Dated 15 May 1854, David Thomas, aged 73, of Wake County NC applied for a Revolutionary War pension claiming that he was the son of a soldier named Asa Thomas. David claims that his father entered service in Wake County and served under the command of Captain Williams. Asa was married to Pleasant Matthews who died in Cumberland County prior to said Asa Thomas. The two surviving children of Asa and Pleasant Matthews Thomas at the time of the Revolutionary War pension application are the said David Thomas and sister Charity, who married Alsey Matthews. Following the war, Asa and family removed to Anson County and then to Roan (Rowan) County where said Asa may have died ca. 1848-1851.
The Revolutionary War record of Asa Thomas is supported by depositions by 98 year old Jordan Stuart, 87 year old Harday Stevins, and 104 year old Shadrack Harris. These men lived in the area of Holly Springs in extreme southwest Wake County …not far from the lands once settled by Evan Thomas in Chatham County. The men served with Asa Thomas a declared that there were no other men of that name that lived or served in that area. They knew well of Asa and his family.
I have looked in the area of Wake, Johnston, and Chatham counties and have not found any land or other records mentioning the name Asa Thomas. In all of Evan Thomas’s transaction in Chatham County NC, there is no mention of Asa. But during the 1780’s, the name Asa appears in Anson County in connection with land records Evan Thomas after he moved to that location. Dated 31 Jul 1786, George Lounsdell Rudd sold 100 acres (H-301, Anson NC) adjoining lands of James Langford to Evan Thomas. On 22 Jul 1789, Jason Meadors sold 75 acres (B-249, Anson NC) on Jack's Branch of Upper Brown Creek to Evan Thomas. On 8 Dec 1786, Evan Thomas sold his 100 acres (C2- 149 NC) to Richard Odom. Near the enumeration of Thomas Preslar, Evan Thomas was listed in 1790 Anson County Census as 4m16+, 1m16-, and 1f. On 13 Mar 1792, Thomas Ashcraft sold 75 acres (C2-210, Anson NC) to Asa Thomas. The land adjoined that of Evan Thomas. John and Nancy Thomas witnessed this transaction.
It appears Evan Thomas moved to Jackson County GA in the 1790’s. Found in the court records of that county, dated 22 Apr 1805, “Bradley THOMAS and Nancy Thomas applied for a citation to obtain Letters of administration on the estate of Evan THOMAS dec'd.” There is no mention of a son Asa, indicating that he may not have made the move. But dated 8 Dec 1812 in Anson County NC, Bradley, Asa, James, and John Thomas of Jackson County GA sold 150 acres (R-25, Anson NC) to Stephen Rushing.
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State of North Carolina Wake County May Term 1854
On this the 15th day of May 1854, being the 3rd Monday in said month, personally appeared in open court David Thomas, a resident of this county and state aforesaid who being first sworn according to law, doth upon oath declare that he is the son of Asa Thomas dec’d, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, that said declarant is now in the 73rd year of his age, that he has been informed and believes that his father the said Asa Thomas served as a continental soldier in the Revolutionary War, a period of two years and upwards, that he entered the service of the United States from Wake County in the state aforesaid, that after the conclusion of the said war, he removed to Anson County in the state aforesaid where he died abut five years ago, the exact date not recollected by said declarant, that his wife is Pleasant Thomas whose name before marriage was Pleasant Matthews, died in Cumberland County in said state before said Asa Thomas, that said Asa Thomas left him surviving several children of whom the declarant and Charity Matthews, wife of Alsey Matthews whose names before marriage was Charity Thomas, alone, survive said declarant further states that he does not know the officers under whom nor the Company and Regiment in which his said father Asa Thomas deceased served, and refers for such particulars to the proofs hearafter to this declaration to be appended. Thomas J. Utley, Clerk
State of North Carolina On this 9th day of June 1854, personally appeared before me, Young Booker, Justice of Peace for the county & state , Jordan Stuart, aged 98 years, a resident of the said county and state whom I certify to be a credible person, and made oath that he was a private soldier in the Revolutionary War and that he served for about 12 or 18 months in the said war under Captain Williams, and Col. ________ in the Regiment of soldiers of the state of North Carolina and that he is now endeavoring to obtain a pension for said service, that he was well acquainted with Asa Thomas deceased while in service, that of his own personal knowledge, he knows that said Asa Thomas served under Captain Williams in the regimentof N. Carolina in the Revolutionary War for the space of either twelve or eighteen months, he cannot be certain which; that the said Asa Thomas died in Roan County in the State of North Carolina about five years ago, that his death took place about the time he the affiant knows of his own personal knowledge. He also knows that the wife of said Asa Thomas died before her husband. He also swears that he has no interest in this claim of the soldier and is not concerned in the result thereof, he has resided in North Carolina 80 years.
Wm. B. Welch
State of North Carolina On this 9 day of June 1854 personally appearedbefore me YoungBooker a Justice of the Peace in and for the county and state, Harday Stevens, aged 87 years, a resident of the said county & state, whom I certify to be a credible person and made oath that he has resided in the State of North Carolina for the period of 87 years; that he lived in North Carolina during the Revolutionary War, that he was personally acquainted with Asa Thomas, the deceased; that he knew him intimately during the time of the Revolutionary War; that he knew said Asa Thomas to leave his residence in that time to go as a soldier in the suit of war, and knows that he returned after his term of service in said war. He cannot tell the exact time the said Asa Thomas served in the war, as it is beyond his knowledge, but he is quite positive that Asa Thomas did serve for a considerable time. He thinks Thomas served in the company commanded by Capt. Williams. He also swears as his own knowledge that the said Asa Thomas has been dead for several years, and that he survived his wife. He also swears that he has no interest in this claim and is not concerned in the results thereof.
D. Smith
State of North Carolina On tis 2nd of October 1854 personally appeared before me Young Booker a Justice of Peace in and for said county and state, Shadrack Harris well known to me as a credible person and resident of said county who being sworn made oath that his is 104 years of age that he has resided in the state of North Carolina during his life that during the Revolutionary War that he was personally and intimately acquainted with Asa Thomas, the father of David Thomas, who is now applying for the earnings of his father’s pension that he cannot undertake to say who his officers were but he swears positively that Asa Thomas served as a soldier in the war for as much as twelve or eighteen months though he cannot tell exactly after so long a time that he the affiant lived in North Carolina during the war and knew when he left for the war and saw him after his return. He has also seen him a great many times since said service and up to the time of his death about five years ago. He also swears that he never knew that this one Asa Thomas who was a revolutionary war soldier and never heard of any other man of that name in the revolution. He is well acquainted with David Thomas and Charity Matthews and knows them to be the only living children of the said Asa Thomas. He also swears that he has no interest whatsoever in this matter.
Allen Jinks |
A Gap in the Record of Asa Thomas is Filled
Living in Tennessee, Hezekiah Bryant applied for a Revolutionary War Pension in which his claims possibly link to the life of Asa Thomas. Hezekiah entered service in Wake County as a replacement for Asa Thomas. He served in Chatham County NC. As a private in company commanded by Colonel Coulston (Goldston), his unit was raised soon after Gates was defeated at Camden. He went first as a substitute for Asa Thomas who had been drafted. He was received into service on Deep River on which river the Corps to which he belonged was raised. He served under commander Goldston for three months. During the period Hezekiah frequently was engaged in scouting parties in pursuit if Tories which were in the neighborhood of American Soldiers. And when his duty had expired, he received discharge from his commanding officer for a tour of duty not less than six months. Hezekiah could not state the precise dates as he gave the papers to Asa Thomas. He served second in place of Frank Jones as a twelve month man in a unit raised in Wake County. The unit was commanded by Capt. Dixon and Lieutenant Dickson, as commanded by a Col. Dickson under General Greene. He entered service as private at Granville Court House in Jun 1782. The unit marched through Hillsboro, Guilford and Rowan counties before going to the hills of Santee in South Carolina. He remained there about two months and then marched to Fort Thompson where he met up with the American Army while in pursuit of the British before the battle of Eutaw. Though under the command of Green, he was not immediately engaged as he served in the rear guards. Hezekiah marched back to the Hills of Santee. Recrossing the Santee, he passed the Edisto River to a place called Round-O and then to a place called Pow-Pow and soon after to Bacon Bridge on Ashley River above Charleston. They marched back to Camden and then to Charlotte, North Carolina. From there he marched through Salisbury and the Guilford Courthouse where his twelve months of service expired.
Following the war, Hezekiah moved to Mecklenburg (now Cabarrus County) NC where he lived not far from Rocky River in that county. Note that Hezekiah lived about 20 miles upstream from where Asa and Evan Thomas lived. Hezekiah married Mary Powel, daughter of John Powell, at Haynes Meeting House in now Cabarrus. Looking at the neighborhood around the lands where old Haynes Meeting house stood, most of the people earlier lived in Chatham/ Wake counties. By 1800, Hezekiah Bryant moved to Tennessee.