washington Thomas b. May 8, 1786 and died before his father unmarried.

d. Henry Thomas b. October 13, 1789 He married Katherine Teays the daughter of Stephen Teays. His wife died on August 11, 1830. He seems to be still living at the time of his father's will since he is mentioned in it.

e. Thomas Matthews Thomas b. November 3, 1791 d. 1840 He married Ann Sanders Ward. He was named after a family friend named Thomas Mathews, who lived near the family in Buckingham County. 

f. Rebecca Tindall Thomas b. 1792 d. 1845 Married David Julius Wood. They moved to Wayne County, Indiana.

g. Sarah Thomas b. 1795 and died unmarried

h. Elizabeth H. Thomas b. 1798 and died unmarried

i. Jane Pleasant Thomas b. 1800 and married Valentine Wood. They moved to Hamilton County, Indiana.

j. Dolly H. Thomas b. September 22, 1801 d. January 23, 1866. She married William Wood. She is buried in Thomas Cemetery, Tornado, WV near the Upper Falls.

k. Norbourn Thomas b. March 8, 1804 d. August 31, 1881. Married Maria M. Morris. They moved to Fountain County, Indiana.

l. Helena A. Thomas b.c1805 d. c1849. Married her cousin Henry Roberts Thomas.



There is no doubt that Henry Thomas had more children and hopefully we will be able to locate them in the future. The destruction of Buckingham Counties records has been a devastating loss for we Thomas researchers.

  

Michael Thomas Sr

of Amherst County, Virginia

Very little has been written about him and even less is provable. Michael was probably born in the late 1600's. Various family trees state that his wife was named Susanna Mosby but none of them cite a source. 

(If any person reading this has a source for this please post it in the comments.)

According to the Lee Marmon Manuscript he owned 1200 acres on the Pedlar River at  Little Mount Pleasant in Amherst County, Virginia. This land was likely near Willow.  This certainly explains the close relationship with the Neville family who lived nearby. Amherst was created from Albemarle in 1761 so the records for Michael can be found in Henrico, Goochland, and Albemarle counties. It also explains why several other Thomas's married into Amherst families in the late 1700's.

Michael Thomas died in 1747. His will may have been recorded but it has been lost. At the December 1747 Albemarle Court his will was presented and his heir-at-law Edward Thomas was called forth.

According to the August 1748 Albemarle court Edward Thomas transferred land to John Thomas and Henry Thomas. This was almost definitely land from Michael Thomas's estate. The implication being that Henry and John were also heirs of Michael and that Edward was not only the oldest heir but also the administrator.

(On a side note: In the 1840's Capt John Thomas of Buckingham claimed that Edward Thomas's granddaughter Rebecca Thomas was his second cousin and Henry Thomas's son Joseph Thomas was his first cousin).

The likely children of Michael Thomas Sr were:

1. Edward Thomas b. c1707 d. c1760 Buckingham County, Virginia

Edward Thomas married Mary Harding in 1729 in Henrico County, Virginia. 

On Aug 20, 1747 he was granted 140a on Millstone Branch of Rock Island in Buckingham County. 

His brother John Thomas was a co-executor of his will and witnesses were his other brother Joseph Thomas, Winifred Dameron Thomas (wife of his brother John) and Mary Goodwin. Mary Goodwin may have been another sibling.

His children were: 

1. Martha Thomas bc1731 married Stephen Goolsby, 
2. William Thomas bc 1733 married Rebecca Upton
3. John Thomas bc 1735
4. Elizabeth Thomas bc 1738 married ?Grymes
5. Susanna Thomas b1740 d. 1819 Oglethorpe, Georgia married Thomas Stephens. 

John was probably between the ages of 16-21 since his Uncle was named co-executor. Son's had to be be at least 16 years of age to be named an executor but if they were under 21 they would have been required to had a co-executor to help administer.

In the name of God Amen, I Edward Thomas of Albemarle County, Parish of Tillotson Parish, in a declining condition of body and of a sound mind & memory thanks be to the Almighty God do make, constitute & appoint this to be my last Will & Testament, first I recommend my soul to God that gave it me & my body to the earth to be decently buried as my Executor shall think fit and as to my worldly estate I think fit to dispose of in manner & form as followeth, viz  That is to say  Item   I give & bequeath to my eldest son William Thomas one hundred acres of land part of the tract I now live on & bounded as followeth, to wit: beginning at John Thomas’s upper bourer? On the river running on his said line to the back line, thence up the back line to a new line on the North Fork of the Millstone Branch, so down the said branch on the new marked line to the creek, so down the said creek to the river, thence down the river to the first station, be the same more or less, excepting the use of the orchard during my life which said land I give to him & his heirs forever, I also give him his cattle that he has in possession & his hogs which in his possession & that is to be his part.  Item  I give & bequeath to my daughter Martha Goolsby six pounds current money of Virginia which said six pounds not to be paid to her till three years after my death. Item  I give to my daughter Susannah Stephens the bed I here lie on & forty shillings current money to be paid three years after my death.  Item  I give to my daughter Elizabeth Thomas six pounds current money to be paid three years after my decease.  Item    My will and my desire is that the rest of my Estate not mentioned of what kind whatsoever I lend to my well beloved wife Mary Thomas on Law of Dower and at her death my desire is that my Estate be equally divided between my three daughters before mentioned.  Item    My will & pleasure is that my estate be not appraised.  Item    I constitute & appoint my brother John Thomas & my son John Thomas executors of this my last Will and Testament.  Item    I publish & declare this to be my Last Will & Testament revoking all other former Wills or Witness. Whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this the thirtieth day of December 1758.  Edward Thomas   Signed sealed, & delivered in presence of,  Joseph Thomas, Winney Thomas, & Mary Goodwin

At a Court held for Albemarle County the eighth day of March 1760. This Will was presented to Court by John Thomas & John Thomas the Executors therein named, proved by the Oaths of Winnie Thomas one of the witnesses thereto & on the motion of the said Executors who made oath according to law, certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form giving security on which they with Thomas Jopling, their security enters into and acknowledged their bond for the due of faithful performance of the said will. 

 At a Court held for the said County the tenth day of April 1760 the same was further proved by Joseph Thomas another of the witnesses thereto & ordered to be recorded. Teste John Nicholas, Clerk 

2. Lucy Thomas b. c1710 d. c1795 Amherst County, Virginia

She married first James Neville and second Abraham Childress

Lucy had two or three children out of wedlock. Her first son was named James Thomas and he may have been a son of James Neville but James Neville did not claim him in his will which was written in 1752. I think it's important to note that Lucy did name her son "James" so it certainly seems likely that she would name him after his father. She also had Cornelius Thomas and Bethenia Thomas out of wedlock but James Neville acknowledged them as his children in the above mentioned will. 

Lucy Thomas named her brother Michael Thomas an executor of her will.

Her children:

1.James Thomas bc1731 d. 1801 married Elizabeth Childress
2. Cornelius Thomas bc1735 d. 1775 married Sarah Henderson
3. Bethenia Thomas bc 1733 married John Allen and George Hilton
4. Martha Neville bc1736 married Henry Hobson
5. Judith Neville bc 1738 marriedJohn Hughes and Robert Mitchell
6. Elizabeth Neville
7. Sarah Neville Michaux Vaughn

In the name of God Amen. I Lucy Childress of the County 

and Parish of Amherst .... do make and ordain this my last 

Will and Testament ... I give and devise and bequeath in the 

following manner & form to wit.

Item: First my will and desire is all my just debts pray be paid.

Item: I give unto my son James Thomas one Shilling Sterling 

and his heirs forever -

Item: I give to my Daughter Betheniah Hilton one Shilling 

Sterling to her and her heirs forever -

Item: I give to my Daughter Martha Hopson one Shilling 

Sterling to her and her heirs forever -

Item: I give to my Daughter Judith Mitchell one shilling 

Sterling to her and her heirs forever -

Item: I give devise and bequeath to my (Great) Grandson J

ames Turner one negro woman named Mary one choice 

feather Bed and furniture also one hundred pounds to be 

applyed by my Executor hereafter mention in Schooling my 

said grandson also I give him one young bay mare with one 

Eye 

Item: I give and bequeath to my grandson Jesse Allen one 

negro fellow named Paul to him and his heirs forever -

Item: I give and bequeath to my (Great) Granddaughter 

Syntha Turner one negro Boy named Will to her and her 

heirs forever - 

Item: I give devise and bequeath unto Elizabeth Darwell one 

feather Bed & furniture to her and her heirs forever -

Item: I give devise and bequeath to my (Great) 

Granddaughters Martha Allen & Betheniah Allen the 

daughters of Samuel Allen one negro woman named Teller 

and all the increase of her body except a boy Given to 

Synthia Turner to be Equally divided between them. Also I 

give & bequeath unto Martha Allen a one feather Bed and 

furniture -

Item: I give Devise and Bequeath to my Grandsons 

Norbourn & Neal (Cornelius) Thomas one small feather Bed 

and furniture.

Item: All the Residue of my personal Estate not before 

mentioned shuch as all my Negroes, Stocks, household 

furniture, grain it is my will and desire it shall be sold by my 

Executors and the money arising from such sale to be 

Equally Divided amongst all the Legatees above mentioned.

Item: I constitute and appoint my Brother Michael Thomas 

and my friend Col. William Cabel, Junior and my friend 

Hudson Martin Executors of this my last Will and Testament 

hereby utterly disallowing all other Wills and Testaments by 

me made Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be 

my last will and Testament in Witness whereof I have herwith 

set my hand and Seal this 26th day of January 1792 her 

Lucy Childress mark ....at a court held for the said County 

the 15th day of February 1796 administration on the Estate 

of Lucy Childress dec'd is given to Lewis Nevil & Cornelius 

Thomas who qualified according to Law and entered into 

Bond with Norbourn Thomas & Geo Hyltom their securtities 

in the penalty of one thousand five hundred pounds current 

money. Date 26 Jan 1792 - Administration 15 February 1796 

3. Michael Thomas b. c1714 d. c1802 Albemarle Co. 

Virginia

Michael Thomas married for the first time around 1735 but 

her name is still unknown to us. He may have married a 

Neville because on June 17, 1735 James Neville transferred 

400a of land in Buckingham County on Rock Island Creek to 

him. 

He married a second time to the widow Rebecca Cobbs 

Burton about 1783 and married Elizabeth Staton in 1792. 

He was at one time the Sheriff of Albemarle. He made his 

home on Hogg Creek in Albemarle County and died there 

intestate in 1802. 

From what I can ascertain he had at least seven children 

that left "heirs" in the form of either children or spouses. His 

personal property was divided into seven lots and his 

plantation became a lottery.


His son Ralph drew the "short stick" for his land and the 

other children agreed to sell the remainder of his property 

and divide the proceeds equally among themselves. 

His children were:


Ann 'Nancy' Thomas married Henry Bailey Sr.

Joseph Thomas married Prudence Childress

Michael Thomas married Martha Jopling

Ralph Thomas married Mary Jopling

Martha Thomas married James Jopling

Unknown Thomas married Daniel Jopling

Unknown Thomas married John Griffin


The wife of John Griffin was probably previously married to a

Carroll. As far as I can tell "Susannah Carroll" is completely 

fabricated. The only Susannah Carroll in the records died in

in 1788. She was the widow of William Carroll and was 

VERY old at her death in 1788. She had a son named

William Carroll who would have been born by 1738 and a

a daughter named Sarah (wife of John Dawson) who would 

would have been born in the early 1730's.  It is possible that

she was the wife of William Carroll Jr, whose name was 

Mary.



The images below are of the heirs of Michael Thomas selling

their joint interest in his land in 1807. His son Joseph

Thomas had died in 1796 so many of the heirs listed were 

the children of Joseph and Prudence Childress.

4. John Thomas b. c1722 d. c1760 Buckingham County, 

Virginia

John Thomas married Winifred Dameron about 1744. When 

her father Lazaurus Dameron wrote his will in 1748 she was 

the only married daughter. Her son Charles Thomas was the 

only grandchild who was mentioned in the will so it's unlikely 

she was very old or married very long. John Thomas made 

his son Charles Thomas one of the executors of his will but 

he made his brother's Joseph and Michael co-executors so 

Charles was probably between the ages of 16-21. Males 

were allowed to be executors after the age of sixteen as long 

as they had another adult listed. All of the other children 

appear to be younger than Charles.

On April 4, 1749 he patented 100a land on Rock Island. This 

land was willed to his son Charles Thomas. The land he left 

to his son John could have been the land that he inherited 

from his father Michael in 1748.

His children were: 

Charles Thomas

John Thomas

Judith Thomas

Elizabeth Smith Thomas

Anne Thomas


I don't have enough provable information on this family to 

state who these children were. The Charles Thomas may be 

be the Charles Thomas who moved to Patrick County, 

Virginia. The John Thomas could be the John Thomas who

moved to Adair, Ky or the Capt John Thomas who remained

in Buckingham, Va.  Judith Thomas seems to have appeared

in the poorhouse records in the 1770's.

I John Thomas of the parish of Tillotson County of Albemarle twenty fourth day of February in the year of our lord 1760 Unto my loving Wife Winifred Thomas the house and plantation whereon I now live during her natural life together with all my household goods & furniture & whole stock... & accept such of them as are hereafter mentioned as legacy to my Children which are as follows, Item I give and bequeath to my son Charles Thomas one hundred acres of land lying & being in the county of Albemarle on the South side of the Fluvanna River joining Col Allen Howard to him and his heirs forever.  Item I give and bequeath to my son Charles Thomas on Gray Mare.  Item I give and bequeath to my son John after his Mother's deceases the Tract of Land where I now live  Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Judith one Gray horse  Item my will & pleasure is that my Daughter Betty Smith Thomas shall attain the age of 18 Then I bequeath her a riding Beast Item to my Daughter Ann Thomas when she attains the age of 18 years then I bequeath her a riding Beast  Item my will & pleasure further is that at my wife's Decease all my household Furniture Stock Cattle hogs & whatsoever be remaining to be Equally Divided amongst my three Daughters Judith, Betty Smith, and Anne Thomas  Item Will is that my estate be brought to no appraisement Lastly I make and ordain Michael Thomas and Joseph Thomas and my son Charles Thomas executors of this my Will in Trust for the Intent  & purpose in this my Will Contained in this sheet of paper I do hereby revoke all former and Other Wills heretofore by me made Either by Word or Writing & my Executors are to take Care and see this my Will performed according to my true Intent and meaning For Witness whereof I the Said John Thomas have to this my last Will & testament set my hand and Seal the day and year above written, Signed Sealed & Delivered by the said John Thomas for his last will and Testament in presence of us who was present at the time of signing and sealing thereof.  John Peter, Moses Sweeney, John Ward.

"At a Court held for Albemarle County the twelfth day of 

June 1760 this will was proven by oath of John Peter, Moses 

Sweeney & John Ward Teste John Nicholas  His exec. were 

Michael and Joseph Thomas & son Charles.  The will was 

proved 12 June 1760 by the oath of John Peter, Moses 

Sweeney, and John Ward.

5. Henry Thomas b. c1728 d. c1789 Buckingham County, 

Virginia

The records of Buckingham County, Virginia were destroyed 

by fire so it has made it very hard to find information on 

Henry. His date of birth and death were taken from a 

biography on his granddaughter Mary Thomas Jones.  We 

know from tax records that that his widow was Sarah and 

two of his son's were Pleasant and Nicholas. His other two 

known son's were James and Joseph. Joseph being the 

father of Mary Thomas Jones in the aforementioned  

biography.

According to the Lee Marmon Manuscript he owned 600a in 

Amherst County, Virginia. This may have been the land that 

Edward Thomas transferred to him in 1748. Just like Michael 

Thomas Sr I have not seen this deed and don't know what 

happened to this land.

He died at his farm on Rock Island Creek in Buckingham 

County.

His children were: 

1. Joseph Thomas b.1759 d.1839 married Rebecca Thomas 

(cousin)

2. James Thomas bc.1764 d.1819 married Elizabeth Roberts

3. Nicholas Thomas

4. Pleasant Thomas

Pleasant died c1807 and I have not been able to trace 

Nicholas.


In 1795 Joseph Thomas and James Thomas moved to 

Kanawha County and built a grist mill on the Upper Falls in 

Tornado, WV. Joseph Thomas had inherited land through 

wife Rebecca  Thomas. Her Uncle Thomas Upton had died 

unmarried and without issue and left a parcel of his land to 

her mother Rebecca Upton Thomas Couch. Rebecca Couch 

passed this land to her children in lieu of moving to Kanawha 

herself. 

Henry and Sarah likely had more children but the destruction 

of Buckingham court records has made it next to impossible 

to find more heirs.

Henry Thomas August 1748 COURT land from Edward Thomas (no other information and not in deed book. Transfer of land from Edward, probably from estate of Michael Thomas Sr who died in 1747).

Henry Thomas April 10,1781 179a Albemarle both sides a South br of Rock Island Ck of S s Fluvanna (now Buckingham County)

Henry Thomas March 3,1760 218a Albemarle both sides Rock Island Ck (now Buckingham)

Henry Thomas August 20, 1748 172a on Rock Island Creek South of the Fluvanna River (James) Albemarle County. Adj: Edward Thomas  (now Buckingham)

Henry Thomas, May 10, 1759 Tillotson Parish to Thomas Robinson for 20 pounds 172 acres Rock Island Creek South of the Fluvanna River (James)

adj. Edward Thomas, wit: Jno & Wm Thomas, Jno. Provemen, (Albemarle Co

Deed Book 2, page 110.)

6. Joseph Thomas 

I have no other information on him. He supposedly married the Mrs Ann Jennings, widow of Miles, who died in Oglethorpe Georgia.  There are two Joseph Thomas's listed in Buckingham County tax records until 1797.

I have no doubt that Michael Thomas Sr had more children. I hope to be able to add to this in the future.