Pylant Geneology

From: "Lincoln County Tennessee Pioneers"; Vol. V, No. 1, HISTORY OF THE THOMAS FAMILY, written by William Edwin Smith - 1938. Original owned by Mrs. Mike Bryant, nee Marjorie Smith, of Howell, Tennessee. Contributed by Ruth C. Morgan.
William Thomas was born in Kentucky Jan 12, 1790. English by birth, he served in the War of 1812. Rebecca Lyon and William Thomas were married Oct 9, 1814. She was only seventeen years old when she married. She was born in North Carolina Jul 7, 1797. They first moved soon after their marriage to a little place in Alabama called Shades of Death. They did not like it so the next move they came to Tennessee on pack horses. On their way to Tennessee his horse got loose one night, so the next morning he started out to overtake it. It took him two days and nights to find it and get back to the little tent. That left her by herself, so she had to keep fire all night to keep the wolves away. The next place I find a record of them camping in Lincoln County, Tennessee, three miles north of Fayetteville on the Fayetteville and Shelbyville pike, now U. S. Highway 241, on the west side near Norris Creek, known as The Owen Higgins farm in the latter part of 1815; he was a school teacher so Mr. Higgins got him up a school, and the Thomases never forgot this deed and has been handed down to the present time, they voted for his son and then his grandsons; our County Court Clerk now is a grandson. In 1817 he bought 53 acres of land from Robert Willett on West of Norris Creek for $250, and about 1824 he bought 174 and 3/4 acres of land from Christian Carrigar, Extr. of Goodfrey Carrigar, on east waters of Cane Creek for $766.27 and in 1825 he sold his Norris Creek land, 53 acres, to Owen Higgins for $255 and moved 3 1/2 miles north of Renfro Station, now Howell, Tennessee on a little creek called Gingerbread where they lived until death, and reared the following children:
Albert Galitan Thomas- (Dec 23, 1817-1843);
Edwin Thornton Thomas- (Mar 1, 1819- Apr 6, 1903);
Margaret Lee Thomas- (Sep 23, 1820-Jan 14, 1884);
Betsy Thomas- (Aug 27, 1822-Apr 28, 1829);
Hugh Don Alphonso Thomas- (Jan 7, 1824-Mar 17, 1899);
Polly (Mary) Thomas- (Oct 24, 1825 -Fayetteville, Ark.);
Eliza Jane Thomas- (Oct 7, 1827- Nov 16, 1841);
William Ledger Thomas- (Apr 16, 1829-Jul 16, 1905);
Harriet Ellen Thomas- (Jan 1, 1831- Jul 23, 1889);
Emily Katherine Thomas- Apr 3, 1832- Jun 13, 1896);
Cynthia Blakemore Thomas- (Jan 9, 1834-Dec 9, 1919);
George Washington Thomas- (Jan 5, 1836-Jul 27, 1906);
Penelope Thomas- (Apr 22, 1838-Mar 29, 1853);
Benjamin Franklin Thomas- (Mar 22, 1841-Jan 28, 1921).
William Thomas died Oct 3, 1877 and Rebecca Lyon Thomas died Oct 17, 1867. Albert Galitan Thomas was going to school in Knoxville, Tennessee studying to be a Presbyterian minister and died there sometime in 1843. He was never brought back home. I have a letter that Grandpa wrote him on May 8, 1840 and mailed on the 10th in Fayetteville, Tennessee and it was received at the Postoffice in Knoxville on May 21. He said to him in his letter he would expect an answer about June 1. Edwin Thornton Thomas and Jane Moore were married Apr 8, 1843 by A. M. Pickens (Minister of Gospel). Born to them were Esther, Albert, Rebecca, William, Josie, Nannie, Mary, John A., Hugh E., George W., Edward T. Margaret Lee Thomas and Robert L. Proctor were married by W. C. Dunlap M. G. Feb 10, 1848 and moved to Alabama near Scottsboro; born to them were Thomas, Albert, Hugh, Jeremiah and Eliza Jane. Jeremiah came to Tennessee and went to Oak Hill, now Bellville, to Himebaugh with Ella Thomas in 1876. In 1898 Jeremiah taught school at Old Unity; that was my first school days. The house burned one day about 11 a.m. and we finished the session in Unity Church. Then Jeremiah taught at Howell, and also Oak Hill. We drifted to Mount Ida. Betsy Thomas never married. Hugh Don Alphonso Thomas and Cynthia Millard were married Nov 27, 1858 by Mat Marshal (M.G.). Born to them were Mary, Lou, Lizzie, Cora, and Mark. Polly (Mary) Thomas and Andrew Armstrong were married Sep 30, 1847. They were married by W. C. Dunlap. He died in about a year after they were married. Later on she went to Scottsboro, Alabama to visit her sister, Margaret Proctor, and met William Holland. They married and moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas. She didn't come back to Tennessee until 1898. Eliza Jane Thomas never married. William Ledger Thomas and Elizabeth Clark were married Apr 1, 1859 by G. E. Egleton. Born to them were Hattie, George C., Lilburn, Barbara, Livingston and Mary. Hattie, Livingston and Mary are still living. Harriet Ellen Thomas and W. Mack Roseborough were married by J. J. Short (M.G.) Dec 20, 1876. No children. Emily Katherine Thomas and James C. Pylant were married Apr 14, 1868 by N. D. Crawford (Minister of Gospel). Born to them were 3 boys: Marion, George, and Lon - all living. Cynthia B. Thomas and Thomas W. Smith married Dec 19, 1867 by S. L. Crawford, M. G. Born to them were 3 sons: Charles Franklin, Wm. Edwin, and Neil George. George W. Thomas and Lou McMillian were married Jan 15, 1863 by L. L. Clark, Justice of Peace. Born to them were Willie, Eula, Maggie, Joe, Mollie, and George. Joe and George only ones living. William Thomas' Will: State of Tennessee Lincoln County I, William Thomas, do make and publish thias as my last will and Testament hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me at any time made. First, I direct that my funeral expenses and all my debts be paid as soon after my death as possible out of any moneys that I may die possessed of or may first come into the hands of my Executors. I have heretofore given my three daughters to wit: Harriet Thomas, Emily Pylant and Cynthia Smith all my household and kitchen furniture of every kind. I further direct my Executors as soon after my death as may be convenient, to sell all my personal property of every description - not otherwise provided for, - on a credit of twelve months, and also to sell all my real estate on a credit of one, two and three years either publicly or privately, taking notes and good security and retain a lien on said land until the purchase money is paid. As fast as said notes are collected together with all my assets of every description, I hereby direct my Executors to divide the same equally between all my children and if anyh of my children should die before I do, I desire that their children shall draw the same from my estate that the parent would have drawn if living, except my daughter, Emily Pylant to whom I have heretofore given by deed of gift a tract of land in Civil District No. 9 containing 97 acres and 63 poles, less 5 acres which belonged to the estate of John March dec'd and sold by a decree of the Chancery Court which is the full share of her part of my Estate. She shall draw nothing else from my estate. I further direct my Executors to set apart 1/2 acre for a family cemetery. Lastly I nominate and appoint Hugh D. A. Thomas and William L. Thomas my Executors. In testimony whereof I have set my hand and affixed my seal, this the 27th day of January 1872. William Thomas Witnesses: L. L. Clark J. J. Short Will probated 6th of October 1877