Joseph Thomas Thomas
From MouserAncestry
| Date | Location | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 19 June 1822 | Davidson Co.,NC | [1][2][3][13] | |
| Marriage | 8 Jan 1837 | Guilford, NC | To Cynthia I. Burton | [5][6][8][13] |
| Marriage | 1871 | To Catherine E. [unknown] | [7][12] | |
| Death | 14May 1897 | Fort Mill, York Co., SC | [10][12][13] | |
| Burial | May 1897 | Thomas Family Cemetery,York Co., SC (Rt 98 off Rt160) | [12][13] |
Ancestry chart segment
Generation 4 Generation 5 Generation 6
+-- Nicholas Thomas
| (????-????)
+-- Joseph Thomas Thomas --+
| (1822-1897) |
Andrew Lindsey Thomas --+ +-- Mary Morris
(1847-1905) | (????-????)
+-- Cynthia I. Burton
(~1817-1870)
[1][2][3][4][5][6][13]
Children
(children presumably with Cynthia I. Burton)
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Spouse | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisa Jane Thomas | F | 16 Nov 1840 | Davidson Co., NC | Sylvester Caton (1828-1864), possibly John Sylvester Caton (see Conjecture, below) | Louisa died 19 Jan. 1892. 3 children(1870 census): John b. ca. 1862; Edward b. ca. 1863; Thomas b. ca. 1865 |
[4][5A][10] |
| Lois Ann Thomas | F | 1841 | York Co,. SC | died Nov 1859, age 16 | [4][9] | |
| Andrew Lindsey Thomas | M | 3 Mar 1847 | Fort Mill area,York Co., SC | Nancy Rebecca Ashley | Main line | [4][5][10] |
| Elizabeth J.Thomas | F | 1851 | York Co., SC | not in will of 1897 | [4][5][6] | |
| Unknown Thomas child? | ? | 23 Aug 1853 | York Co., SC | died 1855 | [12][13] |
Places of Residence
| Location | Dates | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson Co, NC | by 1840 | [1][2][3][13] | |
| Fort Mill area, York Co., SC | by 1843 | [4][6][13] |
Photos
Both Sylvester and Elijah Caton died in the Civil War and were buried elsewhere; their stones at Tega Cay are memorials, but do not mark their graves.
Sources
| Ref. Num. | Description | Image of original |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1820 United States Federal Census, Salisbury, Rowan Co. NC pg 17. Family of Nicholas Thomas: 2 males <10, 1 male 16-25, 3 females <10, 1 female 26-44. Adjacent lines have Alexander Thomas and Jeremiah Thomas. (See conjecture section) |  |
| 2 | 1830 United States Federal Census, Davidson Co. NC pg 95. Family of Nicholas Thomas: 2 males 0-5, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 30-40, 1 female 5-10, 1 female 10-15, 2 females 15-20, 1 female 40-50. |  |
| 3 | Source: 1840 United States Federal Census Davidson Co, NC pg 131. Family of Joseph Thomas: 1 male <5, 1 male 15-20, 1 female <5, 1 female 20-30. This matches the dates for Joseph Thomas Thomas and his wife. The children are close, except for the son <5. The place is correct. Close by is the family of George Pope who married several of Joseph Thomas Thomas 's sisters. |  |
| 4 | 1850 United States Federal Census, York Co., SC, Dwelling 185; lists Joseph Thomas, 31,M, born in NC;Cynthia, 33,F, born in NC. They live with four children: Louisa Thomas, 11 years; Lois Ann Thomas, 9 years, born "York District"; Andrew L. Thomas,4 years, born York District; Elizabeth J. Thomas, 3 years, born York District. Louisa attended school during the year. The census is dated 12 Aug 1850. |  |
| 4A | 1850 United States Federal Census, York Co., SC. ancestry.com pg. 25. Date of census 15-16 Aug, 1850. Lines 12-15: John H. Caton age 58, farmer, $1080 real estate, born York Dist.; Sarah L. age 49, b. York Dist.; Sylvester age 21, laborer, b. York D.; Elijah age 14, b. York Dist. |
|
| 5 | 1860 United States Federal Census,
(from photocopy, no location information, Dwelling/Family # 403); lists Joseph Thomas, 41 years, Overseer; Cynthia Thomas, 42 years; Andrew L. Thomas, 12 years; Elizabeth Thomas, 10 years. The cesus is dated 16 July 1860. |
 |
| 5A | 1860 United States Federal Census, P.O. Fort Mill, York Co. SC, p. 79. Date of census 31 July 1860. Lines 14-15: Sylvanus Caton age 32, Harness maker, birthplace YD (York district) SC, Personal estate $135. Louisa J. Caton age 20, domestic, birthplace NC. |
|
| 5B | 1860 United States Federal Census,Rock Hill, York Co. SC, p.38. Date of census 11 July 1860. Lines 18-19: Sarah Caton age 60, real estate $600, personal estate $300, born YD(York district) SC. Elijah Caton age 24, farmer, b. YD (York district) SC. |
|
| 6 | 1870 United States Federal Census, Fort Mill, York Co, SC page 36. Date of census 14 Sept., 1870(Data extracted); Joseph Thomas, age 60, white male, farmer, real estate value 620, Personal property value 380, born NC; Sintha Thomas, age 50, white female, born NC; Elizabeth Thomas, age 19, white female, born SC, can't read or write, (poorly legible, possibly marked as legible to vote). Living with the Thomas family are: Lewise Caten (sic), white female age 30, value personal property $100, born SC; John Caten(sic), white male age 8, born SC; Edwrd Caten(sic), white male age 7, born SC; Thos. Caten(sic), white male age 5, born SC. |  |
| 7 | 1880 United States Federal Census, District 169, Fort Mill, York Co, SC, page 56. Census dated 15 June 1880. Lines 8-10: Thomas Thomason(sic)), 58, farmer; Catherine, 38, wife, keeping house; Lenore Katon (sic), 8, Niece. All born NC. The last name is unclear; appears to have been written "Thomason" and then the letters "on" crossed out. The names & location are otherwise a match to previous records/knowledge. |  |
| 8 | Source: All North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 Results
North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 Groom: Joseph Thomas Bride: Sinhey Burton (sic) Bond_Date: 08 Jan 1837 Bond #: 000060345 Level Info: North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 ImageNum: 001192 County: Guilford Record #: 03 446 Bondsman: William Roberts Witness: M. Mendenhall |
|
| 9 | Yorkville Enquirer, issue of November 10, 1859: "Died in this District, on the 3d instant, Lois Ann, daughter of Joseph and Mary Thomas, in the 16th year of her age." See source note below. |
|
| 10 | Will of Joseph Thomas' names wife Catheron E. Thomas, son Andrew L. Thomas, daughter Laurer J. Caton, grandsons Edward Caton and Thomas Caton. A 100 acre estate with a gold mine on it borders lands of J. M (Ardrey) and (Canton), and (Thonens) Ferry Road. Signed 27 May 1889. Witnesses T. G. Culp and W. H. Kizer.
Probated 21 Sept 1897, signed by T. G. Culp. Heirs agreement to divide property, 10 Dec. 1897, signed by C. E. Thomas, A. L. Thomas, E. C. Caton, T. L. Caton, and R. D. McKees. |
(Will transcription) |
| 11 | News article re. Thomas family cemetery - News article from unknown newspaper, marked "10-6-78", by Bob Glendy, News Staff Writer. At the time of writing, cemetery was over 100 years old, but out of use for over 50 years, per Gladys Thomas, great granddaughter of Joseph Thomas, and her cousin Otis Blankenship, 78. Cemetery property, near Tega Cay horse stables,is owned by Leroy McCall who bought it from Gladys Thomas' mother, and leases it to Tega Cay. Family farm stretched from the present property across the state line into North Carolina. Graves include those of Joseph Thomas, Zeb Caton, other Thomas, Caton, and Wilson relatives. Mack King of Charlotte requested cemetery be fenced off. |  |
| 12 | Gravestone transcriptions, Thomas family cemetery, Tega Cay, York Co., SC, June 2007 by Elizabeth Wilson Williams. Cemetery coordinates N 35, 03.234' W81, 00.412'. This small cemetery lies near the corner of Rt. 160 and Gold Hill Rd. in Tega Cay. It appears to hold 8 or 9 graves. In June 2007 there are 5 complete stones, 2 broken stones, a field stone & flag apparently marking a grave, and another smaller field stone. The use of flags was unusual: American flags marked the graves of Louisa Thomas Caton, Cynthia Burton Thomas, and the larger field stone; Cynthia Burton Thomas' stone also bore a Confederate flag. The two military stones of the Catons did not have flags. Per Murphy Whisnant, these stones are memorials to Elijah and Sylvester Caton, who died in the Civil War and were buried elsewhere. Row 1,L to R (east to west): *(name illegible, partially missing), "Died Oct 25, 1855 aged 2 yrs 2 mos 2 da" *"Joseph Thomas born June 19, 1822, died May 14, 1897. If a man dies shall he live again." *"Synthia Thomas died Oct 22, 1870 Aged 53 yrs" *"Pvt Sylvester Caton, Co. B, 53 NC REGT CSA 1828 1864" *"Louiser J. wife of Sylvester Caton, Nov 16, 1840 - Jan 19, 1892. Gone but not Forgotten" *"Carrie S. Daughter of Mr & Mrs E. G. Caton Oct 1, 1886 - Aug 20, 1904" Below the first row were the two field stones and: *"Pvt Elijah Caton, CO B 53 NC REGT, CSA, 1836-1865" |
|
| 13 | Research of Murphy & Robbie King Whisnant, correspondence & interviews of Murphy Whisnant by E. W. Williams, 1990-ongoing. | |
| 14 | Visit to the home sites of Joseph Thomas & Andrew L. Thomas families, the Tega Cay Cemetery and Flint Hill Cemetery by Murphy Whisnant, Nancy Williams Durham, E. Brady Williams, Jr. and Elizabeth Wilson Williams, June 2007. The house & farm of Joseph Thomas Thomas was located at the present day corner of Rt. 160 & Gold Hill Rd. Presently, all corners of this intersection are commercially developed. Cotton fields lay west of Rt. 160. |
Source notes
- The death notice from the Yorkville Enquirer for Lois Ann Thomas, daughter of Joseph Thomas, names the mother as Mary. This could be misprint, or Mary could be a later wife, and Lois Ann's stepmother. It introduces some uncertainty about the identity of the wife of our Joseph Thomas. If he had several wives, there is uncertainty about who is the mother of each of the children.
- In a full search of the 1880 census for Fort Mill township, the only other possibility was a Thomas of the right age on page 3. This looked to be P.T. Thomas, wife's name Ellen.
- Will of Joseph Thomas: wording makes if fairly clear that "Laurer" is the same person as "Louiser" Thomas Caton, mother of Joseph's grandsons Edward and Thomas. Laurer is to receive her support during her (remaining unmarried) lifetime from the portion willed to Edward and Thomas. Both names are seen variously in the records as Laura/Laurer and Louisa/Louiser, a consequence of pronunciation.
Conjecture
From the gravestones at Thomas Cemetery, Tega Cay, SC:
- The 2 yr. old child who died in 1855 is assumed to be a Thomas child because of the stone's location next to those of Joseph and Cynthia Thomas. The youngest of the known Thomas children was born in 1851, so a birth in 1855 to the same mother is reasonable. The oldest Thomas daughter, Louisa Jane Thomas Caton, would only have been 15 in 1855, so it is probably not her child.
- Besides the Thomas family, the other identifiable graves are:
- Sylvester Caton, husband of Louisa J. Thomas.
- Elijah Caton who died in 1865, probably in the war. The stones of Sylvester & Elijah Caton are memorials; they are understood to have been buried near some Civil War battlefield.
- Carrie S., "daughter of Mr & Mrs E.C. Caton". She reported her birth year (1900 census) as 1868, not the 1866 inscribed on her gravestone. Born in NC, as were her parents, she married (apparently a cousin) Thomas L. Caton and they lived in Charlotte, NC. Their first son was named Sylvester, named for the family's first CSA casualty Sylvester Caton (d. 1864) per family tradition.
- The fieldstone-marked grave could belong to Lois Ann Thomas (b. 1841); or it could belong to Thomas L. Caton (b. 1866), husband of Carrie S. Caton. Also possibly E. C. Caton (father of Carrie S. Caton b. 1868) ; or to John H. Caton, father of Sylvester & Elijah Caton. Or to a Zeb (Zebulon?) Caton mentioned in the news article about the cemetery. Flags seem to have been dispersed indiscriminately, so do not necessarily indicate a veteran's grave (per source 12).
Sylvester & Elijah Caton were brothers, sons of John H. and Sarah L. Caton (1850 census). It has been suggested they possibly married Thomas sisters, though we find the records contradict this. Lois Ann Thomas died in 1859 at age 16, still named Thomas in the death notice. The third sister, Eliza J. Thomas, was born in 1851, so only age 14 when Elijah died in 1865. In 1860, Elijah, age 24, was living with his apparently widowed mother, 60 yr. old Sarah Caton. Elijah died five years later, 1865.
Sylvester Caton, as the husband of Louise Jane Thomas from family sources, has been listed on this page as named "John" Sylvester Caton. We have found as yet no primary or secondary source listing Sylvester Caton as John Sylvester Caton, so expect this name is correct, from family knowledge or tradition. Our page for him is named simply Sylvester Caton, with this acknowledgement.
1900 Us Census Charlotte NC, Enum. Dist. 46, p. 7. Date of census 7 June 1900.
lines 54-59: Thomas L. Caton, b. Jan. 1866, age 34, Married 13 yrs. he & both parent born in South Carolina; Foreman house carpenters;own mortgaged house.
Carrie S., wife, born Sept 1868, age 32, married 13 yr., 4 children born, 4 living in 1900; she & parents born North Carolina.<nr>Sylvester, son, born 1887 in NC, age 12.
Earl, son, b. Jan 1889 in NC, age 11.
Floss, daughter, born Sept. 1893 in NC, age 6.
May, daughter, b. Aug. 1897 in NC.
All children: father born SC, mother born NC.
|
Research
The material in this section is for research leads only. We do not wish to imply any connection to our family at present, nor suggest its use without additional confirmation.
