Wayne County IN Archives Biographies.....Thomas, Luke ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Glapha Cox rcoxfam@earthlink.net January 23, 2006, 10:34 am Author: History of Wayne County, Indiana;Volume II, (1884) New Garden Township p. 670 - 674 Luke Thomas--- The Thomas family are of Welsh descent. The first of the family that came to this country settled in Maryland, and from there John Thomas, in 1870, then a young man, moved to Guilford County, N. C., and was soon after followed by his parents and the rest of their children. They settled on Pe Dee River, in South Carolina, near the boundary line of North Carolina. Their children were---Robert, a prominent minister of the Baptist church; Stephen; Sarah, who married Daniel Landman; Molly, married a Mr. Primrose; William; John; Lewis; Susannah, married a Mr. Matthews; Tristram, an officer in the Revolutionary war; Philip; Benjamin; James, and Rebecca, who married a Poston. But little is known of the family save that they were intelligent and industrious. John Thomas, the progenitor of the family in Wayne County married Molly Clark, a daughter of Francis Clark, of Guilford County, N.C. He was by trade a cooper, but soon after his marriage bought a farm, and became successful in that business. He erected a mill, which he carried on in connection with farming. He became a member of the Society of Friends and reared his children in the same faith. At the time of the Revolution he was pressed into the service, but being opposed to war and bloodshed he refused to act except as compelled. Finding that he would be of no use to them, and believing that he would be of no harm, he was liberated. In 1791 or 1792, he moved to South Carolina and settled near his father, where he lived to see his children settled in life. His children that lived to maturity were nine in number---Isaac, John, Mary, Elijah, Stephen, Francis, Christiana, Benjamin and Sarah. Isaac married Rachel Knight. Their children were---Solomon, Betty, Molly, Achsa, Rachel, John and Anna. John married Lydia Sneed. Their children were---Polly, Jesse, Anna, Hannah, Lydia, Henby, Huldah, Noah and William (twins). Elijah married Susannah Sneed. They had a family of eleven children--- Daniel, Mary, Simeon, Samuel, Elijah, Milton, Henley, Sneed, Isaac, Susannah and John. Stephen married Hannah Mendenhall. Their children were---Mary, Sarah, Celia, Charles, Nancy, Lydia, Ann, Daniel and Cain. Benjamin married Anna Moorman. Their children were---Gulielma, Betty, Nathan, George, Hannah, Mary, Achsa, Clarke, Anna, Benjamin and Eli. Benjamin Thomas was a liberal contributor toward the building of the Union Literary School, near Spartansburg, Ind., and continued to be one of its supporters during life. Mary married Moses Mendenhall. They had a family of six children---Francis, Alice, Mary, Rebecca, Dinah and Moses. Both parents died when the youngest was an infant, thus leaving their children helpless and rather destitute. Christiana married Thomas Knight. Their children were---John, Benjamin, Solomon, Betsey, James, Rachel, Sarah, Manoah, Samuel, Ruth and Beulah. Sarah married Charles Baldwin and had ten children---Susannah, Thomas, Mary, Lindsey, John, Ahira, Abigail, Jane, Quincy and Sarah. Francis Thomas, the fifth son, was born in Guilford County, N. C., in 1781, and was ten years of age when his parents moved to South Carolina. He learned the carpenter's trade, and followed that and millwrighting several years. He spent four years in his native county, and there met Lydia Woodard, daughter of Luke and Sarah Woodard, of Wayne County, N.C., to whom he was married in 1807. He then settled on a small farm about ten miles north of Goldsboro, and carried on farming in connection with working at his trade, about four years. In 1811, a minister of the Society of Friends, Abel Thomas visited the meetings of the society in North Carolina, and Francis Thomas became impressed that it was his duty to accompany him to some of the meetings. While awaiting preparation for starting the minister advised him to move to the other side of the Ohio River. The idea meeting the approbation of Mr. Thomas, he consulted with his wife, who told him to do as he thought best. Accordingly he told her to tell the neighbors that they wished to sell their farm and if possible find a purchaser before his return. His principal reason for leaving the South was the wish to take his children from the influence of slavery and intemperance. After an absence of two weeks he returned home, and the same day came a man with a basket of silver money, sufficient to buy the farm. He immediately sold his personal effects and prepared to move. He went by the way of his father's house, that he might take leave of his relatives, and while there his youngest brother determined to go with him, and together with their wives and two children each, his wife's brother, Thomas Woodard, and a young man from Guilford County, they started on their journey. After six weeks of travel they reached Richmond, Ind., and leaving his family at the house of a friend he made his way from one settler’s house to another till he reached John Turner's. From there, guided by his pocket compass, he went on till he reached Nolan's Creek, one mile north of the present site of Fountain City. Here he selected his land, and built a log cabin and set about opening a farm. His brother settled about a mile farther up the creek. The next year father, brothers and two brothers-in-law, with their families, sold their homes in the South and moved to the new country. His father died six weeks after reaching Indiana. Mr. Thomas was an industrious, hard-working man, a life-long member of the Society of Friends and for many years an Elder, also a member of the Indiana Yearly Meeting. He and his wife lived to be eighty-six years of age. Their children were ten in number-Mary, Luke, Sarah, Absillit, William, John, Francis, Lydia, Isaac and Clarkson. Mary married Ahira Ballard, who died leaving a daughter, who died soon after arriving at womanhood. She afterward married Eli Hadley, and was again left a widow. She died aged about seventy years. Sarah married Joseph Hubbard, and died leaving two children---Jehiel and William. Absillit married Rowland Green. They had three children, all of whom are deceased. William died in his seventeenth year. John married Smithy Newsom. They had five children---Luke, Sarah, Lydia, Clarkson and John N. His wife died and he afterward married Hannah Davis. Francis W. married Rebecca Carlitt. They had five children---Jeremiah M., Mary Matilda, Charlton, Michael William and Charles Francis. Lydia F. married Joseph B. Mills, and had six children---Amanda J., Francis, Clarkson, Farlay L., Absillit and Alva Jay. Isaac married Maholah Hadley. Their children were---Meashal Barkley, Mary Etta, Eli, Woodrow and Francis. He still resides on part of the old homestead. Clarkson married Sarah Jane Pitts, and also lives on part of the old homestead. Luke Thomas was born in Wayne County, S. C., March 9, 1810. When eighteen years of age he began to work at the carpenter's trade, and the next two years hired a man to take his place on the farm. In the spring of 1830 he was married to Mildred Fulghum, daughter of Anthony and Mary Fulghum. In November, 1830, he built a house near the residence of his father, which he still occupies. For eighteen years he worked at his trade, and being successful was enabled to open up a good farm, and for thirty-six years has given his attention to his farm. He has been an earnest worker in the Society of Friends. He and his sisters Mary and Absillit, and brothers John and Clarkson have been Elders in the church, and his brother Francis is a minister of much ability and influence. He has always been a liberal contributor to the church. He has attended different Yearly Meetings in the East and South and in Canada. He has served as committee-man in the publication of books and tracts; was one of the building committee on the New Garden Yearly Meeting-house and Earlham College. He had the care of the latter institution a number of years. He contributed liberally toward the building and maintenance of the Union Literary Institute, for colored people; the Indiana Manulabor Institute, for poor whites, and was also appointed by the Indiana Yearly Meeting a member of the committee to relieve the colored people during the Rebellion. That organization finally culminated in the Missionary Board, and built what is now known as South Land College, four miles from Helena, Ark., and an institution at Marysville, Tenn., the latter under the care of the New England Yearly Meeting. In politics Mr. Thomas has never taken an active part, merely exercising his right to suffrage. His children are seven in number---Mazanah married Franklin Haisley, of New Garden Township, and has had five children. Joseph married Anna Jane Hill, and lives in Randolph County, Ind., five miles from Winchester. His wife died a few years after marriage and he then married Mary Ross. They have two children. William Penn married Cynthia Jane Hadley, and settled in New Garden Township. They have one child. Sarah married Thomas E. Connady, of Miami County, Ind. They have three children. Mary Ann married Amasa M. Jenkins. They first settled in Miami County, but afterward moved to New Garden Township, Wayne County. They have had six children. Lydia F. married James A. Hadley, of Richmond, Ind. Michael Lindley resides with his parents. All the children have retained their right of membership in the Society of Friends. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/wayne/bios/thomas225gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 10.0 Kb