Thomas Eastland (bef. 1778 - 1840)

Born before 4 Jan 1778 in Thanet, Kent, England

Husband of Sarah White — married 24 Jun 1805 in Deal, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 29 Oct 1840 after age 62 in Grahamstown, Cape Colony, South Africa

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Biography

Thomas Eastland South African 1820 Settler and Descendants

An 1820 Settler to South Africa, left UK from Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK 7 January 1820.

Thomas Eastland (age 39) a Sawyer (unemployed and retired soldier) (See research notes) and his wife Sarah (age 36), together with their children George (13), Thomas (11), James (9), Cecilia (6), Elizabeth (4) and Jane (1), were members of Menezes' party.^[1] Menezes describer Thomas "as been in the Army and out of Employ belongs to Deal Parrish."

Thomas was born on the Isle of Thanet, Kent. He was the son of John and Mary Eastland.^[2] He died on 29 October 1840 aged 63, giving an estimated year of birth of 1777. A baptism record has been found for Thomas, son of John and Mary Eastland, on 4 January 1778 at All Saints Church, Birchington, Kent.^[3]

Thomas Eastland married Sarah White on 24 June 1805 in St. Leonard's Church, Deal, Kent. Thomas made his mark (as he does on other documents associated with him, so we can assume he was illiterate). Sarah White signed her name. The witnesses were Henry White (presumably a relative of Sarah's) and B. Long.^[4]

The couple baptised four children at St. Leonard's:^[5]

• George Valentine was baptised 2 March 1806.
• Thomas John was baptised on 23 August 1807.
• James Hunter was baptised 20 October 1811. He may have been the James Hunter who died at Katburg on 28 December 1851) during the Wars of Dispossession (Frontier Wars)^[6].
• Celia Jane baptised 15 May 1814. Her father's occupation is recorded as "Sawyer" and the family residence given as Lower Deal.

A fifth child, Elizabeth Goldfinch, was baptised in the Independent Chapel in Deal on 30 October 1816. She was born on 22 September 1816.^[7] This may indicate that the family left the Church of England sometime between 1814 and 1816.

Research Notes

• Menezes who was the leader of the settler party was in the 91st Regiment. Waterloo Medal Roll Private Wm. MENZIES, 1st Batallion 91st Regiment of Foot, Capt. A. CAMPBELL's Company No.2. It is possible that Eastland was in the same regiment and may have been at Waterloo.^[8]

• Parents most likely John Eastland who married Mary Coleman at All Saints, Birchington, Kent. Both signed. Witnesses: Thomas ROBINS, Robert ABBOTT and Sarah COLEMAN

^[9]

Note from S.I. Blackbeard, “Kat River Revisited” (UCT, PhD Thesis, 2018). Published as Kat River Conversations (2017). Death of Thomas Eastland in 1850-53 War: “others who were killed in Kaalhoek comprised Joseph Allison and Thomas Eastland.: (p. 115, note 511)

Sources

1. ↑ Settler Correspondence one eggsa.org
2. ↑ Death Notice, Cape Archives.
3. ↑ Entered from transcript of Sue Mackay on eggsa.org, citing Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Link to document to be uploaded in due course. Sharon Caldwell
4. ↑ Entered from transcript of Sue Mackay on eggsa.org. Link to document to be uploaded in due course. Sharon Caldwell
5. ↑ Entered from transcript of Sue Mackay on eggsa.org., Citing Caterbury Cathedral Archives. Link to document to be uploaded in due course. Sharon Caldwell
6. ↑ Gravestone
7. ↑ Entered from transcript of Sue Mackay on eggsa.org., citing National Archives, Kew, London. Sharon Caldwell
8. ↑ https://www.eggsa.org/1820-settlers/index.php/additional-information/e-surnames/1895-eastland-thomas-extra-data
9. ↑ Entered from transcript of Sue Mackay on eggsa.org, citing Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Link to document to be uploaded in due course. Sharon Caldwell

• https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQX-MSZV-7?i=1300&cc=2517051&cat=331262 'Death Notice'