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.