William Thomas (abt. 1795 - 1850)

Born about 1795 in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Died 8 Oct 1850 at about age 55 in Apple Creek, Wayne, Ohio, United States

Biography

William Thomas was born, in Peter's Twp. (McMurray), Washington County, Pennsylvania, in about 1795. His father was Leverton Thomas, b: 1740 in Harwich, Barnstable Co., English province of Massachusetts Bay. He was of Welsh ancestry. William's mother was Mary Ann (Hopkins) Thomas, b: 1749 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts Bay province. By his mother, William and his brothers and sisters descend from 1620 Mayflower passengers, Stephen Hopkins via his son, Giles Hopkins, born in England and who accompanied his family on that famous voyage. William was the youngest of his parents' 10 children. They had moved from New England to Washington County, Penna., just before the American Revolution began in 1773-74.^[1]

Around 1820, in Washington Co., Pennsylvania, William Thomas married Mary Ellen McCorkle, b: ca. 1800, of Scotch-Irish descent. Her birth date, location and parents' names are Unknown. The couple settled in Apple Creek, Wayne County, Ohio. They were staunch Presbyterians, as were most of the Scotch-Irish pioneers in that time and place. Ohio had been admitted as a state in 1803 and, as its name implies, Apple Creek was a fruit and vegetable-growing region.

Little is known of William and Mary-Ellen's life in Wayne County, Ohio. If the tombstones at the Apple Creek Presbyterian Church can be believed, the couple had a first daughter, Esther, who died in 1825, as child. According to the 1830 Census, William Thomas, Sr. was a married Head of Household / Farmer with 2 sons and a daughter, all under 5 years old. One son must have also been named "William" as the father has "Sr." after his name. William and his wife (no name given) were about 30 years old. They lived in "East Union" (which included Apple Creek), Wayne Co., Ohio.^[2] In 1840, the Thomas household in East Union, Ohio, included William and his wife (both about 40); two sons, 1 under 10 (William Jr.) and 1 between 10-15 (Eli) and 2 daughters: 1 over 15, & 1 under 5 years old.^[3]

In 1850, the first year that gives individual information about "household members," the Census notes William Thomas, age 50 [sic - he was at least 55]; wife: Mary, age 47; and 4 children:^[4]

1. Eli Thomas, age 23
2. William Thomas, Jr., age 18
3. Mary Jane Thomas, age 12
4. Philo Lample Thomas, age 4

Their older daughter would have been over 21 by 1850 and no doubt had already married and left home.

No more Census records exist, which is not surprising as the Apple Creek Presbyterian Cemetery records indicate that William Thomas Sr., died in October 1850. No record of his wife's death (there is a listing for "Mary Ellen Thomas" but in 1847 so that could not be William's wife as she is present for the 1850 Census) has been found. She probably remarried and so was buried under her 2nd husband's name.

Sources

1. ↑ DeCo01 Genealogy - Leverton Thomas. Lists Leverton's children and birth locations, showing moving pattern. Based on DeCoursey GEDCOM 2008.
2. ↑ United States Census, 1830, Ohio, Wayne, East Union
3. ↑ United States Census, 1840, Ohio, Wayne, East Union Twp.
4. ↑ United States Census, 1850, Ohio, Wayne, East Union Twp.

See also:

• Find A Grave Apple Creek Presbyterian Cemetery Apple Creek Wayne County Ohio, USA

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Thomas-546 was created on 14 September 2010 through the import of 124-DeCoursey.ged.