STEPHEN THOMAS
This report is taken from the monograph Ancestors and
Descendants of Tristram Thomas of Maryland
By Betty Ratliff Carson and Howard S. Hazlewood and used
with their permission.
I am grateful for their generosity in allowing its use on
the website.
The entire book may be purchased from Betty Carson. Email
address is carson33@prodigy.net
Stephen Thomas (Sr.), son
of Tristram Thomas (Jr.) and probably Sarah Stephens Thomas, was born 28 May
1705 in Talbot County, Maryland. He married Mary Clothier born ca. 1709, daughter
of Robert Clothier and Jane Kemp Clothier, on 5 January 1731/32. Since Mary
Clothier was of the Quaker faith, Stephen Thomas became a Quaker with the
marriage recorded in the Quaker records. Tristram Thomas (Jr.) had married
Jane Kemp Clothier Eubank Thomas, mother of Mary Clothier, ca. 1724 in Queen
Anne's County. Stephen Thomas and Mary, wife, inherited 80 acres of "Hawkin's
Pharsalia" in 1746 with the land to go to their son, Robert Thomas, upon
their death. We covered this history earlier in our section of Tristram Thomas
(Jr.).
Mr. D,D. McColl published
"Sketches of Old Marlboro" that listed thirteen children of Stephen
Thomas with exact dates of birth. Mr. Arthur C. Caraway, Jr. repeated the
dates of birth in his published history. We have been told by other Thomas
researchers that the births are in the Quaker records. Although we have not
verified the Quaker records, we do know that the Hall of Records has the Quaker
records for the Third Haven Meeting and other Quaker meetings. The minutes
for the Third Haven Meeting from 1676-1871 are on file. They also have the
births from 1664-1929 and the burials from 1672-1952. The marriages are recorded
from 1668-1935. Sometimes the Quakers would attend smaller nearby meetings
but most of these records later were recorded by Third Haven Monthly Meeting.
They did not record all events that happened for a family.
It is remarkable that Stephen
and Mary raised thirteen children on approximately 200 acres of land. The
best we can determine Stephen Thomas owned only 167 acres of "Hawkins
Pharsalia" and 33 1/3 acres of "Alcock's Pharsalia" as mentioned
in our earlier history. Stephen Thomas per Queen Anne's County Deed Book #H,
Pages 107-110 dated 2 October 1767 (recorded 29 October 1767) sold William
Cannon the land. Mary Clothier was deceased according to the deed that stated
she was deceased. Robert was already married to Mary Sands as both released
their interest in the 80 acres of "Hawkin's Pharsalia" willed by
Tristram Thomas (Jr.). They were probably married ca, 1756.
Sarah Thomas the eldest child
had probably already married Daniel Lambdin (Jr.) ca. 1752. Stephen Thomas
(Jr.) married Rachel Pratt, sister of William Pratt (Jr.), ca. 1757 and William
Thomas married Hannah Pratt, second sister of William Pratt (Jr.), Ca 1761
per Prerogative Court (Accounts) Liber 4B, Pages 72-74 for estate of William
Pratt (Sr.) dated 6 May 1762. Queen Anne's County. William Pratt (Jr.), brother
or Hannah Pratt and Rachel Pratt, married Sarah Denny, daughter of Benjamin
and Susannah Denny, in Queen Anne's County, Maryland between 1762 and 1765.
Mary Thomas probably married
William (Violet) Primrose ca. 1760. John Thomas married Molly Clark ca. 1767
in Anson County, North Carolina. Simon Thomas probably married ca. 1774. I/e
do not know what happened to Elizabeth Thomas. She may have died young.
We can prove that at least
ten of the thirteen children moved to Anson County, North Carolina with their
father between 1767 and 1770. The first group settled in Anson County in the
area that later became Richmond County. Stephen Thomas (Sr.), William Thomas,
John Thomas, Lewis Thomas, Benjamin Thomas and James Thomas signed the petition
to divide Anson County into two counties and establish Richmond County in
1779. The law was passed 23 October 1779 with Robert Thomas one of the first
seven commissioners. Later more or the children settled with the children
of Thomas Thomas, (Jr.) on the west side of the Pee Dee River in the area
that remained in Anson County.
Robert Thomas was in Anson
County, North Carolina, first, per taxables for Anson County for the year
1763. Philemon Thomas, uncle, joined him later per the land records. They
both returned to Maryland by 2 October 1767 to sign the deeds mentioned earlier
in our history. A large group or Thomas families and related families promptly
left for Anson County, North Carolina after 2 October 1767. Robert Thomas
purchased land on Hitchcock Creek from Thomas Wade on 18 December 1767 per
Deed Book H'I, Page 350. He later bought land from Thomas Moorman on 1 August
1768 per Deed Book H'I, Page 354. Philemon Thomas, uncle, had bought land
from John Crawford on Hitchcock Creek on 3 May 1768 per Deed Book H#I, Page
266. Robert Thomas obtained a 150 acre grant on the N.E. side of Pee Dee River
on Hitchcock Creek on 18 April 1771 near where Philemon Thomas, uncle, obtained
four grants on the same date. William Thomas, son of Philemon Thomas, obtained
four grants on the S.W. side of Pee Dee River on 17 December 1770.
Stephen Thomas (Jr.) settled
on the SW. side of Pee Dee River on Jones Creek where he purchased land from
James Short on 8 February 1768 per Deed Book H#I, Page 263. William Pratt
(Jr.) And William Ratcliff/Ratliff who married Susannah Thomas Curtis Ratliff
later settled in this area on Jones Creek. William Pratt (Jr.) bought 300
acres from Archulus Mooreman on 6 November 1789 per Deed Book 7, Page 252.
He later obtained a patent for 155 acres adjacent to this land that was surveyed
on 8 March 1770 with the patent issued 18 April 1771.
John Thomas purchased land
from Francis Clark (father-in-law) on 24 July 1768 per Deed H#1, Page 259.
The land was a little further down the Pee Dee River on Solomon Creek. John
Thomas later obtained a grant for 200 acres on the NE side of Pee Dee River
on 4 May 1769. John Thomas and Francis Clark later moved to the SW side of
Pee Dee River near the South Carolina border.
Simon Thomas purchased land
from Thomas Jones and wife on Hitchcock Creek on 21 December 1767 per Deed
Book H#1, Page 174. It appears his deed may have been one of the first deeds
recorded by the Thomas family in Anson County. Most researchers claim this
is the son of Simon Thomas born 10 July 1712. He later sold Daniel Thomas,
brother, land on 27 May 1773 per Deed Book K, Page 267. The Simon Thomas that
purchased land from John Long on Cartledge Creek 12 November 1774 per Deed
Book K, Page 452 is probably our Simon Thomas. John Long was a chain carrier
for the survey for the grants of William Thomas, son of Stephen Thomas, (Sr.).
William Thomas obtained two
tracts of land on the NE side of Pee Dee River per Grant No. 16 for 300 acres
and Grant No. 17 for 200 acres. The grants were surveyed by Robert Edwards
on 28 July 1768 with the patents issued 12 December 1769 in the name of William
Thomas, Jr. John Bean and John
Long were chainers. It appears the tracts were surveyed and the patents issued
while William Thomas was still back in Maryland helping the family move. The
error of "Jr" was not corrected until his son, William Thomas, Jr.,
was of legal age and the land deeded to other sons of William Thomas, Sr..
They corrected the error by both signing the deed to release the land to the
new owners.
Robert Jarman, brother-in-law
of William Thomas, obtained 230 acres of land per grant dated 16 December
1769. The land was next to William Thomas. He married Mary Ann Pratt, sister
of Hannah Pratt, in Queen Anne's County, Maryland before 1760. He also obtained
another 400 acres on 16 December on the other side of Pee Dee River.
Stephen Thomas, (Sr.) obtained
200 acres of land that was surveyed on 7 January 1769 and a patent issued
4 May 1769 per Grant No. 188. Chainers were Danus Burns and Francis Clark
(father of Molly Clark that married John Thomas). The land was adjacent to
his son, William Thomas. Lewis
Thomas purchased land 11 April 1774 on Jones Creek from William Pratt and wife per Deed Book K,
Page 98.
Phillimon (Philemon) Thomas
purchased land from Micajah Pickett on 20 January 1775 per Deed Book K, Page
392. He later bought land from Stephen Thomas (Jr.) And wife on Gould's Fork
on 14 July 1775 per Deed Book K, Page 259. The land was on the SW side of
Pee Dee River.
Robert Thomas sold his brother,
Benjamin Thomas, land on 12 April 1775, per Deed Book K, Page 315. The land
was on the NE side of Pee Dee River.
Tristram Thomas purchased
land from Joseph Hines in Richmond County per Deed Book E, Page 308 in 1776.
William Thomas, brother, later purchased land from Joseph Hines in the same
area.
The 1790 census records give
us the next view of our families. The records for Fayette District, Anson
County (west of the Pee Dee River) show the following sons of Stephen Thomas,
(Sr.),
Stephen Thomas (Jr.) --3 males 16 and over, 2 males under 16, and 3 females. (Page 36).John Thomas --2 males 16 and over, 3 males under 16, and 4 females (Page 37)
Fayette District, Richmond
County,
William Thomas (Sr.) 2 males 16 and over, 2 males under 16, and 2 females (Page 45).Simon Thomas--1 male 16 and over, I male under 16, and 3 females
(Page 45).
Lewis Thomas--1 male 16 and over, I male under 16, and 8 females (Page 47).
Several of the sons had moved
to South Carolina as follows,
The Cheraw District of South
Carolina lists the following,
Tristram Thomas--3 males 16 and over, 6 males under 16, 6 Females, and 16 slaves (Page 45)
Benjamin Thomas --3 males 16 and over, 3 males under 16, I female, and 1 slave (Page 45).
Georgetown District, Prince
George's Parish Robert Thomas--3 males 16 and over, 4 males under 16, 2 females,and
2 slaves.
John Thomas (son)--1 male 16 and over, 2 males under 16, I female, and 2 slaves.
Nathan Thomas (son)--1 male 16 and over, 2 males under 16, I female, and 2 slaves.
Robert Thomas
I Male 45 and overI Male 26-45 I Male 16-26 I Male 10-161 Female 45 and over 2 Slaves
Encyclopedia of American
Quaker Genealogy by Hinshaw, Volume I, North Carolina, Page 1068, lists John
Thomas, Sr. and Moley Thomas with their twelve children with exact dates of
birth. They were members of Piney Grove Monthly Meeting in Marlborough County,
South Carolina, started in December 1801. Earlier they had attended the Cane
Creek Meeting in Orange County (now Alamance County), North Carolina. The
records for Piney Grove also show the births for the thirteen children of
Lewis and Agnes Thomas. Their records show the marriage of Molly (formerly
Clark) was reported for the records in 1769. Lewis and Agnes Thomas of Richmond
County, North Carolina were also Quakers with a daughter, Mary that married
Edward Morman per page 1071. The records also give marriages for some of the
children of John and Molly Thomas. It appears John and Lewis may have been
the only sons of Stephen and Mary Clothier Thomas still Quakers in 1800.
Robert Thomas was a Baptist
minister. William Thomas was a Presbyterian. We are not sure of the faith
of the other sons but only a few remained Quakers.
At least three of the sons
of Stephen and Mary Clothier Thomas made contributions to the American Revolution:
Robert Thomas, a Baptist
Minister, visited camps and preached to the soldiers in the Marlboro District,
South Carolina per Dar application for Ruby Mae Mason No. 543357. He also
was elected one of the first commissioners of Richmond County, North Carolina
in 1779.
At least three of the sons
of Stephen and Mary Clothier Thomas made contributions to the American Revolution:
Robert Thomas, a Baptist
Minister, visited camps and preached to the soldiers in the Marlboro District,
South Carolina per DAR application for Ruby Mae Mason NO. 543357. He also was elected one of the first commissioners
of Richmond County, North Carolina in 1779
William Thomas represented
Anson County, North Carolina at the State Assembly 1774 and 1775 according
to John Hill Wheeler's Historical Sketches of North Carolina, Pages 24 and
25. He was in that part of Anson County that became Richmond County in 1779.
Tristram Thomas was a Major
under General Frances Marion during the Revolutionary War and afterwards was
General of the Militia and a member of the South Carolina Legislature. He
was a legend in his own time for his ingenuity in the capture of a British
detachment at Hunt's Bluff according to D.D. McColl in Sketches of Old Marlboro,
Page 47.
We could cover more details
for all of the children, but will only mention the one son that is our line.
William 1741-1800 of Richmond County, North Carolina was published by us in
1991. We still have a few copies left for Thomas relatives that are interested
in this one specific line.
Anson County Will Book I,
Page 107 shows an inventory for the estate of Stephen Thomas (Sr.). The items
listed consist of seven head of cattle, saddle, furniture, and tools. The
items were sold per Will Book I, Page 254 dated 6 August 1774 (Recorded October,
1774 Court). Sons: John, Stephen, William, Robert, and Lewis purchased items.
William Primrose, son-in-law, and neighbors purchased the balance of the estate
sold by William Pickett, Sheriff. John Thomas, son and administrator, submitted
a claim against the estate for money owed him plus costs of settling the estate.
The claim represented approximately a third of the value of the modest estate.
William Thomas (Sr.) and
Enos Thomas in 1758 were in Anson County in the area that became Richmond
County in 1779. We have found no proof that they are related to our family
but they could be relatives. The 1790 census for Anson County also lists Edmund
Thomas, Evan Thomas, Jacob Thomas, and Josiah Thomas that have not been proven
as relatives. There is a good chance Edmund Thomas is our relative.
Let's hope this will give
you adequate information to make a connection for your family. It you need
some help, please let us know. We can probably tell you how you connect to
our line or show you that you belong to another Thomas line.