Brick Wall Ancestor | #8 Jesse Thomas Sr

We all have them! Those stubborn ancestors that refuse to come out of hiding. No matter how much coaxing we do! Well, I think it's time to bring them out of the shadows - put their redacted story out there - another piece of the puzzle could be lurking just around the (cyber) corner, in someone's basement, or closet, or sitting in a box on a bookshelf ...... You never, ever know where that loose chink will manifest, the one that allows you to push out one brick, then the next. Food for thought. So without further ado....


Brick Wall Ancestor | # 8 Jesse Thomas Sr

Jesse Thomas seems to magically appear in Chester Co, PA in 1810, prior to that time he is a complete mystery. What I do "know" is information gleaned from other researchers, none of it is sourced. The rumor floating around is that Jesse was born in 1786 in Chester Co, PA to unknown parents. He married, supposedly in 1808 in Fallowfield Meeting Hall, Chester Co, PA; Rebecah Hampton, Daughter of Jonathan Hampton and Elizabeth Phillips. The Hampton relationship has been substantiated through numerous DNA matches with other Hampton descendants.

Jesse appears on the 1810 US Census in New London, Chester Co, PA with three household residents; a male aged 16 thru 25, a female aged 16 thru 25 and a female aged under 10.

In March 1820 Jesse and Rebecah request removal from their Fallowfield Monthly Meeting in Chester Co, PA to join the Stillwater Monthly Meeting in Washington Co, OH. Did they actually live in Ohio at the time of the request?

I did find a Jesse Thomas on the 1840 US Census in Washington Co, OH, the household includes one male aged 50 thru 59, two males 10 thru 14, one female 50 thru 59, two females 20 thru 29 and two females 15 thru 19.

According to Quaker records Jesse died February 20th 1842 at Plymouth, Washington Co, OH. Aged 55.

End of story.

That's one HUGE brick wall!


GENEALOGY

Jesse Thomas  b. say 1786 d. 20 Feb 1842 m. say 1808 Rebecah Hampton, daughter of Jonathan Hampton and Elizabeth Phillips, b. 12 May 1790 d.  20 Dec 1850

children:

• Elizabeth Thomas b. 1 Jan 1810 PA d. UNK
• Sarah Thomas b. 17 Apr 1811 PA d.  UNK
• Mary Ann Thomas b. 7 Mar 1813 PA  d. UNK m. Walter Stanley
• Joseph Thomas b. 5 Dec 1814 PA d. UNK m. Mary G Parker 
• Debora Thomas b. 27 Mar 1817 PA d. UNK m. Josiah Walton
• Philena Thomas b. 9 Oct 1819 PA d. 22 Jan 1894 m. Seth Williams
• Joanna Thomas b. 23 Jan 1822 OH d. UNK 
• Jonathan H Thomas b. 25 Mar 1824 OH d. UNK m. Hannah E Henry
• Eli Thomas b. 19 May 1826 OH d. 18 Nov 1855 m. Adeline McConnell
• Jesse Thomas Jr b. 28 Jul 1828 OH d. 19 Sep 1907 m. Joanna Bell Stanley
• David Thomas b. 26 Jun 1831 OH d. 11 Apr 1832

There were 30 'Thomas' heads of household in Chester County PA on the 1800 census, nine with a male child between the age of 10 and 15. Family tradition says the Thomas family was of Welsh origin. Was Jesse born in PA or did he immigrate as a child or young adult? Was Jesse's family Quaker? Or did Jesse join the faith upon his marriage to Rebecah? 

As is typical, more questions than answers. 

And the answers are out there ...... somewhere.

©2017 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Book Of The Week: History of Greene County, Ohio

History of Greene County:

Together with Historic Notes on the Northwest, and the State of Ohio 

R. S. Dills

Odell & Mayer, 1881 - Greene County (Ohio) - 1018 pages

©2017 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Jesse Thomas Sr.: Might As Well Be John Doe (52 Ancestors #21)

Jesse Thomas Sr.

An infuriating Quaker.

Might as well be John Smith or Doe. Seems Thomas was a very common surname among the Quakers in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Very common. Hair pulling frustration common. And (of course) there are (at least) two Jesses.......

Now, I'm sure my 3rd great grandfather didn't mean to be so difficult, and buried somewhere deep in the tomes of Quaker history lie the answers. Alas, a trip to Swarthmore is not in my future any time soon.

So today, as I write this short sketch, the answers I seek remain buried.

I admit I do have ulterior motives for this post. A little fishing expedition. The more we all can get out onto the world wide web, the more chance there is for someone; anyone, anywhere; to stumble across it and perhaps supply a missing piece of the puzzle. Genealogy appears to be a solitary pursuit, you know, with the Cave and all, but it is only successful with collaboration.

Also I might add, that I have avoided this for a while.  Quaker genealogy really is a study unto itself and I must admit that it boggles my mind and makes me cranky.

So here is what I know.

• Jesse Thomas Sr. was born about 1786* in Chester Co., PA. His parents UNK to date.  FYI there are 41 heads of household in Chester County in the 1790 Federal Census with the Last name of Thomas. Forty One! Thirty two of those households report male children under 16. (Jesse would have been 4 at the time) By 1800 there are 30 heads of household, by 1810 (eureka!) there is but one Jesse listed in Chester County with 2 young adults and one child. (The 1786 Pennsylvania Census of Taxpayers lists 52 Thomas'.... but let's not go there)

• He married Rebecca (or Rebecah) Hampton in 1808* in Chester Co., PA They were members of the Fallowfield Monthly Meeting in Chester Co., PA. 

• Rebecca (Rebecah) was born May 12, 1790 in Bucks County, PA, the daughter of Jonathan Hampton and Elizabeth Phillips. This is one case where there is actually more recorded info on the woman than the man!

• The couple had at least 11 children, according Quaker records. You'd think with 11 descendants there would be numerous people looking for Jesse, wouldn't you?

• In 1820 the family requested removal from the Fallowfield Monthly Meeting in Chester Co., PA. in preparation to move to Ohio. They requested admittance to the Stillwater Monthly Meeting in Belmont Co., OH.

• In 1839 the family is listed in the Deerfield Monthly Meeting records in Morgan Co., OH.

• In 1842 Jesse is listed in the Chesterfield Monthly Meeting in Athens Co., OH, having died in February. He is recorded as being buried at Plymouth. Could that be Plymouth, Washington Co, OH?  There is a Jesse Thomas listed in the 1840 census residing in Westley Twp, Washington Co, OH - Plymouth is in Westley Twp. Plus my grandmother (the Genealogy Queen) has in her notes that the family was from Westley Twp.

*Dates are from other family trees. I usually don't use this type of information as I have not been able to source it, but I am including it this post as a stepping off point.

As I mentioned above, there are a few records for a Jesse Thomas born in 1791 to a Phillip and Hannah Thomas. He was born in Chester but the family attended the Goshen Monthly Meeting - probably not our guy.

There is a record of a Jesse Thomas "accomplishing" his marriage in 1806, but it was recorded in the Philadelphia Northern District Monthly Meeting - probably not our guy.

And that is it. That is all I know.  If only my Genealogy Cave was equipped with a time machine .......

Well, a girl can dream.


©2015 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved