Stephen Thomas (1750 - 1839)

Born 19 Aug 1750 in Eymet, Périgord, France

Husband of Marie (Frazil) Thomas — married 8 May 1774 in Charleston, South Carolina

Descendants

Died 19 Jun 1839 at age 88 in Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Albert Bruns [send private message]

Biography

Stephen Thomas was a Huguenot emigrant (1540-1790).

Stephen Thomas was born Etienne Thomas (French version of Stephen) on August 19, 1750 in Eymet, Dordogne, France. Etienne was the son of Jean Thomas and Jeanne Demond ^[1]

He passed away in 1839.

Inscription at his gravesite in Charleston, South Carolina:

Born in the Village of Eymet, Department La Dordogne, France, the 19th August 1750, died 17th June 1839.

To enjoy the liberty of Conscience, he fled with an elder sister to London, to join the Reverend Mr. Gibert, who, with his Congregation, had also been compelled to seek an asylum from the persecutions which they endured in their native land.

He arrived in this City with this Congregation, consisting of about 140 Protestant exiles, on the 12th April 1764, where he settled while most of the Congregation located with their Pastor in Abbeville district in this State.

He was a Patriot of the Revolution. For many years he was a Member of this (French Protestant) Church. The destruction of the Church edifice in the great fire of 1796, and the subsequent death of their Pastor, The Rev. Mr. Bouedillion, caused a dispersion of the flock among other churches of the City.

When the Second Presbyterian Church was established in 1810, he was chosen one of its first Ruling Elders, an Office which he conscientiously held and faithfully filled. He retained through life the strong feelings and rigid principles for which the original Huguenots were distinguished. Twice he sacrificed all - once when a youth for the religion of his fathers and again when in manhood for the liberty of his adopted country.

"The Memory of the just is blessed."

Also of Mrs. Mary Frazil Thomas, his wife, who departed this life 13th October 1808 in the 56th year of her age. She was a native of St. Palais, France and with her parents composed a part of the congregation of Rev. Mr. Gibert.

Also of Miss Mary [Marie] Thomas, who on the same day [13th October 1808], and in her eightieth year was numbered with the congregation of the dead. She was the elder sister and protector of Mr. Stephen Thomas at the time of their departure from France and until he arrived at mature years.

Their mortal remains are deposited beneath this marble. Their immortal spirits it is confidently believed rest with God. During life they all sustained the exalted characters which are given to those who patiently suffer for righteousness sake and their memorial is inscribed on a more enduring tablet.

End of Grave Inscription

Étienne / Stephen Thomas’s obituary appeared in the Charleston Observer in June 1839:

THE LAST OF THE HUGUENOTS

Departed this life, in Charleston, S. C., on the 17th inst. (June). Mr. STEPHEN THOMAS, in the 89th year of his age. Mr. Thomas was born in the village of Eymet, department La Dordogne, France, on the 19th of August, A. P. 1750, and fled with an elder maiden sister, to London, in 1764, to join the Rev. Mr. Gibert, who, with his congregation, had also been compelled to seek an asylum from the persecutions which they endured in their native land. This congregation of exiles consisted of nearly one hundred individuals and by a kind Providence, they arrived here in safety, on the 12th of April, 1764, where the subject of this notice has ever since resided. At an early period of the revolutionary struggle, Mr. Thomas returned to his native country on business, where he suffered a painful detention from his family for about three years. On his return, he was captured by the British fleet in the Chesapeake, where he remained some time a prisoner. At length being exchanged, he returned to Charleston, and immediately joined the troops in defence of his adopted country, was at the battle of Fort Moultrie, and afterwards was with General Marion to the close of the war.

At what age Mr. Thomas became a professor of religion, we have not ascertained; but from some circumstances, it is presumed that, like Obadiah, he was one who "feared God from his youth." For many years he was a Ruling Elder of the French Protestant Church in this city, a church strictly Calvinistic in its creed, and Presbyterian in its model. The blowing up of the church edifice in the great fire of 1796, the subsequent death of their pastor, the Rev. Mr. Boudinot, and the delay experienced in obtaining another, were among the causes which led to the dispersion of the flock among other churches of the city. Still, there are strong attachments among the descendants of the congregation to the religion of their fathers. But none of the original flock now remain.

When the second Presbyterian church was established in 1810, Mr. Thomas was chosen one of its first ruling elders; an office, the duties of which he faithfully and conscientiously performed till within the last five or six years, when the infirmities of age rendered him physically, and even mentally unable to take the oversight of the flock of Christ.

Mr. Thomas retained through life the strong feelings and rigid principles for which the original Huguenots were distinguished. The persecutions which he and his family had endured for conscience sake could not be effaced from his mind, and hence in part arose his ardent love of liberty, his strong attachment to the principles of the Reformation, and his opposition to everything peculiar to the Church of Rome. Twice he sacrificed all; once when a youth, for the religion of his fathers; and once when in manhood, with a family to support, for the liberty of his adopted country. But he still lived to a good old age, and his children, and his children's children to the fifth generation, arose to call him blessed. His descendants consist of between sixty and seventy of whom three are his children, and four his great great grandchildren. Thus having served the will of God in his generation, he has at last gone to his rest, leaving a character free from reproach, a memorial of his fidelity in his family and in the church, and a testimony which in its influence will live, when his name shall no longer be remembered.

Sources

From WPA Grave Registration Records: Charleston County, Huegenot Church Cem., WPA E22 - P 19; Thomas, Stephen, b. 8/19/1750 d 6/17/1839. Born in Village of Eymet, Department La Bordogne, France. Arrived in this city 4/13/1764. Settled in Abbeville District and was a Patriot of the Revolution.

Registres paroissiaux et etat-civil : Etienne Thomas birth record from August 19, 1750 French Departmental Archives, Eymet, Dordogne: Baptismes, Mariage, Sepultres 1723-1752 page 556 - en ligne 5 E 165/1 https://archives.dordogne.fr/ark:/43778/s005a27f074eb863/5a27f07576087

1. ↑ acte de baptême Archives du Dordogne, Eymet, 1723-1752, vue 556; viewed February 7, 2019

See also two files in the Images of this profile for more sources, more info.