← The Thomas and Bridges Story, 1540–1840

Chapter VIII: Joseph Thomas family in Bertie County, N.C.

Joseph Thomas was survived by his wife and their eight children. Likely after he died, his widow, Alice (spelled Eales in the will) made her home with her eldest son Joseph Jr., and his wife Ann.

Apparently though, Alice (Spivey) Thomas had some means of her own as on November 13, 1738, she paid Littleton Spivey, probably her brother or nephew, 30 pounds for 220 acres of land on the north side of the Morratock (Roanoke) River adjoining James Bent (Blunt) and Thomas Busby, likely adjacent to the property that Joseph Thomas, Sr., had purchased from Henry Avery in May 1735. Witnesses to this transaction were George House, James Carter and Luke Thomas, third son of Alice and Joseph Thomas. It was recorded during Bertie County Court February 1739.

On December 29, 17401 Alice Thomas, widow, recorded “deed of gift 220 acres to my well beloved son, Luke,” the same tract of land she had purchased nearly two years before from Littleton Spivey. Witnesses were Henry Horn, William Carter, and her son, James Thomas, I.

There is no record of when Alice Thomas died. Apparently it was before the death of her son Joseph Jr., as she was not mentioned in his will.

CHILDREN OF JOSEPH THOMAS, SR., AND ALICE (SPIVEY) THOMAS

  1. Joseph Thomas, Jr. It is estimated that Joseph Jr., was about 27 years old when his father died. His wife’s name was Ann and they had the following children: Michael, married Ann; Josiah; Joseph III, Mary and Elizabeth.

    Joseph Thomas, Jr., died in 1758 and his will was probated in the April Court, Bertie County that same year. His estate was left to his wife, Ann; sons Michael, Josiah and Joseph; daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and his brother James Thomas. Executors were his widow Ann Thomas, Thomas Whitness and Arthur Williams.

    Joseph and Ann’s second son, Josiah, married Tabitha ____, who was born in 1777. They had the following children: Elizabeth, born March 9, 1799; James Sherrod Thomas, born March 4, 1801; Nancy, born April 28, 1803; Martha, born Sept. 29, 1805; Mary born May 20, 1808; Joseph John, born Aug. 30, 1810; and Matilda W., born April 10, 1813.2

  2. Michael Thomas. Second son of Joseph and Alice Thomas was about 25 years old when his father died in 1735. For several years he helped to till the 640 acres of land that he and his brothers Luke and James had inherited from their father. About 10 or 12 years after Joseph Thomas, Sr., died however, Michael patented 600 acres of land on Hog Creek and Rockfish River in Albemarle County, Virginia, and moved there to live.

    In the 1780’s Michael Thomas served Albemarle County as a magistrate and sheriff; two of his deputies were Menan Wills and Edward Moore. He married his second wife, Elizabeth Station (also spelled Staton) in 1792 and his son Ralph Thomas, and a grown grandson, John Carroll, went across the mountains to obtain a license for him. Children by the first marriage: Michael, died 1826; Joseph, Jesse, Ralph, Edward, James, and a daughter who married a Carroll.

    Michael Thomas lived until 1802 which would have made him approximately 92 years of age when he died.

  3. Luke Thomas. The “beloved son” to whom his mother, Alice Thomas, gave property in 1740, sold it later and moved to adjoining Edgecombe County and bought property there. Apparently he never married. He made his will June 28, 1751. It was probated August 23 that same year in Edgecombe County Court.3 He was about 49 years old at the time of his death.

    Luke named his brother, Jacob, executor, and left all his estate to Jacob and his sister Mary. Jacob was given the plantation, a Negro girl named Penny and his riding horse, named Spiser. Luke left his sister Mary a Negro girl named Phyllis, one young stallion named Blaze, a roan mare, two cows and calves, two yearlings, two pewter dishes and two pewter basins. The remainder of the estate, both “indoors and out,” he divided equally between Jacob and Mary. He bequeathed 10 pounds Virginia currency to a friend, Ezakiah Kiell.4

  4. Mary Thomas. It is presumed that Mary went to Edgecombe County with her brother, Luke. Records however do not indicate what happened to her.

  5. Jacob Thomas. He also joined his brother Luke in Edgecombe County and married there. He is listed in the 1790 census of that county as head of a family with a wife, three sons and three slaves.

6. and 7. There is no further trace of Jonas and Charity Thomas, Joseph Thomas Sr’s two youngest children. Probably both died young.

  1. James Thomas I James, the fourth son of Joseph and Alice Thomas was probably born in Nansemond County, Virginia about 1714. He moved to Chowan County, North Carolina, with his parents prior to 1728. He was about 21 years old when his father died in 1735. Likely he and his brothers, Luke and Michael, proceeded to till the 640 acre plantation they had inherited from their father.

    James Thomas I, married Sarah Barnes about 1741.5 The date is approximate as Bertie County marriage bonds for that period are missing.

    James Thomas I, and Sarah (Barnes) Thomas had the following children, all of whom were born in Bertie County, North Carolina:

    1. Ezekiel, married Sarah Holland, had four children.
    2. Luke, married Susanna Darden, had at least two sons.
    3. James II, born 1762, married Mary Standley, had seven children.
    4. Selah, married Charles Dement, had 10 children.
    5. Laodicea, married Benjamin Sholar, had two children.
    6. Sarah, married (1) Benjamin Edwards. (2) James Foreman, had at least one child. (3) Andrew Greer, had 12 children.
    7. Lydia, married James Lawrence, had seven children.

    On November 15, 1751, James Thomas I, paid John Crickett Jr., 25 pounds current money of Virginia for 270 acres of land on the north side of the Cashie River “. . .at the point of a large izland adjoining Pritchard’s line.” Witnesses were John Barnes Jr., and Joseph Wright.6 This was recorded during Bertie County Court February 1752. Samuel Ormes was the clerk. On the same date, John Barnes paid John Crickett 25 pounds for 200 acres on the north side of Buck Swamp at Rodes Corner tree. John Barnes Sr. and James Thomas I were witnesses.7

    Probably James Thomas I, bought this land when or shortly after he and Sarah Barnes were married.

    In 1763 James Thomas I bought 10 acres of land for two pounds, six shillings and eight pence, from Jesse Roundtree,8 and on March 8, 1768, James and Sarah sold four acres of land to George Spivey, a relative of James’ mother, for four pounds, two shillings and six pence.9 Witnesses were John Barnes, Jr., James Spivey and Joshua Spivey.

    CASHIE RIVER, Bertie County, North Carolina, as it looks today from the north bank near where James Thomas, II, lived prior to leaving for Kentucky in 1806. Joseph Thomas, James’ grandfather, owned property on the south side of the river. Originally called Cashie Swamp, the stream is navigable from it s confluence with Albermarle Sound to Windsor, about five miles upstream.

    On September 20, 1774, James Thomas I, for the sum of 35 pounds, sold “to my two sons Ezekiell and Luke Thomas” 80 acres of land on the north side of Cashie Swamp “being part of the tract I live on” and adjoining the property of Henry Barnes. Witnesses were David Outlaw, William Harrison and Herbert Pritchard.10

    In the fall of 1780 James Thomas, I, died at his plantation on the Cashie River and was buried in a family burying ground nearby. There is no record today as to the location of the family burying ground. According to information at Tarboro, North Carolina, very few grave markers dating earlier than 1840 have been found in North Carolina. This is mainly because marble markers in those days had to be purchased in England and shipped to Virginia, a very costly procedure, consequently few families could afford the expense. Then too, there were very few stones in the area large enough to use as markers, so wood was used. Unfortunately, the wood markers decayed and disappeared within a few years, thus most early graves lie unmarked and are generally lost to today’s researchers.

    James Thomas’ will, dated October 22, 1780, was probated in the November 1780 term of Bertie County court.11 The following is copied from the original:

    “In the name of God amen, I James Thomas of Bertie County of the state of North Carolina, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God, calling unto mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament; that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend to the earth, to be buried in a decent Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the land again, by the mighty power of God and as tithing such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, divide, and dispose of the same in the following manner and form to wit —

    Item — First of all I leave unto my beloved wife Sarah Thomas, during her life or widowhood one-third part of my land and plantation where I live, one featherbed and furniture that belongs to it, one mare, bridle, saddle, one spinning wheel, one iron pot and hook, and two pewter plates and pewter dish, one pewter basin, one cow and calf . . .

    Item — I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Ezekiel Thomas one featherbed and what belongs to it, one pewter dish and two pewter plates, one nohorned heffer to him and his heirs forever. . .

    Item — I give and bequeath unto my son Luke Thomas five shillings sterling to him and his heirs forever. . .

    Item — I give and bequeath to my loving son James Thomas all my land and plantation after his mother’s death and two parts of the land from the time that the will is proved, one featherbed and what belongs to it, one horse, bridle and saddle to him and his heirs forever except my son James Thomas should die without heirs the land to be equally divided between my two eldest sons Ezekiel Thomas and Luke Thomas. . .

    Item — I give and bequeath unto my beloved daughter Selah Dement wife of Charles Dement, one small chest, one eau and lamb to her and her heirs forever. . .

    Item — I give and bequeath unto my loving daughter Luridill12 Thomas, one featherbed and what belongs to it, one spinning wheel, one pewter dish and two pewter plates, one cow and calf, one eau and lamb, one chist to her and her heirs forever. . .

    Item—I give and bequeath unto my loving daughter Lidda Thomas the featherbed I lent to my loving wife to her and her heirs forever.. .

    All the remainder part of my estate of what nature or kind soever I leave between my son James and Liddy Thomas at my son James coming of age of 21 years, and the said Lidday’s part to be continued in the hands of the said James Thomas during the discretion of the executors hereafter nominated or arrives at the age of eighteen years or majority . .. But in case that ither of the said James Thomas or Liddy Thomas should dye without lawful heirs then my will and desire is that his or her part of the devisant be and remain to the same James and Liddy Thomas to them and their heirs forever. . . Lastly I nominate, constitute and ordain David Outlaw and my son Ezekiel Thomas my whole and sole executors of this last will and testament to see the same complied with. I do hereby utterly disallow and revoke all other wills and testament by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness where the said James Thomas I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22 day of October in the year of our Lord Christ, one thousand seven hundred and eighty. (Seal).

    “Signed, sealed, published, commended and delivered by the same James Thomas as his last will and testament in the presence of us; Abner Eason, Joseph Eason, Mary Pitchard (Pritchard). Bertie County, November term, 1780. Proved in due form of law in open court by the oath of Abner Eason, Esq., and Joseph Eason, two of the surviving witnesses and ordered to be recorded. Test. Stevens Grayble.”

  1. Bertie County deed book F, page 450.↩︎

  2. “Old Albemarle.” Ray, p-626. A descendant says this is in error.↩︎

  3. Secretary of State, North Carolina Wills, 1663-1789, Vol. XXXI, page 59.↩︎

  4. Ibid.↩︎

  5. Sarah Barnes was the daughter of John Barnes, Sr., and his wife Katherine who lived on a plantation in Bertie County adjoining that of James Thomas. Her father made his will August 13, 1773, and named the following children: John, Jr; Solomon, Zelpha. Hannah and Henry; grandson Isaac Jenkins. It Sarah, Lucy (Haze); Is recorded in Bertie County will book B, page 120. One of the first of the Barnes family in America was Henry Barnes, ancestor of John Sr., who, on September 17, 1639, was listed among headrights in patent of land by Robert Eley in Isle of Wight County, Va. —Nugent, page 114.↩︎

  6. Bertie County deed book G, page 425.↩︎

  7. Ibid, book F, page 426.↩︎

  8. Ibid, book k, page 370.↩︎

  9. Ibid, book K, page 173.↩︎

  10. Ibid, book M, page 190.↩︎

  11. State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina, County Wills, Vol. VIII, page 5.↩︎

  12. I have examined the original of this will and it is my opinion that Luridill Thomas mentioned in the 6th item of this will is Laodicea, daughter of James Thomas II, who married Benjamin Sholar.↩︎