Before moving forward, let’s take a bit of time to place locations previously mentioned:

A. John Thomas’ 1649 patent – Located on the north side of Queen’s Creek. This patent names “wife Dorothy.”

B. Ware Creek – About 15 miles up-river being the location of John Broach’s Patent with headright for Anthony Parkhurst. John Broach would soon sell land on Queen’s Creek to said Parkhurst from whom it passed to John Thomas per 1649 patent. Also, just a year before John Thomas’ patent on Queens Creek, William Hoccaday patented land on Ware Creek with headright for John Thomas.

C. Skimino Creek – Location of dissenting Quaker activity, second stop (after with Edward Thomas) of Quaker Thomas Story, and place where “John Thomas of Queen’s Creek purchased a horse.

D. Poropotank Creek – Not yet mentioned, and as will soon become perfectly clear, John Thomas of Queen’s Creek received a land patent in on this creek. Situated on the north side and about three miles upstream from its mouth on the York River, the land was in then Gloucester County on the county line in what became King and Queen County Virginia in the 1650’s. Note there are very few records surviving for early Gloucester and King And Queen County. John Thomas must have had a keen business sense with the ability to make it as one of Virginia’s early farmers. He hedged his options through the diversification of land holdings. We traditionally see him as cloistered on the banks of Queen’s Creek. That’s not so.

The following are but a few records I found for John Thomas and his land on Poropotank:

JOHN THOMAS, 450 acs. Gloster Co., 6 Nov. 1651, p. 343. Upon W. N. W. side of Poropotank Cr., about 3 mi. up the same, along the Cr. Side opposite to land of Mr. Nicho. Jernew. Trans, of 9 pers: Edward Hide, Kath. Thomas, James Thomas, John Richards, George Locke, Wm. Peale, Abigale Longdale, John Brocas, Grace Musgrove.

JOHN LEVISTONE, 400 acs. Gloster Co., 16 Dec. 1653, p. 227. On the W. side of Poropotank Cr., behind land of John Thomas, etc. Trans, of 8 pers: Anne Silke, Jno. Backster, Barbery Scott, Ralph Bottock, James Joane, Rose Allen, Wm. Lamb.

RICHARD WILCHIN, 300 acs. Gloster Co., 30 Sept. 1654, p. 289. On N. E. side of Poropotank Cr., adj. land of John Thomas &c, to a Cr. dividing this & land of Mr. Canho & Mr. Vaus. 200 acs. by vertue of the rights of a bill of sale for so much from Mrs. Eliz. Vaus, the Atty. of Robt. Vaus, & confirmed by Mr. Hump. Vaus & Mr. Joseph Croshaw; & 100 acs. for trans, of 2 pers: Richard Wilchin & his wife Rachell.

JOHN LEVISTON, 453 acs. New Kent Co., 30 Aug. 1664, p. 348, (363). N.W. side of Poropotanke Cr., adj. John Thomas’ land, running S.W. by S. &c. to Timothy Landells land, thence W. by N. &c. 400 acs. ranted him the 16 Dec. 1653 & 53 acs. for trans, of 2 pers: Joane Browne, Henry Pratt.

JOHN LEVISTON, 453 acs. New Kent Co., 30 Aug. 1664, p. 348, (363). N.W. side of Poropotanke Cr., adj. John Thomas’ land, running S.W. by S. &c. to Timothy Landells land, thence W. by N. &c. 400 acs. ranted him the 16 Dec. 1653 & 53 acs. for trans, of 2 pers: Joane Browne, Henry Pratt.

Note that neighbors from Queen’s Creek such as Joseph Croshaw and Nicholas Jernew owned land near John Thomas on Poropotank. And most interesting is the 450 acre patent by John Thomas. Just two years after patenting land on Queen’s Creek, and maybe being just three years after a John Thomas came to the area by headright for William Hockaday, now John Thomas is himself transporting nine persons to America. Among them are persons named Katherine Thomas and James Thomas. Who are they? How do they play into our story?

Sorry for the sidebar but this is much needed before moving on. And now, as prior said, let’s look at information gleaned from the death of John Thomas and let’s start to view him from what we’ve learned of the family thereafter.