The Jones-Johnson Farm features the renovated 1790’s log-built Etheldred Jones House that stands just behind this grand Greek-Revival-turned-Neo-Classical William Wesley Johnson House.

As has been covered in earlier posts, Asa Thomas is recorded as receivig a grant for land.

Living nearby to Etheldred Jones were the families of Joseph, Nathan and Jonathan Thomas. Etheldred Jones is connected to each of these men per various county records. And like Asa Thomas, Jonathan Thomas never received a grant for land in Wake County. Asa was, however, a chain carrier for grants to Nathan Thomas. And later, in 1793, both Asa and Nathan were buyers in the estate of Jonathan Thomas. Per 1800 census we know Asa was at that time living in Anson County NC. His whereabouts are uncertain after that point. And in 1804, the division of Jonathan Thomas’ land names sons Elijah, Elisha, Merrill, and Richard. It’s my belief all these Thomas are kin and that Asa, Nathan, and Jonathan just may be brothers or close cousins. I also believe they relate to Elisha Thomas from Bertie to Johnston County NC. And somehow yet unknown, they relate to Joseph Thomas who eventually died in neighboring Chatham County. We need to find a sampling of descendants from Nathan and Jonathan to see if a connection o Joseph can be verified through DNA.

Jonathan’s son Merrill Thomas can be found living in 1820 Clark County GA near Samuel Braswell who just after 1800 donated land in that county to Freeman’s Creek Baptist Church. There’s a marker at this church for famous Baptist missionary Lottie Moon who died of starvation on a flight back from China. Today the Lottie Moon Christmas offering is celebrated in Baptist churches throughout the south. And I wonder, even though family history indicates she was born in Virginia to a prominent family, could Lottie have ancestry back to Moon’s Chapel Baptist Church in Chatham County?

1850 census – Clarke County GA

Back to the story, …there’s a clear path for the above Samuel Braswell from Chatham County NC through Hancock County GA and on to Clarke County GA. Also of interest, William and James Hales of North Carolina lived near Merrill Thomas in Clarke County. What makes this interesting you ask? …Cynthia, the daughter of Elisha and Lucy Massey Thomas of Johnston County NC married John Hales. Cynthia lived out her life in Johnston County.

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It seems to go quiet for the Thomas family in Wake County until when in 1854 a 67 year old David Thomas applied for a Revolutionary War petition based on his father’s, Asa Thomas’ service. David doesn’t name his children in the request and in 1850 he and wife Penny (born South Carolina) are enumerated with no children. Per Wake County marriage records, David Thomas married Penny Jones on 17 Nov 1815.

At this point a huge gratitude goes out to Frances Cullom Morgan whose vast knowledge on the Jones family has been of great help. In 1830, David Thomas is enumerated as having two sons 15-19 years of age. Frances pointed out that in Richard Jones’ 1834 last will and testament, Richard of southern Wake County bequeathed “To my son Richard Jones the tract of land where on David Thomas now lives.” And according to Frances, the only line of this Jones family in South Carolina at the time of Penny Jones’ birth was Richard’s brother Nathaniel who had removed from Wake to Kershaw County SC. It is likely that Penny was born to Nathaniel’s first wife and after her death, returned with a sister to live with family in Wake County.

The story takes on new meaning as we identify likely sons of David and Penny Jones Thomas. We know the couple was aging and without children in 1850 and they do not appear in the 1840 census. Instead, in 1840, the only two Thomas families listed in southern Wake county are Etheldred and Kinchen Thomas. Let’s take a closer look.

Etheldred Thomas

Born ca. 1815, and as listed in the Raleigh Register, Etheldred Thomas married 14 Nov 1839 Martha King. In 1840, Etheldred is listed in census while his father and mother were not. From the ages, it appears David and Penny were living at that time in the home of their son Etheldred Thomas. On 28 Jul 1852, “Etheldred Thomas otherwise known as Etheldred Jones” sold 124 acres on the little creek, a tributary of White Oak Creek. Adjoining Utley, Turner, Seagraves and Hunter; the land on Fish Dam road was sold to Archilbald Leslie (deed 19-415, Wake NC). This deed is huge! It indicates Etheldred was changing his surname to Jones possibly due to being illegitimate  or maybe in honor of the man who housed and trained his grandfather Asa. Further linking the stories of Etheldred and David Thomas, in 1812, James Jones was appointed overseer of the road leading from Fish Dam Ford to Fayetteville from Richard Jones to the county line. David Thomas was listed among others ordered to work on the road.

This next bit of information I’d like not to tell. Though being hurtful, it happened and is true. Of all that’s good with this country, slavery is unforgivable and an abomination of God’s loving plan:

SAM T STEWART, EX-SLAVE.
“The speculators bought up Negroes as a drover would buy up mules. They would get them together by ‘Negro drivers’, as the white men employed by the speculators were called. Their names were Jim Harris of Raleigh, and yes, Dred Thomas, who lived near Holly Springs in Wake County. Wagon trains carried the rations on the trip to Mississippi. The drivers would not start until they had a large drove. Then the slaves were fastened together with chains. The chain was run between them, when they had been lined up like soldiers in double file. A small chain was attached to a Negro on the left and one to the Negro on the right and fastened to the main chain in the center.”

Sam T. Young’s complete story can be found in the slave narratives. I’ll not go much further on Etheldred other than to say he served in the civil war and was enumerated in 1900 as living in the Wake County soldier’s home.
Henderson Thomas

Born ca. 1815,  Henderson Thomas married Martha Norris on 17 May 1847. Martha is the daughter of Needham Norris and Patience Pearson. In the 1850 census, Henderson Thomas (millwright) and family are enumerated next to Needham Norris. On the same page is a person named Kinchen Thomas (more on Kinchen later). In April of 1851, two tracts purchased by Henderson Thomas were recorded in court. First tract (deed 19-11, Wake NC) from Gaston Jones was situated on Carries Creek adjoining S. P. Harris. The second tract from John Watson was for 44 acres on the north side of Buckhorn Creek. In 1852, Henderson Thomas sold 33 ½ acres on Fish Dam Road “near the Holly Spring Meeting House” Henderson sold the land to Andrew K. Clements, James Rogers and Andrew W. Betts; Masters and Wardens of Holly Spring Lodge # 115. The land was likely purchased as a site to build an academy for the town of Holly Springs.

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At the close of the civil war, in 1865, Henderson sold to Richard Jones, land on the Avent Ferry road adjoining lands of Penny, Burt, A. leslie, T.C and the crossroad at Joseph Norris’ (deed 28-635, Wake NC). This is the same Richard Jones upon whose  land Henderson Thomas’ possible father David Thomas once lived! Note that on the present day map of Holly Springs, the Avent Ferry Road runs two blocks over from the masonic lodge.

In 1870 Henderson Thomas and family are enumerated as follows in the Buck Horn Township of Wake County:

An 1871 map of Wake County shows Thomas Mill just south of Holly Springs on waters of Buckhorn Creek:

In the 1870’s, Henderson Thomas and wife Martha (now of Moore County) sold their lands to several African American men named Norris and to William Ballentine and William Johnson.  Henderson apparently moved to Moore County where we know Martha died 5 Apr 1882. According to the book Buffalo Creek Chronicles by Kathy Brooks Jones, Martha Norris Thomas is interred at Poplar Branch Methodist Church cemetery in old  Jonesboro.

Kinchen Henry Thomas

Born ca. 1823, Kinchen Thomas married 15 Nov 1847 Sarah Weeks in Cumberland County NC.   The bondsman was Kimbrel Jones, a grandson of Jesse Jones of southern Wake County. Note that Kimbrel married Rebecca Matthews who I believe ties back into the family of Asa Thomas’s wife, Pleasant Matthews. In 1850, Kinchen, wife Sarah, and a newly born daughter are enumerated in Wake County on the same page as Henderson Thomas. Dated 19 Mar 1851, Kinchen Thomas sold 52 acres (deed 19-399, Wake NC) to Archibald Leslie. The land was situated on Rocky Branch, a tributary of Middle Creek near present day Sunset Lake. It joined the lands of Shadrack Barker and B. Holland and the deed was witnessed by Hill Richardson and Young Booker. Note that Young Booker witnessed David Thomas’ Revolutionary War pension request on behalf of Asa Thomas’ service. Also, note that Kinchen, Henderson and Etheldred all had land dealings with Archibald Leslie. Archibald was a store owner and leader in the growing community of Holly Springs.

Kinchen Thomas and family removed to Campbell County GA in the mid-1850’s. Buried at Powder Springs Methodist Church Cemetery in Cobb County, the story of Kinchen Henry Thomas is further told through a well written Find-a-Grave site. Noting that Henderson Thomas sold his land to the Holly Spring Masonic Lodge, I find it interesting to see the emblem atop Kinchen’s burial monument.

The 1790 Wake County census enumerates Hillery Thomas as not white, and not slave, but as two “others.”  He is enumerated right in the middle of our THOMAS family and also near Etheldred Jones.  Hillery may have been Native American, but could have been a mix or free black:

Etheldred Jones        1-4-0-0-5

Frederick Davidson   1-0-0-0-0

Henry Wheeler          1-2-2-0-0

Hardy Johnson           1-0-1-0-0

Hardy Lilley                1-3-4-0-0

Hillery Thomas          0-0-0-2-0

James Moss                2-1-3-0-0

Jefre Lewis                  2-5-2-0-0

John Strickland Sr      1-1-5-0-0

Jonathon Thomas      1-2-2-0-0

John Stinson               1-2-3-0-0

Looking at the southern portion of the Markham map of Wake County land grants (at the top of the page), you’ll see in blue what appears to be the lands of Hillard Thomas.  Not dated, this has always puzzled me because there’s no land grant, deed, or court record in Wake County for the name Hillard, Dillard or Hillery Thomas!  ….hmmm, Hilliard?  Wasn’t there a Mourning Pope who married William Hilliard before marrying a Joseph Thomas?  Could Hillery be an emancipated slave ….or other?

In Franklin County to the north of Wake, the 1810 census enumerates Lettice Thomas as head of household for four others. Some suggest Lettice is the widow of Hillery Thomas of Wake and that Hillery’s offspring are shown in the 1810 Franklin County census.

I would normally brush this off, but then there’s the last will and testament of Redmon Matthews (previous post) that names Micajah Thomas and is witnessed by Nathan (L) Thomas. Redmon names his brother David and his mother Lettice! What’s more, the will is also witnessed by Valentine Austin. Valentine was Hiwassee Saponi and was also identified as Melungeon (see family page) in numerous records. Valentine purchased land on Neill’s Creek (identified in red above)  from William Love.

Cool stuff, huh?  Well it’s just starting to get good, so hold on! Note that in Wake County there is an Asa Thomas who never owns land, but who’s clearly identified in many records.  Asa was listed on court ordered road work and was a chain bearer for several grants issued to none other than Nathan Thomas.  Normally chain bearers were family or someone close who walked with the surveyor and who could testify in the event of land disputes.

Asa Thomas married Pleasant Matthews, the daughter of Joseph and Ann Mathews as named in Joseph’s last will and testament dated January 1791. Joseph lived just south of Wake County on Neill’s Creek.

On 15 May 1854, David Thomas of Wake County applied for a Revolutionary War Pension on behalf of the services of his father Asa Thomas. Himself being 73 years of age, David Thomas named both his mother Pleasant Matthews Thomas and his only other surviving sibling named Charity, wife of Alsey Matthews of Cumberland County.  David Thomas stated that he had “been informed and verily believes that his farther [sic, father] the said Asa Thomas served as a Continental soldier in the Revolutionary war, a period of two years and upwards, that he entered the service of the United States from Wake County in the State aforesaid, that after the conclusion of said war he removed to Anson County in the State aforesaid where he died about five1 [?] years ago, the exact date not recollected by said declarant.” Asa Thomas appears in the 1810 Anson County census as:

And, in the 1850 census, David Thomas is enumerated in southern Wake County as:

This story should rightfully end at this point if it were not for an inquiry years ago about information I might have on a person named Hezekiah Bryant. Hezekiah Bryan (Bryant) lived in North Carolina, served in the revolutionary war and then removed to Tennessee. There, in Marshall County, Hezekiah Bryan applied for a Pension for Services in the Revolutionary War. Hezekiah’s pension request is rich in information including the fact he had lived in the home of Etheldred Jones where he learned the trade of blacksmithing!   And, even more interesting, the pension clearly connects to Asa Thomas of Wake:

As a private in company commanded by Colonel Coulston (Goldston), his unit was raised soon after Gates was defeated at Camden. He went first as a substitute for Asa Thomas who had been drafted. He was received into service on Deep River on which river the Corps to which he belonged was raised. He served under commander Goldston for three months. During the period he frequently was engaged in scouting parties in pursuit if Tories which were in the neighborhood of American Soldiers. And when his duty had expired, he received discharge from his commanding officer for a tour of duty not less than six months. Hezikiah could not state the precise dates as he gave the papers to Asa Thomas.

He served second in place of Frank Jones as a twelve month man in a unit raised in Wake County. The unit was commanded by Capt. Dixon and Lieutenant Dickson, as commanded by a Col. Dickson under General Greene. He entered service as private at Granville Court House in Jun 1782. The unit marched through Hillsboro, Guilford and Rowan counties before going to the hills of Santee in South Carolina. He remained there about two months and then marched to Fort Thompson where he met up with the American Army while in pursuit of the British before the battle of Eutaw. Though under the command of Green, he was not immediately engaged as he served in the rear guards. Hezekiah marched back to the Hills of Santee. Recrossing the Santee, he passed the Edisto River to a place called Round-O and then to a place called Pow-Pow and soon after to Bacon Bridge on Ashley River above Charleston. They marched back to Camden and then to Charlotte, North Carolina. From there he marched through Salisbury and the Guilford Courthouse where his twelve months of service expired.

Following the war, Hezekiah Bryant lived in Mecklenburg County about 25 miles from Charlotte. He married Mary Powell about the year 1786 at the house of John Furr. Later Mary applied for a widow’s pension on 12 Apr 1850 stating “she was married on the 24th day of September, in the year seventeen hundred and eighty five or six, that she was married to the said Hezekiah Bryan at the house of her father John Powell…” She stated that the meeting house was located near the home of her father. After publication of bonds according to law at Haynes Meeting House, they were married by a Rev. Mr. Neussman, a Baptist Clergyman.

As it turns out Rev. Adolphus Nussman was the first Lutheran missionary and minister in the state of North Carolina.  And, from the journal of Rev. David Henkel, it’s known that he too preached at Haynes Meeting House.  David Henkel is responsible for the split of the North Carolina synod and formation of the Tennessee synod.

For me, this is seriously intensely remarkable. While walking lands in support of a personal mapping project in southern Cabarrus County, I stumbled upon an ancient cemetery  that folks related as being of little worth. Described in deeds as located on “Meeting House Branch nigh the Baptist Church,” it turns out that the old abandoned cemetery is the site of Haynes Meeting House.  And, it sat amongst land grants issued to those who had earlier removed from Wake County NC.

 (see #7 on the plat map below and then learn more
about the land from the link to legal descriptions).

Legal Descriptions

One last observation.  Hezekiah Bryant bought land from Bonner Bird just north and west of present day Bethel UMC in Cabarrus.  Bonner Bird eventually moved to Burke County NC.  But, prior to living in Cabarrus, Bonner was enumerated in the 1790 Wake County census.

In this post I’ve covered what I know of other THOMAS families who once lived in southern Wake County. But there’s more, and it’s time to put this post to sleep.  Stay tuned for more on Asa, Nathan and another Thomas family from Wake County NC.