Thomas Hamilton ABNEY

     
     Thomas Hamilton ABNEY was born in 1795 in Edgefield County, South Carolina, son of Samuel ABNEY Jr. and Mary KENNEDY.¹
     During the War of 1812, Thomas enlisted as a private in Capt. Pearson Holloway's company of Edgefield county militia, part of Youngblood's 1st Regiment, South Carolina Militia. Serving along with him were Charles Abner, Absalom Abney, William Abney, and Abney Mays. The militia guarded the coast but was never engaged in battle. Following the war he moved with his widowed mother and siblings to Richmond, Virginia.^2,3
     Thomas married Mary Ann Gosden, daughter of James Gosden/Gausden and Mary Ann CECIL, on 24 December 1817 in Richmond, Virginia. Mary's father or step-father was a very well-to-do man and they inherited his fine house which he had built on his second wife's property.⁴ In about 1826 the family moved from South Carolina to Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama and bought a farm just northwest of Maplesville. They built a two-story, wood frame house of rustic design which at the time was known as "Crossroads Estate". The house was moved to the center of the plantation after the Civil War and the overseer and some former slaves lived near the house. The house is built of unpainted lumber and the medium pitch roof is covered by corrugated tin. The shed-like front porch is supported by six square wooden posts. The dark brown doors with six glass panes each lend entrance into the front hallway. The hallway is large and is constructed of pine lumber. The house is an excellent example of ante-bellum Southern architecture and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.⁵
     Thomas Hamilton ABNEY and Mary Ann Gosden appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1830 in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama. The household was listed as one male age 30-39 [Thomas]; one male age 5-9 [Alexander]; one male under 5 [Cinncinatus]; one female age 20-29 [Mary Ann]; two females age 10-14 [Mary Cecil, Frances]; one female age 5-9 [Aurelia]; and two females under 5 [Virginia, Amanda].⁶ He was listed in the Bibb (now Chilton) County tract books as a landholder near Old Maplesville in 1832; Section 12, Township 21, Range 23E.⁷
     Thomas Hamilton ABNEY and Mary Ann Gosden appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1840 in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama. The household was listed as one male age 40-49 [Thomas]; one male age 15-19 [Alexander]; one male age 10-14 [Cinncinatus]; one male age 5-9 [Henry]; three males under 5 [Sam, Zach, Thomas]; one female age 40-49 [Mary Anne]; one female age 20-29 [Mary Cecil]; one female age 15-19 [Aurelia]; two females age 10-14 [Virginia, Amanda]; and one female under 5 [???]. Living with them was one female age 60-69 [Mary Kennedy Abney]. They owned 13 slaves.⁸
     T. H. was listed in an 1848 Bibb County, District three, tax list. He had land in sections 4 and 13, township 21, range 12 and sections 21, 24, and 28 of township 22, range 12. The land was valued at $6,000. He was also taxed for over 20 head of cattle and three slaves under age 10 (Tom, Dan, Monroe), seven slaves 10-20 (Clara, Becky, Antonch, Vine, Charles, Dan, Peter), one slave 20-30 (Solaman), and five slaves 30-40 (Cath, Hayes, Bob, Sarah, Dolly).⁹
     Thomas married Eliza Ann Echols on 9 May 1850 in Selma, Dallas County, Alabama.^10,11
     Thomas Hamilton ABNEY and Eliza Ann Echols appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1850 in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama. The household was listed as Thos. H. Abney, age 56, farmer, born South Carolina; Eliza Ann, age 52, born North Carolina; Virginia, age 24, born Virginia; Amanda, age 20, born Alabama; Henry C., age 18, farmer; Zachariah and Sam'l (twins), age 15, farmers; Thos. C., age 12; Frances Woodruff, age 30, born Virginia; Mary Woodruff, age 10, born Mississippi; and Frances Woodruff, age 7, born Alabama. Thomas Hamilton Abney's real estate was valued at $7,000.¹⁰
     Thomas Hamilton ABNEY appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1860 in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama. The household was listed as Thos. H. Abney, age 65, born South Carolina; Virginia Abney, age 33, born Virginia; and Zachariah Abney, age 24, born Alabama.¹²
     Thomas Hamilton ABNEY appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1866 in Bibb County, Alabama. The household was listed as 1 male 20-30 [Thomas C.], 2 males 20-30 [Zach, Sam], 1 male 70-80 [T. H.], 2 females 20-30 [Virginia, Frances], and 1 female 40-50 [Eliza].¹³
     Thomas Hamilton ABNEY died on 17 January 1870 in Randolph, Bibb County, Alabama.¹⁴ He was buried in Abney Family Cemetery.