Biography

Joseph Thomas was aVirginia colonist.

Joseph Thomas has Welsh ancestors.

The Thomas family of Trigg County Kentucky is descended through Joseph Thomas and his second wife, Alice Spivey.^[1] His first wife was Elizabeth (last name not known).^[2]

Joseph was born about 1680 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, the son of John Thomas and probably his first wife, Susannah (Portis) Frizzell.^[3] The family moved to Nansemond County prior to 1704, when both his father and his older brother, John Jr., appeared on a Quit Rent roll for Nansemond County.

• Jno Thomas Jun, 100 acs
• Jno Thomas, 275 acs^[4][5]

Joseph Thomas first patented land in the Upper Parish on 16 January 1714.^[6] On the patent in addition are found his wife, Elizabeth, and Michael Thomas and his wife.^[7]

About 1727, perhaps earlier, Joseph had moved with his family from Nansemond County Virginia to Chowan County, North Carolina.^[8] On 23 March 1729, he purchased 200 acres of land on the south side of the Kesai (Cashie) Swamp in Bertie County, North Carolina, from Samuel Bass.^[9] On the same date Joseph sold to Samuel Bass 6,000 lbs. of tobacco and 175 acres of land on the south side of Oropeak Swamp, in Chowan County, plus 14 acres on nearby Sand Hill Swamp.^[10] This is supporting evidence that he was had been in Chowan County since at least 1728 in order to grow and prepare the tobacco crop.^[11] At this time (1729), he moved to the property he had purchased on the south side of the Cashie Swamp in Bertie County, North Carolina.^[12] He lived there the remainder of his life.

17 May 1735 -- Joseph Thomas bought 640 acres from Henry Avery and wife Mary for 92 pounds, 2 shillings; north side of the Roanoke River adjoining property of John Blount Thomas Busby and Richard Melton. [Bertie County deed book D, page 191.]^[13]

Marriage

Joseph married twice. First to Elizabeth Unknown, and after her death to Alice Spivey. Alice Spivey Thomas is thought to be the mother of all of Joseph's children. She was the daughter of either George, James or Thomas Spivey.^[14] These men all lived in the general area of where Joseph lived. They were also all on the Quit Rent roll of Nansemond County in 1704. Some later Spivey families moved into Chowan and Bertie Countes as did Joseph's family.^[15] Known children include:

• Joseph THOMAS , Jr. b: ABT. 1708 in Nansemond Co., VA
• Michael THOMAS b: ABT. 1710 in Nansemond Co., VA
• Luke THOMAS b: ABT. 1712 in Nansemond Co., VA
• James THOMAS* b: ABT. 1714 in Nansemond Co., VA
• Jacob THOMAS b: ABT. 1716 in Nansemond Co., VA
• Jonas THOMAS b: ABT. 1718 in Nansemond Co., VA
• Charity THOMAS b: ABT. 1720 in Nansemond Co., VA
• Mary THOMAS b: ABT. 1722 in Nansemond Co., VA

Death

Joseph left a will, dated 10 December 1735, and it was proved on 6 February 1736 in Bertie, North Carolina. In his will he mentions is wife Eales (Alice), son Josepth (Joseph), son Mikell (Michael), son Luke, son James, Jacob Tomas (Thomas) and Joseph Tomas (relationship not mentioned but probably sons), daughter (datter) Charity Tomas. The executors of the will were Mikell Tomas and John Spivey.^[16][17]

Notes

Virginia Historical Magazine, 1921, Vol. 29, page 402. The Quit Rent roll, as explained in "The Thomas Book," page 587 et seq, method of acquiring land in Colonial Virginia was: "by one of the ordnances adopted by the Virginia Company which was continued in force by the Crown, after the revocation of the charter every person removing to Virginia at his own expense with the intention to settle and remain there was entitled to 50 acres of land. The same rule extended also to every member of his family and a husband was entitled to the same number of acres for his wife and children." All of these rights were called "headrights" and were assignable. A patent, or land so obtained, gave the grantee a fee simple estate in the land conveyed upon condition of paying an annual "quit rent" of one shilling for every 50 acres and of planting and seeding thereon within three years from the date of the grant.

Research Notes

Disputed Parents

Worth S. Ray in hisOld Albemarle indicates that Michael and Joseph Thomas were the sons of a William Thomas. He also mentions that another writer (?) indicates that Michael was the son of Joseph.

Hugh Johnston, genealogist, of Wilson, North Carolina, says that this line is "circumstantially" proven to a Michael Thomas, born before 1665, who patented land in Nansemond County in 1686. He also says that this Michael is the father of Michael Thomas who died in 1730, Chowan County, and Joseph Thomas, ancestor of the Trigg Thomases. This does not agree with Edison Thomas^[18] (Lucy (Selvaggio) Selvaggio-Diaz)

If the birth dates included on this profile for Joseph Thomas (1680) and his children (early 1700s) are accurate, he could not have been the son ofJohn Thomas andSusannah Portis. John Thomas was only 12 years old in 1680. John and Susannah (Portis) Frizzell did not marry until 1693 immediately after the death of Susannah's first husband John Frizzell. Susannah is named asSusannah Thomas in a deed from her father on 6 April 1693^[19] and the will of John Frizzell was proved on 10 April 1693.^[20] Edison Thomas,The Thomas and Bridges Story, is noted for many inaccurate statements and familial connections. Given the information entered here, it would appear Joseph needs to be unlinked as son ofJohn Thomas andSusannah Portis. (Shirley Dalton 15:47, 6 June 2023 (UTC))

Sources

1. ↑Thomas; pg. 61.
2. ↑Thomas; pg. 61; citing Virginia Land Patents, Book No. 10, pg. 140.
3. ↑Thomas; pg. 61.
4. ↑ Wertenbaker, Thomas J. [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32507/32507-h/32507-h.htmThe Planters of Colonial Virginia.
5. ↑Thomas
6. ↑Thomas; pg. 63; citing Virginia Land Patents, Book No. 10, pg. 140.
7. ↑Thomas; citing Worth S. Ray's book,Old Albemarle and Its Absentee Landlords AKA The lost tribes of North Carolina (Austin, Texas : Worth S. Ray, 1947), pg. 631.
8. ↑Thomas; pg. 63.
9. ↑Thomas; pg. 64; citing Bertie County deed book C, pg. 212.
10. ↑Thomas; pg. 64.
11. ↑Thomas; pg. 64; citing Chowan County, North Carolina, deed book 4, pg. 15.
12. ↑Thomas; pg. 64.
13. ↑Thomas; pg. 64.
14. ↑Thomaspg. 63.
15. ↑Thomas; pg. 63.
16. ↑Thomas; pg. 65.
17. ↑Will Abstracts Bertie County
18. ↑Thomas; citing footnotes on pg. 66.
19. ↑ Boddie, John Bennett.Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Originally published: Chicago, 1938.Page 133, 493-495, 609
20. ↑ Chapman, Blanche Adams.Wills and Administrations of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1647-1800, Books 1-3.Pages 34, 46

• Thomas, Edison H.The Thomas and Bridges Story: 1540- 1840, Louisville, Kentucky: T & E Publishers, 1972; digital images,FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 21 August 2021); citing pg. 60-72.Read Book
• Thomas and Bridges Family History Website

See also:

• Thomas2391387[1].FTW
• Brøderbund WFT Vol. 5, Ed. 1, Tree #2059
• mcclure-parham.FTW
• World Family Tree Vol. 5, Ed. 1 Author: Brøderbund Software, Inc. Publication: Release date: August 22, 1996 Note: Customer pedigree. Repository: Call Number: Media: Family Archive CD Page: Tree #2059

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