John Thomas Jr (abt. 1628 - aft. 1660)

Born about 1628 in James City, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Dorothy (Unknown) Thomas — married about 1648 in York, Virginia

Descendants

Died after 1660 after about age 32 in Nasemond County, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

John Thomas Jr was a Virginia colonist.

John Thomas Jr has Welsh ancestors.

John Thomas, son of John Thomas, is estimated to have been born about 1628 in James City, Virginia Colony. No birth record has yet been located, however he would have to have been born no later than 1628 in order to record a land patent in 1649.

Marriage & Children

John is said to have married about 1648. One secondary source shows his wife as unknown and links Dorothy Unknown as wife of John Thomas, Sr.^[1] Alternatively, another secondary source shows Dorothy Unknown married to John Thomas, Jr.^[2] The only primary source linking a John Thomas to wife Dorothy is the recording of a land patent dated 7 October 1649 which includes headright of 50 acres for "Dorothy Wife." Since John, Jr., married about 1648, it appears this patent belongs to him rather than his father.

• John Thomas, 350 acs. Yorke Co., 7 Oct. 1649, p. 188. Upon the N. side of Queens Cr., N. by W. upon land of Joseph Croshaw, S. by E. upon a little Cr. and swamp leading to the Indian Cabin and E. by N. upon the land of Mr. Jernew. 300 acs. formerly granted unto John Broach & by him assigned unto Anthony Barckhurst & purchased of him by sd. Thomas, & 50 acs. for trans. of: Dorothy Wife. (It is assumed this means Dorothy, his wife.)^[3]

Children attributed to John and Dorothy

• Richard Thomas
• William Thomas
• John Thomas
• Elizabeth Thomas
• Sarah Thomas
• Katherine Thomas

Land Transactions

• John Thomas, 350 acs. Yorke Co., 7 Oct. 1649, p. 188. Upon the N. side of Queens Cr., N. by W. upon land of Joseph Croshaw, S. by E. upon a little Cr. and swamp leading to the Indian Cabin and E. by N. upon the land of Mr. Jernew. 300 acs. formerly granted unto John Broach & by him assigned unto Anthony Barckhurst & purchased of him by sd. Thomas, & 50 acs. for trans. of: Dorothy Wife. (It is assumed this means Dorothy, his wife.)^[3]
• John Thomas, 450 acs. Gloster Co. (formerly York Co.), 6 Nov. 1651, p. 343. Upon W. N. W. side of Poropotank Cr., about 3 mi. up the same, along the Cr. side opposite to land of Mr. Nicho. Jernew. Trans. of 9 pers: Edward Hide, Kath. Thomas, James Thomas, John Richards, George Locke, Wm. Peale, Abigale Longdale, John Brocas, Grace Musgrove.^[3]
• John Thomas & William Leithermore, 400 acs. upon E. side of Eastermost Riv. in Mockjack Bay, beg. at Richard Ripleys on the River side, running E. &c. 6 Dec. 1652, p. 138. Trans. of 8 pers: Fra. Carr, Jno. Steward, one Negro, Aug. (Ang) Hart, Chris. Hurd, Robt. Fletcher, Thomas a Scott, Thomas a boy; by assignmt. of J. Walker.^[3]
• John Thomas, 174 acs. Nanzemum Co., 19 Nov. 1654, p. 300. Upon Ewd. side of New Towne Haven Riv. 150 acs. at miles end of Humph. Scowen, & 24 acs. adj. his own, lands Mr. Jordan & Tho. Best. 150 acs. granted to Peter Mountegue, 18 Dec., 1645 & assigned to sd. Thomas; & the residue for trans. of 1 pers: Wm. Skeed; Susan Jacob, Edward Powell, Mary Watkins, "3 last due."^[3]
• Henry Singleton, 400 acs. on Ewd. side of Eastermost riv. in Mockjack Bay, bet. at marked trees of Rich: Rapley (Ripley). P. 68 (652). (Wm. Leathermore, & John Thomas, 6 Dec. 1652, by Leathermore assigned to sd. Thomas, who assigned to sd. Singleton.) [Undated, possibly 1657-1658 based on surrounding entries.]^[3]

Death

No record of death or burial has been found for John and no will has been located. He is last found in records in about 1658. Since he is said to have had six children after his marriage about 1648, it is unlikely he died before 1660. More research is needed.

Note on County Formation

Most family trees and secondary sources state John Thomas, Jr., was born in York County, Virginia Colony. This is not possible:

1. No "Counties" existed in Virginia Colony prior to 1634. One can refer to James City, Jamestown, etc ., but not a county.
2. Charles River County was one of 8 original "Shires" or "Counties" formed in 1634.
3. Name was changed from Charles River to York County in 1643.^[4]

Research Notes

Disputed Wife
Most researchers show John, Jr. married Elinor (Montague) Thompson, daughter of Peter Montague, about 1647/1648, however no sources are given for this marriage. One secondary source, The Thomas and Bridges Story, 1540-1840, states his wife's name is unknown. Another secondary source, Lost Tribes of North Carolina, states the wife of John Jr., was Dorothy Unknown and cites as source the recording of a patent for 350 acres in York County on 7 October 1649 which claims head right for wife Dorothy. This source has been applied to John, Sr., and used to prove his wife's name was Dorothy. I hesitated to question the names of the wives of John, Sr. and John, Jr. until I had done more research. But now I think I must do so for the following reasons: (Strutton-11 15:14, 23 May 2023 (UTC))

• John Thomas, Jr., married, according to most researchers, about 1648 when he was about 20 years old. He then fathered six children: Richard, William, John, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Katherine Thomas. If he married in 1648 and a child was born every two years, the average spacing of children in that time period, his children would have been born in 1650, 1652, 1654, 1656, 1658, and 1660.
• Elinor (Montague) Thompson was married to Will Thompson by 27 March 1659, the date her father Peter Montague wrote his will.^[5]
• I believe the only reason researchers maintain John, Jr., married Ellen Montague is the fact that one or other John Thomas lived near Peter Montague during the early 1600s.
• For these reasons, I am unlinking Elinor (Montague) Thompson as wife of John Thomas, Jr. If anyone can provide documentation for this marriage, she can easily be added back as wife. (Strutton-11 16:35, 23 May 2023 (UTC))

Sources

1. ↑ Thomas, Edison H. The Thomas and Bridges Story, 1540-1840. Louisville, Kentucky: E. H. Thomas, 1984. Page 59
2. ↑ Ray, Worth S. The Lost Tribes of North Carolina. Austin, Texas: Published by the Author, 1947. Page 608
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Nugent, Nell Marion, Abstracted and Indexed by. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1800. In Five Volumes. Richmond, VA.: Press of the Dietz Printing Co., 1935. Page 185, 220, 167, 297, 417]
4. ↑ History of County Formations in Virginia 1617-1995
5. ↑ History of Peter Montague (1603 - 1659)

See also:

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123519193/john-thomas: accessed 17 May 2023), memorial page for John Thomas Jr. (1628–1655), Find a Grave Memorial ID 123519193, citing Nansemond-Suffolk Cemetery, Suffolk, Suffolk City, Virginia, USA; Maintained by RFB Jenkins (contributor 47712974).