Scott County, Tennessee
FNB Chronicles

This page was created 06 September 2008

The Thomas Family of Scott County, Tennessee
(Compiled By Louise Carson)

(page 4)

Virginia; his wife, SARAH, age 38; KEZIA, age 18; JOHN, age 16; MARY, age 14; JOSEPH, age 10; ISAAC, age 6; and WILLIAM, age 4. In all probability STEPHEN is a brother of ABNER. (Ages and names are sometimes a little off in the early census records and the MARY mentioned above is the REBECCA listed in the children ABNER is made guardian of in the 1854 court records). The Campbell County marriage records show STEPHEN THOMAS married SARAH REED on July 5, 1843.

As mention before, the January 1853 Term of Court minutes show ABNER THOMAS was made the administrator of the Estate of STEPHEN THOMAS, and the March Term minutes for 1854 show ABNER THOMAS being made guardian for minor children of STEPHEN THOMAS, namely: JOHN THOMAS, JOSEPH THOMAS, REBECCA THOMAS, ISAAC THOMAS, and WILLIAM THOMAS. The 1860 census shows a woman named SARAH, age 48, with her son, WILLIAM, age 15, living in the house of ABNER along with his own family. This SARAH is listed as having fits; and evidently was not able to take care of her children (the children of STEPHEN THOMAS). This would explain the delay of more than a year from the death of STEPHEN until ABNER is made guardian of these children.

The 1860 census lists ABNER THOMAS with children at home: RUTHA, age 25; NANCY, age 22; MARTHA, age 17; and ABNER W., age 15. ABNER's son, WILLIAM, age 20, is shown as a carpenter, working for RICHARD SMITH. ABNER's sister, SARAH, is shown living with her daughter, REBECCA, age 16, in a house between the houses of her sons, CALVIN THOMAS, age 36, and family on one side, and on the other side is her son ISAAC, age 34, with his family.

Also shown in Scott County's 1860 census are: ABNER's son, JOHN, age 36, his wife, ELIZA, age 38, and their children: WILLIAM, age 14; MILLY, age 12; ROBIN, age 10; MARTIN, age 8; LOUISA, age 6; LEWIS, age 3; and HELEN, age two months.

The 1870 census does not show JOHN THOMAS (ABNER's son) and his family with the exception of his (JOHN's) son, WILLIAM, born in 1846, who is shown age 24, along with his wife, EMILY, age 24; ELIHU, age 4; and JOHN F., age 3. They are also shown in the 1880 census with five more children. In addition to ELIHU and JOHN F. are: SARAH, age 9; WILLIAM H., age 8; M.B., age 6; ROSEY LEE, age 4; and MARIETTA, age 2.50, apparently ABNER's son JOHN and his family, except for WILLIAM, emigrated soon after 1860 with son WILLIAM emigrating after 1880. The Terry research shows JOHN and family emigrating to Indiana.

ABNER's son WILLIAM (shown as age 9 in 1850; age 20 in 1860, and age 30 in the 1870 census), with his wife, ANNA AGEE, 42, and children: REBECCA, age 8, and WILLIAM M., age 7. Marriage records show WILLIAM THOMAS marrying ANNA HAMMOCK on November 30, 1860. In 1870 they are living next door to ABNER and REBECCA. The 1880 census shows WILLIAM, age 40, now a merchant, and wife, ANNA, age 52, and children: REBECCA, age 18, and WILLIAM, age 16, still living next door to ABNER and REBECCA, now both 80 years old.

The 1870 census shows ABNER and REBECCA, now 70 years old, with two girls still at home: NANCY, age 32, and MARTHA, age 26. (More about these two girls later). ABNER Jr., now 24, and his wife, SARAH, also 24, are living in a house next door to ABNER Sr. They do not show up in the 1880 census. It is thought that they went to Kentucky for awhile. The Terry research shows that ABNER's son, WYLIE, had two sons, ABNER III, and ANDY. In 1900 WILEY is shown living with his sister, JANE, and her husband, MILTON TERRY. CALDWELL TERRY says he remembers going to the funeral of WYLIE in 1920. He is buried at the Thomas Cemetery as is ABNER Sr., and many of the other members of the family.

ABNER THOMAS died in 1884. Terry research shows that his son, WILLIAM, emigrated to Dodd City, Arkansas. He probably left after the death of his father ABNER. We do not find when REBECCA died. It is possible that she went to Arkansas with WILLIAM. The 1890 census records are not available and WILLIAM's family do not show in Scott County in the 1900 census records.

The 1860 census shows ISAAC THOMAS, age 36, with wife, WINNEY, age 32, and children: CALVIN, age 12; EMILY, age

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