Thomas Stith (1731 - 1801)

Born 29 Dec 1731 in Prince George, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Holly (Bailey) Stith — married 7 Aug 1780 in Brunswick County, Virginia

Descendants

Died 1801 at about age 69 in Brunswick, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Thomas Stith performed Patriotic Service in Virginia in the American Revolution.

Thomas Stith, son of Drury and Elizabeth Stith, was born Dec. 29, 1731 and baptized April 24, 1732 at Bristol Parish, Virginia.^[1]

Thomas was appointed Brunswick County Court Justice in 1760. This being a lifetime appointment made Thomas a busy man for much of his life as evidenced by his last will and testament which was written over the course of two years beginning at his specified age of 62 years. For this reason this record reads much like a journal, giving details of why he was prompted to finally make his will, as well as his likely last visit to his older brother Richard.

Thomas is believed to have married his first wife Elizabeth around the year 1756, when he made his first found land purchase of his brother Drury (Brunswick Deed Book 6 p. 62). Her first name Elizabeth is all that is known by her being examined for approval of an indenture recorded in Brunswick County in 1773.^[2] His subsequent marriage to Holly Bailey, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Morris) Bailey, was recorded in Brunswick County in 1780 and she was mother to his younger children.

From the Will of Thomas Stith dated 1794 thru 2 June 1796 and proved 27 July 1801^[3]

1794 I T.S. being at present of perfect Sence & health being again raised up from a Weak & Sickly State during the fall and part of the winter and by some was thought to be near the Confines of the Grave. When I look back and Reflect upon it and remember that I am now turned of three score & two Years of age and that God hath blessed be with some property and a number of Children. I think it is now high time and also Necessary to make a Will. First then I do hereby recognize and acknowledge Janey, Rebecca, David, Susanna, Henry, Obadiah, Andrew, Naomi, Ezra, and Abner to be my children and my lawful heirs, and dispose of my property as followeth. I give unto my son David the land 375 acres and plantation whereon I now live under such incumbrance[sp] as may hereafter be mentioned to him and his heirs forever I give to my son Henry 300 acres of land in B. C. on the head Branches of Loyd's run Joining the land of Brown Burdge Lawrence and Andrews to him and his heirs forever. I give unto my son Obadiah 336 acres in Charlotte County on little Cub Creek Joining the land of Marshals McKinney, Roughton & Ford (100 acres thereof being sold to Redford Whitton there being in the Survey & Grant 436) to him and his heirs forever. I give unto my son Andrew 321 acres of land in B. C. on the head branches of Couch's Run & the middle creek of Arthur's Creek to him & his heirs forever. I give unto my son Ezra 390 acres of land in Campbell County on the S. fork of the S. fork of Cub Creek to him and his heirs forever. I give unto my son Abner Stith 219 acres of land situate in Charlotte County on both sides of a branch of Cub Creek named Great bear Creek Joining Harvey's & others lines also 136 acres that I purchased of David Elder in Brunswick County on the head of Loyd's Run to him and his heirs forever. And as to my slaves and other property after all my just debts are justly paid it is my will & desire that the whole be kept together and the slaves worked on any of the above mentioned Lands as may be most Convenient & Advantages for my wife and Children & the education of my Children & and the payment of the taxes which Such Exceptions as is hereafter mentioned and division to be made only as the Boys arrive to the age of twenty one years and the Girls marry or arrive to the same age & desire their part to be allotted to them then in either of those cases. I do hereby empower my executor & executors to make division of the Slaves Leaving out Bob & Lucy to stay on the plantation & personal to the best of their knowledge according to the Number of my wife & my Surviving Children an equal part for each...I lend unto my said wife Holley during her natural life the house wherein I live and half the land dividing it into two plantations by a line to be run from the Creek about the Roaring Rocks across to J. l. Wilkins...I do hereby nominate my son-in-law John Hardaway as my Executor of this my last will and also my son David Stith when he arrives at the age of twenty one years...I expect to set of to morrow to Charlotte Court & from thence up to my Brother Richards & as I have twice been taken sick on my trip up hither I was induced to look over these pieces of paper where in the year 1794 I had been making my will and find it with the Blotts & interlinations so much to my mind that I hereby acknowledge it as my last will and testament this 2nd day of June 1796.

Thos. Stith Sr.

Family

Holly Bailey, born c1763,^[4] married Thomas Stith on August 7, 1780.^[5]

Children of Thomas Stith and heirs of those deceased were named in a chancery suit filed by Thomas' widow Holly in 1817, to wit:^[6]

• Rebecca (Stith) Spencer, dec'd, her daughter Panthea Spencer
• David Stith, dec'd, his widow Arianna, ch. Mary & Emily
• Susanna (Stith) Rhea, dec'd, ch: John, Eliza Ann S., Jane, & Susanna Rhea
• Naomi (Stith) Rhea, dec'd, ch: Mary Rhea
• Henry Stith
• Obadiah Stith
• Ezra Stith
• Andrew Stith
• Abner Stith

• There was no mention of Janey Stith from Thomas' will who must have died prior without issue. This case file DOES provide many additional lineages as it lingered in the Courts for 30 years.

Thomas and Holly (Bailey) Stith's children & spouses recognized in D.A.R database:^[7]

• Naomi Stith, married Andrew Rhea^[8]
• Ezra Stith, married Lucy Stite^[8]
• Andrew Stith, married Mary Mebane Stanford^[8]
• Henry Stith, 1m. Mary Spain^[8]2m. Helen Stith

Sources

1. ↑ The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, 1720-1789, Churchill Gibson Chamberlayne (1898), page 365
2. ↑ Stith to Loyd Indenture. Brunswick Co. Deed Book 11. p. 31 & 31. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-MSMJ-R
3. ↑ Brunswick County Will Bk. 6. pg 357/8. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99PH-S97D-3
4. ↑ See this DAR record for a descendant
5. ↑ "Brunswick County Marriage Bonds," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jan., 1912), pp. 195-201 (Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture; DOI: 10.2307/1918735). Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1918735 (page 196)
6. ↑ [1]Holly Stith, etc. vs. James C. Anthony, etc. Goochland Co. Chancery index #1847-004. LVA Virginia Memory Digital Collection.
7. ↑ DAR database records may not list all children of a couple.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed March 10, 2017), "Record of Thomas Stith", Ancestor # A110279.

• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A110279

See also:

• Jamestowne Society, Lineages to the Revolutionary War Era

Research Notes

There is compelling evidence Marianna Stith is connected to the wrong father. There is a chancery suit at LVA which names the heirs of Thomas Stith and the heirs of Thomas' deceased children from 1817 until after the death of sons Henry and Andrew. Marianna (Stith) Hardaway, nor any Hardaway grandchildren, are among those heirs. Marianna was assumed by researchers to be his daughter by the naming of "my son-in-law John Hardaway" in Thomas' will, which also did not name her, and appears to have been written in 1794 but not signed until the day before Marianna Stith's marriage to John Hardaway. Thomas' named daughter "Janey" was apparently dead without issue prior to the 1817 suit but it seems probable Janey (first named) was the daughter who had married John Hardaway...but no children were born to or yet survived from the marriage. https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=075-1847-004#img

DAR records indicate that the Thomas Stith who married Holly Bailey was born 1731, and Holly was born c1763. The 30-year difference in age was not unheard of, but it is a bit extreme, even for then. However, the DAR record is clear in showing Holly Bailey as Thomas' wife & also showing the above listed children as their off spring. Thomas clarifies his age in will

Abner Stith appears to have been attending the University of North Carolina in 1813 (William Bailey also) and was appointed to the Court of Common Pleas in Granville, NC in 1817.

Obadiah Stith granted administration de bonis non (goods not administered) of estate of Thomas Stith, dec'd, Brunswick Co. VA May Court 1835. Brunswick Court Order Book (1835-1844) Vol. 35 p. 24. Inventory ordered during May Court was recorded 24th July 1835. Brunswick Will Book 12 p. 347. Matches death date of Holly Bailey in GA.

• "Brunswick, Virginia, United States Records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89PH-W94H-Z : March 18, 2021), image 54 of 717; Virginia. County Court (Brunswick County).

Richard Stith in accounting of David Stith, dec'd, from 1806 to 1810, notes line item was erroneously attributed to Thomas Stith's estate. This appears to be Thomas's son David's estate. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99PH-S9QP-V?i=552