Dated 10 Sep 1713, William Gowen and ‘Evan Thomas’ were granted 124 acres in Stafford County VA on Jonathan's Creek of Occaquan River. William Gowen sold the land on Jonathan's Creek on 6 May 1724. His wife Katherine Gowing was called a widow in a 6 March 1726 Stafford County deed. She was identified as Catherine Padderson (Patterson) in her 21 May 1739 Prince William County will which was proved 23 July 1739 by her son John Going. Researching an Evan Thomas who lived later in North Carolina, I ask if this might not be a father or earlier family member?
On 10 May 1774, a pleas and quarter session record in Chatham County NC documents “Evan Thomas a poor aged and infirmed man be recommended to the Gen’1 Assembly as a person proper to be exempt from the payment of any Tax or Levy for the future.” Since the name Evan Thomas can be found through 1800 in connection with land records for Chatham County, it appears this Evan Thomas may be a senior, or father of son of same name.
Dated 26 Oct 1774, Richard Gunter and Elizabeth his wife, sold to Robert Patterson, 100 acres on “S. side of Haw River, including the plantation the sd Gunter now lives on” (B-11, Chatham NC). The deed was witnessed by James Patterson and Even (x) Thomas. In Dec 1776, James Paterson sold to Robert Carlile, 50 acres lying on the S. Side of Haw River, it being half of the tract bought by Robert Paterson of Richard Gunter (B-95, Chatham NC). This deed was witnessed by William Saunders, John Petty, and Evin (x) Thomas. Dated 17 Dec 1778, Evan Thomas received a land grant (#149, Chatham NC) for 640 acres “on the drains of Little Creek, the waters of Haw River.” The land adjoined Rob’t Rutherford and Petty on the Cross Creek Road. George Herndon and Samuel Braswell served as chain bearers. And dated 31 Mar 1780, John Dillard received a grant (#2167, Chatham NC) for 306 acres on the S side of Camp Branch, joining WILLIAM PETTEY, EVIN THOMAS, both sides of the Cross Creek Road, Saunders Corner, both sides of the Rockey Branch, WILLIAM CLARK, WILLIAM DILLARD, Saunders Line, and the Chapel Path.
Dated 9 Nov 1784, Evan Thomas of Chatham sold 150 acres (C-498, Chatham NC) to Lewis Johnston. This land was part of a tract granted to Robert Spiers in 1779. Situated on the Rocky River in Chatham County, the meets and bounds clearly locate the land as: running west to Rocky River, then up the river to the mouth of Bear Creek, then up the Bear Creek to where Evan’s line crosses, then said line east to Gyns (Jean’s ) line, then north on said line to the beginning. Wit: William Brantly, Vincent Self. Looking at an 1870 map of Chatham County, the land of Evan Thomas is easily located by finding the mouth of Bear Creek. Of interest, the 187 map shows the families of A. Thomas and William Thomas living nearby. We know that Evan had a son Asa and the A. Thomas in 1870 Chatham was yet another Asa Thomas! Also nearby is Mays Primitive Baptist Church.
Dated 12 Feb 1782, Vincent Self sold 60 acres (U-523, Chatham NC) o Little Creek of the Haw River to Evan Thomas. And then in Feb 1784, “Drusillah Ginn (JEAN) gave Venitt (VINCENT) Self and Bradley Self, securitys in the sum of fifty pounds to indemnify the county from expense of a base born child which she has”. The lives of Evan Thomas and Vincent Self remain connected in record from Chatham County NC to Anson County NC and even later in GA. And note that records in Anson County NC show that Evan Thomas has a son named Bradley!
The move to Anson County NC
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.
Back to Chatham County, …dated 16 May 1790, Evan Thomas Sr of Chatham NC sold 200 acres (E-176, Chatham NC) to Willis Dillard. The land adjoined that of James Patterson, William Petty, and his own lands. The land “interlocks with the land taken up by Evan Thomas Junr.” Wit: Thos. Stokes, Jas. Skurlock, Hez’ Harman. On 17 Oct 1793, Evan Thomas sold to Willis Dillard, two acres (9-298, Chatham NC), being “part of the tract of land I now live on.” The deed was witnessed by Jos Brantly and James Crutchfield. In Nov 1794, it was “ordered that Willis Dillard have leave to turn the road from Evan Thomases along the old path to Willis Dillard’s from thence along a new cutt way to Harmans old road, & into the Ramsey road.”
Dated 5 Feb 1794, and arising from a writ of Fieri Facias issued from Chatham County for the chattels of Evan Thomas and Vincent Self, Sheriff William May sold Evan Thomas's 75 acres (C2-487, Anson NC) to Phillip May. Evan Thomas’ legal problems were also reflected in the records of Chatham County. Dated 21 Jul 1797, John Harmon, Sheriff of Chatham County sold 438 acres (J-131, Chatham NC) that belonged to Evan Thomas to Margret Minter. Whereas two orders of sale issuing from Chatham County as follows: No. 26 Feb 1794 session whereas Nancy Thomas obtained a single judgment against Evan Thomas for twenty pounds and John Harman Constable returns and sold all property to 5.5. and levied on 438 acres of land for balance. The other order of sale being No. 27, whereas Margaret Minter obtained judgment against William Thomas and Evan Thomas for 5.-.- for which Jos. Brantley returns 31 Jan 1794 to sell the household and property by John Harman, being the land where sd. Evan Thomas lives.
And then on 11 Jul 1803, Thomas Ragland Esq., former Sheriff of Chatham, sold 40 acres of Evan Thomas’ land to Boling Hines. Being an order of sale issued by the court of Chatham for a sum of 5.11.11 was recovered by James Gains, surviving father of Kennon. The land was located “on both sides of the main road leading from the town of Pittsborough to Ramsey’s mill joining the lands of Daniel Copeland and Willis Dillard on Stinking Creek, it being the land whereon Evan Thomas lived. Prv’d Feb 1816.
As written on 28 Dec 1797, “To all Christian People to whom these presents shall come, I John Thomas of the state of North Carolina and Chatham County …to John Hatley. Being 225 acres joining William Poe, Straughn’s line, to Haw River to Martin’s old line at the mouth of Poe’s Creek, up the branch and around Poe’s lines to the beginning. Signed by John (X) Thomas and wife Elizabeth (X) Thomas, the deed was witnessed by Thomas (X) Bullard. Prv’d Feb. 1798.
Dated 13 Feb 1799, Evan Thomas and Mary Thomas sold 100 (K-361, Chatham NC) acres to John Thomas. Situated on Stinking Creek and adjoining the lands of “Zachariah Harman, Wm. Dillard, and Jas. Petty land and land of sd. E. Thomas .. the metes and begins on the bank of Stinking Creek (running up the drain and east coast) to old line a north coast, then along sd. line and west coast to Willis Dillard’s and Jas Petty’s line to spring branch, then down said branch to the beginning. Wit: Jas. Petty. Prv’d Feb 1799. On 15 May 1799, Mary Thomas of Chatham sold 300 acres (L-73, Chatham NC) to David Passemore. “Being part of the old tract of land belonging to the Old Evan Thomas,” the land adjoined Jas. Petty and John Thomas on the Spring Branch of Little Creek on Stinking creek, and down the creek to William Petty’s, and to the old road. Wit: Thomas Brinkly, Lewis Brinkly. Prv’d May 1800. And then on 30 Sep 1799, Evan and Mary Thomas sold another 100 acre tract to John Thomas (K-362, Chatham NC). The land was situated on Little Creek and adjoined Jas. Petty’s land. Wit: Jas Petty.
About the same time as the deed above, on 8 May 1804, James Howard, the high sheriff of Chatham County sold land (0-394, Chatham) to Bartholomew Lightfoot. Whereas “Skurlock and Henderson lately before a single justice obtained judgment against John Thomas for the sum of one pound, fifteen shillings and the further sum of eighty shillings to cover constables costs making in the whole the sum of two pounds three shillings and an execution having issued by John Hackney Constable. “No goods or chattels were found and levied on 10 acres on the waters of Stinking Creek adjoining the lands of James Petty and others executed 16 Oct 1802.”
Beyond Anson County NC
Following legal concerns growing out of Chatham County NC, the record for Evan Thomas becomes questionable. His lands were sold by Thomas Ashcraft and then to Asa Thomas. Witnesses were John and Elizabeth Thomas, likely brothers and sisters. A John Thomas settled in Anson County about the same time where he lived through at least 1840. With children’s names and relations harkening back with ties to the Evan Thomas family of Chatham County NC, it is almost a certainty that John is related. But is he a son? A son of “old Evan?”
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. Being the lands of Evan Thomas, we now know the children removed from the state. But again, were these the sons of Evan Sr. or Jr. as identified in Chatham County deeds? And note that Evan’s friend Vincent Self had a brother named Bradley. Could this be an indication that Evan married a “Self?”
Found in the court records of Jackson County GA, 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.” Again, would this be Evan Thomas Sr. or Jr? Following the death of Evan Thomas in GA, it makes sense that his lands in NC would soon be sold as was indicated by the 1812 deed above. And it is also clear that Evan’s land in Chatham wasn’t completely settled until 1812. Was Evan Thomas holding on to ties in all three locations?
I am not in the position to research the families of those of this family who moved to Georgia. So I welcome additions to this story that reflect their life story. And for Evan’s son Asa Thomas, he may have moved to GA. However, he was not listed in the final estate administration found in Georgia court records. There is a rich record for an Asa Thomas who lived served in the revolution in Chatham County NC, only to remove to Anson before his death ca. 1850. And there was a John Thomas in Anson who may very well be old Evan’s son. Information on these folks can be found below.
Possible Children of Evan Thomas
Maps
Chatham County Maps
Anson County Maps
Union County Maps (where John Thomas settled)