Tristram Shandy Thomas

TRISTRAM THOMAS OF PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA

Land Records for Tristram Thomas

Tristram Thomas received his first land patents in Alabama in 1834 for parcels of land in both Jefferson County and what is now Greene County. There is a single parcel in Jefferson County of 40 acres in the same township and ranges of Etheldred W. and William Thomas, but not near the land of George Thomas or John or Benjamin Thomas who also received land patents in Jefferson County. Tristram's first land patents in the Greene/Pickens County area were issued in 1834 falling entirely in what is now Greene County (but then was Pickens County) as does one of the land patents of the three that he received in 1837. He is listed in the 1830 census for Pickens County because the area south of the Sipsey River was in Pickens County until some time between 1860 and 1870 when the county lines were redrawn to follow the Sipsey River. [1] In 1837 he completed his acquisition of land in the southern section of Pickens County when he received patents of land in sections 27 and 28 in Twp 24 N Range 1W. This was a total of nearly 520 acres and all were cash entry sales. If he paid $1.25 an acre, the total for this land came to $650 – a considerable sum in those days. In 1839 he received patents for approximately 200 acres of land in a completely different area of Pickens County – a few miles north and west of Carrollton and another parcel close to Bear Creek and to the Ebenezer Baptist Church. A final patent was received in the same section, township and range as Benjamin Thomas and Wilson Eatman. Benjamin Thomas and Wilson Eatman had jointly patented this parcel of land in. All of these land patents of Tristram Thomas totaled approximately 720 acres over a five-year period.

Census Records for Tristram Thomas

Tristram Thomas is found in the 1830, 1840 (under the name of Truston Tomas), and the 1850 censuses in Pickens county.

In the 1830 Federal census he is listed with:

2 male children under the age of 5 [George and William?],

1 male child between 5 and 10 [Benjamin],

1 male between 30 and 40 (Tristram), 1 female child between the ages of 5 and 10 [Henretta?]

1 female between the ages of 20 and 30 (Delila). [2]

There are a total of four children in the household – 3 boys and one girl.

In the 1840 Pickens County census [3] Truston Thomas is listed with ten children under the age of 20 in the household:

Tristram is between 30 and 40

Delile is between 30 and 40

2 male children under the age of 5 (David and Tristram)

1 male child between 10 and 15 (George?)

2 males between 15 and 20 (Benjamin and William?)

1 female between 15 and 20 (Henretta?)

The household has added six children in ten years.

In the 1850 census for Pickens County: [4]

Tristram Thomas, 49, Male, Probate Judge		Birthplace: VA
Delile, 47, Female, Housewife		Birthplace: TN
Children were:
Malinda Thomas - 18, Female		Birthplace: AL
John Thomas - 17 Male		Birthplace: AL
Elizabeth Thomas - 15, Female		Birthplace: AL
Joseph Thomas - 14 Male		Birthplace: AL
Tristram Thomas - 12 Male		Birthplace: AL
David Thomas - 11 Male		Birthplace: AL
James Thomas - 1 Male		Birthplace: AL

The son James, age 1, raises a question. There are eleven years between the age of David and James. Is it just possible that James is the son of Benj. C. and Margaret Seay Thomas; that Margaret Seay Thomas died in childbirth and that James lived with Tristram and Delila while Benj. lived at the blacksmith shop? On the other hand, James has not joined Benj. C. and his wife Elizabeth in that household in 1860 as evidenced by the census enumeration for Benj. and Elizabeth. [5] He is likely the James Thomas, age 12, who is found in the household of Willerford W. Lewis in the 1860 Pickens County census enumeration, although his birthplace is given as NC. [6] However, why would the son of any Thomas child, whether it be the son of Tristram, or Benjamin or any other Thomas be fostered by another family? At this point no Lewis connections to Thomases have come to light.

Tristram Shandy Thomas died in 1854 so he is not listed in the 1860 census.

Wives and children of Tristram Shandy Thomas

In the 1830 Federal census he is listed with:

2 male children under the age of 5 [George and William?],

1 male child between 5 and 10 [Benjamin],

1 male between 30 and 40 (Tristram), 1 female child between the ages of 5 and 10 [Henretta?]

1 female between the ages of 20 and 30 (Delila)

There are a total of four children in the household – three boys and one girl in 1830.

In the letter from Ruby Dalton Thomas to me quoted at the beginning of this article, she names four boys and one girl – three brothers and a sister to Ben and children of Truss Thomas. Ruby Dalton states that the names of the sons were George, John, Ben, Billy and the girl was Henretta. This would correspond with the number of children born before 1830, leaving out the son John who was born in 1832 according to the U.S. 1850 census.

My hypothesis is that Benjamin C. Thomas is one of the sons of Tristram S. and Delila Thomas, born either in 1821 or 1824 depending upon the census information of 1850 [9] or 1860 [10] .

A William Thomas is mentioned in the Ebenezer Baptist Church minutes as quoted above: "Bro. Wm Thomas for not attending our regular meeting days and being informed by Bro. Lyon that he had had no communication with him and that he had requested a Letter of Dismission from this church by a Letter to his Father." [11] The reference to a father cannot mean George Thomas, since George's son William died in Jefferson County in 1843. [12] It must refer to a son of Tristram Thomas since a William Thomas of the appropriate age cannot be found in the 1850 census. The reason for William's letter of dismission may be a move from Pickens County.

There is a George Thomas who may very well be the son of Tristram Thomas. He was 23 years old, head of a household and a farmer in the 1850 census. Ruby Dalton mentions John. However, John Thomas, son of Tristram Thomas was 17 in the 1850 census, born 1833. The story of Henretta related by Ruby Dalton is certainly apocraphyl. As Ruby Dalton tells it, the story takes place during the Civil War. By that time Tristram Thomas had died, and so could not have punished his daughter. But daughter there was, as evidenced by the 1830 census. Whoever the daughter was, she was gone from the household by 1850 since no child born before 1830 is in the household at the time of the census. There could be some kernel of truth in the story that might be an unwed mother and a stern Baptist clergyman strongly disapproving of his daughter. The answer to the story will probably never be known.

Delile or Delilah Thomas must have died between the time of the1850 census. Did Tristram Thomas remarry? It appears that he did.

The Chancery Court minutes are the only court records to survive the two fires at the Carrollton Courthouse. There is a record for January 27, 1854 of a suit in which Tristram S. Thomas and Mahala his wife are the plaintiffs in a suit against Sarah Fort and Jacob A. Graham and others regarding slaves which were in the estate of Ann Allen. Robert Davidson who was deceased by this date had administered Ann Allen's estate. [13]

In checking the 1850 census there is a census record for a Robert Davidson whose wife is Mahala (born about 1807) and a son, Oliver L., age 16 [14] It seems clear that Delile Thomas and Robert Davidson both died after 1850 and that Tristram and Mahala Davidson married before 1854. The 1855 state census for Pickens County lists a Mahala Thomas with one male under 21 and one female over 21. [15] What is the identity of the male in the household? In the 1850 census Robert and Mahala Davidson had a son Oliver, age 16, in the household. It is possible that Oliver was the male under 21 in the household with Mahala. He could be just under 21 depending upon his birthday and the date of the census. On the other hand, it could be the James who is in the Thomas household in the 1850 census. James was a year old in 1850 so would have been about 6 in the 1855 census. Perhaps one reason that Tristram married Mahala was to have a mother for the infant in his household. Note: There is a record for the marriage of Joseph Clark to Mahaley Thomas on 31 October 1861. Both are of Pickens County. [16] Joseph is listed on the 1850 census, page 24 Dwelling 205 as age 50, a farmer with a wife Cathrine age 56, both born in South Carolina. They have a son William in the household, age 15 and born in Alabama. Joseph Clark first received a warrant for land on 26.10/1833 in T21, R15 S17. [17]

Death and Obituary of Tristram Thomas

The following article is the full article from which the paragaph giving the relationship between Tristram Shandy Thomas and George Thomas was extracted and reprinted in the section on George Thomas.

Republican [Carrolton, AL] in 1854, the following is taken: [18]

Hon. Tristram Shandy Thomas, the present Judge of the Probate Court, was the first Judge of the Court, and the first elected by the people under the new law. He was elected in May 1849 by a handsome majority over his single opponent, the last Judge of the old County Court, being himself the last Clerk of the same, a fact we may state with no disparagement of his rival. Judge Thomas had been twice and unsuccessful candidate for office against popular and strong men, who in the race name is not more than half a length ahead. In 1844 he ran for the Clerkship of the County Court against Gen. Bostick, and he made a previous race with Mr. Sherrod for the same office in the Circuit Court. In August, 1848, he was elected Clerk of the County Court, which office he held until the abolition of that Court.

Judge Thomas is one of the earliest settlers of this county. He was born in Wythe County, Virginia, whence he removed to Kentucky when a boy, and came from there to Pickens (while a part of Tuscaloosa) in 1818, resided, subsequently, one year in the State of Tennessee, and has spent most of his life in Pickens. His father, the late George Thomas, removed to this county with his family, many years ago, but sometime later than his son, the old gentleman and lady, the mother of Judge Thomas, having both deceased within the past two or three years. He was an excellent citizen, an honest man, a good patriot and an orthodox Whig of the old revolutionary stripe.

Judge Thomas has for many years been a licensed preacher of the Baptist denomination, and is at present in the constant habit of officiating as such. He is a self made man, of a naturally strong mind and sound judgment, with such practical education as a reflecting an inquiring mind can achieve by its own resources through industry and perseverance. As a judge, we believe he studies what is fair and right, and if he ever errs it is owing to his too extreme caution lest he may do wrong. The dignity of the court is sustained as much by decision as by a too prudent halting between two opinions.

The present Judge of the Probate Court is indefatigably laborious – acting as his own clerk for the most part – courteous and obliging and ever at his post. He is the last upon our County Court docket both as Judge and Clerk.

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Since the above sketch was written, the subject thereof has departed this life; Judge Thomas died the 17^th day of June, 1854. His disease was an affection of the liver with which he had been afflicted during his whole life. He left a large family of children and numerous relatives within this county, besides many friends to mourn their loss. Two years of the term for which he had been elected Judge remained unexpired. He died as he had lived, a firm believer in Christianity, esteemed and deeply regretted. (Note the discrepancy in the month of death between the family Bible records and the newspaper article.)

Tristram Thomas is mentioned repeatedly in the minutes of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Pickens County. He was an elder of the church and served as the church's supply preacher for 1848. [19] (Extractions from the minutes of the church dealing with T. S. Thomas and other Thomas members may be read in Appendix 2.) The minutes of the Pickens Baptist Association held in 1935 list T. S. Thomas as a preacher and pastor in the Association from 1839 – 1848 and Jesse Thomas from 1849 – 1867.

From the Alabamian is the following obituary for T. S. Thomas:

Our esteemed fellow citizen Judge Thomas died at the residence of Rev. Charles Stewart in this county at eight minutes after eleven o'clock on Mon. night, the 17th inst. in the 54th year of his age.

Judge Thomas was born in Kentucky in the year 1800. He came to Tuscaloosa about the year 1818 and to this county in 1835. In 1832 he was converted to the Christian religion and joined the Baptist Church at Bucksville, Ala. He began to preach the gospel of Christ very soon after he professed a hope, and ever since he has been zealous, faithful minister.

In 1848 he was elected clerk of the county court of Pickens and in 1850 he was elected Probate Judge which office he held at the time of his death. He was remarkable for industry in the discharge of his duty, and if he erred in his decisions (and none are infallible) he did so from the head and not from the heart. He has left a large family to mourn his death. [21]

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[1] William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the u. S. Federal Censuses, 1790 – 1920 (Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Company, c. 1987, 2002) 14-18.

[2] 1830 U. S. census, Pickens County, Alabama, p. 118, line 15.

[3] 1840 U. S. census, Pickens County, Alabama, p. 345, line 12.

[4] T. S. Thomas household, 1850 U. S. Census, Pickens County, Alabama, population schedule, Carrollton, page 4 , dwelling 35, family 35, microfilm no 442864. .Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah

[5] 1860 U. S. Census, Pickens County, Alabama, page 4, dwelling 25, family 23, microfilm no. 0803020 Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah.

[6] Willerford W. Lewis household, Southern District, page 777, dwelling, 195, household, 196, 1860 U. S. Census, Pickens County, Alabama, population schedule, Ancestry Census Images Online <www.ancestry.com>Information download, Dec 7, 2002.

[7] Letter from Mrs. Margaret Scruggs Carruth.

[8] 1830 U. S. census, Pickens County, Alabama, p. 118, line 15.

[9] 1850 U. S. Census. Carrollton Twp., Al., p. 3, line 38.

[10] 1860 U. S. Census, Pickens County, Alabama, page 4, dwelling 25, family 23.

[11] Ebenezer Baptist Church Minute Book, Pickens County, Alabama.

[12] Jefferson County, Alabama Orphan's Court Book 1837-1844, , p. 438.

[13] Pickens County, Alabama. Chancery Court. Final Record: 1851 – 1869. January Term. Photocopy from the Family History Library, Salt Lake City Utah. Microfilm roll 1728890.

[14] Robt. Davidson household, 1850 U. S. Census, Pickens County, Alabama, population schedule, Southern District, page 20 , dwelling 1608, family 1654, microfilm no 442864. .Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah

[15] http://www.trackingyourroots.com/data/pickns55.htm

[16] Betty Junkin, compiler. Deaths, Marriages and Confederate Soldiers: Pickens County, Alabama, 1841-1931, vol. 2, p. 280.

[17] James Dolphys Johnson, compiler. Early Settlers of Pickens County, Alabama. (Published for the author by the Gregath Publishing Company, Cullman , Alabama, 1992) p. 159

[18] Pickens Republican article on Tristram Shandy Thomas previously cited.

[19] Ebenezer Baptist Church Minute Book, Pickens County, Alabama.

[20] Minutes of the One Hundredth Session of Pickens Baptist Association -- Sept. 3 and 4, 1935. Photocopy of the title page and page 17 on which the pastors are listed from the Alabama State Archives, Montgomery, Alabama and sent to Judith Voran, 1978; held by Voran HC1 Box 245, Strawberry, AZ 85544..

[21] Tristram Shandy Thomas obituary, Alabamian undated. Transcribed from a photocopy held in the Alabama State Archives, Montgomery, Alabama and sent to Judith Voran, 1978; held by Voran HC1 Box 245, Strawberry, AZ 85544.