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The THOMAS surname is common throughout the United States and there were many branches in the early years of the southern states as well. There are several Thomas lines that are likely to be our the ancestors but as of this writing, they are unproven. The Thomas ancestral line we descend from begins with *JOHN THOMAS and his wife, *PHEOBE SPRINGER , both born about 1784. Their roots begin in the state of South Carolina. Three Thomas men, David, John, and John Nelson are recorded in censuses there and again in Georgia, Alabama and finally in Texas, all at the same times and places. Their relationship to each other has never been proven.

A Warren County, Georgia deed of 1799 indicates that John Thomas and his wife Pheobe sold to James George, 120 acres on Middle Creek. Another deed dated 1802 mentions a Widow Thomas as adjoining landowner to McCullers land. In 1806, McCullers sold land adjoining Thomas SPRINGER and David THOMAS.

In 1805 the State of Georgia held a land lottery where land was given to encourage settlement. Land in Warren county was awarded to David Thomas, John Thomas, John Nelson Thomas and Thomas Springer. Both John Thomas' had two draws, indicating that they were married men. The John in Breed's District was number 904, the John in Neal's District was 908, David Thomas was number 909. The same David Thomas family moved to Texas and ended up in the same area at the same time as our John Thomas family. It is likely that John and David were brothers, or at least cousins.

Pheobe's Springer's parentage has not been discovered. The land information may be useful because people in that time frame tended to marry their near neighbors. It is therefore possible that Pheobe is the daughter or near relative of Thomas Springer.

At least three of John and Pheobe Thomas's older children list their place of birth as Georgia.
 

The family appears in the 1830 Alabama Census in Marengo County, which adjoins Wilcox County. It is possible the family never moved in Alabama but the boundaries of the counties were changed.

The older female children were absent, probably married and living with their husbands. Neighbors of John Thomas in the 1830 Alabama Census were Henry H. Wheeler, whose daughter *Amanda married *James Avery Thomas, son of John, and John, Joseph and William Henson. Joseph Henson married John's daughter Polly. Also nearby was the Gilmore family. The Thomas, Wheeler, Henson and Gilmore families were also neighbors in Grimes County, Texas. Thomas Gilmore was security in the marriages of Polly and Lucinda, John's daughters.

Soon after the 1830 Alabama Census was taken, John moved his family to Texas, still a territory of Mexico. They joined Stephen F. Austin's colony before 1832, registering with other Alabama neighbors in 1835. The third entry above their names is the name of Sam Houston. The entry in Austin's register says:
 

No less than four Thomas family historians claim David Thomas, of Texas history fame, is the son of John Thomas. Each of the published histories vary slightly. A book detailing the life of David Thomas states that he was born in Tennessee and a friend of Sam Houston before coming to Texas in 1835 at the age of 35. He descends from a line of prominent politicians. A delegate to the convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos, he was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. Elected Texas' first Attorney General, he died two days before the Battle of San Jacinto aboard the ship Cayuga off the port of Galveston. He is buried in Zavala's private cemetery across Buffalo Bayou from the San Jacinto battleground. A historical marker was placed there in 1938 to commemorate his importance in the struggle for independence. A painting of David Thomas hangs inside the San Jacinto Monument. The dates and movements of our Thomas family do not coincide with David Thomas until they arrive in Texas. However, John Thomas was only 15 years older than the historical David, plus our David was only 14 years old when he came to Texas. The relationship of John Thomas to the other families he arrived in Texas with is not known. Undoubtedly the Springers are related to each other and to Phoebe. William Morris married John's daughter Lucinda January 25, 1830, but she died before registering with the Austin colony. Thomas Gilmore was security for the marriage which took place in Marengo County, Alabama. The Gilmore/Thomas connection is quite strong and several generations seem to overlap in those lines. John Gilmore III married Nancy Thomas, daughter of a John Thomas of Georgia in 1790. That date is clearly a generation before our John Thomas but a coincidence that has strong implications is that John Gilmore III died and is buried in Demopolis, Marengo County, Alabama - the same place our John Thomas lived. John Gilmore's children married into the families of Hinson, Springer and Landrum, just as our Thomas line did. The Gilmore family moved to Texas in 1833, settling in the same area as our Thomas family. According to a family history of the Gilmore family published in the Grimes County Family History Book, Simeon Thomas, youngest child of John Thomas, married Sarah Gilmore in 1853. "Simeon Thomas came to Texas in 1832 at age 5 from Alabama and died in 1897 at Montgomery, Texas where he had driven his 2 wheel cart to get the mail. His horse shied, and Simeon suffered fatal injuries in the accident... Sarah's sister-in-law, Frances, ran away with another sister's husband on a horse she stole from Simeon Thomas". The Thomas family settled in Montgomery County, Texas, west of Conroe. The county boundaries were changed, creating Grimes and Walker Counties from what was formerly Montgomery County, the homestead then becoming located in Grimes County. "

Sarah Gilmore Thomas remembered riding horseback with her baby Mary in her lap and son John behind her to visit her sister-in-law Mandy (Amanda Wheeler) Thomas, whose daughter Kate married John Morris" "Simeon and Sarah lived in a dog-trot house, two rooms and a porch across the front; later a kitchen was added. The corn cribs and rail fences were of logs, either whole or split; the cracks were 'chinked' with clay and straw or rags. There were parties, dancing, games, singings, dinners-on-the- ground, and Sunday could be a bad day for the oldest rooster or hen as it might end up in the dinner pot with dumplings. There was time to tell stories to the children, sing to them and rock them in front of the fire, to work with them doing chores that became increasingly taxing as the children grew. There were crops, cattle, horses, mules, sheep, chickens, turkey, and pigs to tend; wood to chop, washing in a washpot outdoors, growing and canning fruits and vegetables; everyone was kept busy and out of trouble. The children studied by candlelight or oil lamps, and misbehavior at school meant 2 whippens, one at school and one at home." (Written by David, Thomas, and Newton Jones - descendants of Simeon Thomas)

1850 Census, Montgomery County, Texas John Thomas lists his state of birth as South Carolina, his oldest three children living with him are listed as born in Georgia.

*JAMES and *AMANDA are listed as being unable to read or write. Their property is valued at $600. In the household is HENRY H. WHEELER, Amanda's father. Mary Ann Wheeler is Amanda's neice, daughter of her brother, John Wheeler. John lives two farms away from his sister Amanda with his wife Elizabeth and son Joseph Jr. but he denied paternity of the daughter living with Amanda. John listed his occupation as "none". Henry Wheeler's wife, Mary Ann Sawyer, does not appear on any census.
 

Elizabeth Wheeler was the sister-in-law of Amanda. Amanda's brother John had her declared insane. James' real estate was worth $480 and his personal property was worth $700. Jane and McGowan do not appear on future censuses. Notice that Amanda lists her state of birth as GA.
 

By the 1870 Census, James Avery had died, and *FRANCIS MARION THOMAS appears as the 16 year old Marion. For some reason, the dates in
the 1870 census are in error by two years for Amanda and Marion.

*FRANCES MARION THOMAS was the third eldest child being born 09 Aug 1852. On 21 Jan 1875, he married *SUSAN BARBARA MULLENS, daughter of *MATHEW S. MULLENS and *MARY ANN EDWARDS. Susan was born in Courtland, Cass County, Texas on 29 Feb, 1857 and moved to Walker County with her mother and sisters in 1866. Susan's ancestry appears in the EDWARDS and MULLENS chapters.
 

The first state listed after each name is their state of nativity, or birth. The second state listed is the father's state of birth and the third state is the mother's state of birth. Marion (*FRANCIS MARION) lists his mother as being born in Alabama though Amanda was born in Georgia according to earlier censuses. Notice that *MARY ANN MULLEN, Susan's mother, is listed as being born in North Carolina though other records indicate she was born in South Carolina. Her father PETER EDWARDS was born in SC and her mother, MARY SALMON was born in SC or possibly VA. Depending on who gave the census information, it was often inaccurate. In the same 1880 census, on a neighboring farm is this listing:
 

1854-55 THE TEXAS SCHOLASTICS: J. Thomas paid school tax in District 14 of Grimes County for 2 males and 1 female (John, Samuel, Phoebe) Nelson B. Thomas paid a school tax in District 4 of Montgomery County for 6 children. In 1855, Mary Thomas paid a school tax in District 6 of Montgomery County for 2 children, Rufus and Elizabeth.

1846 REPUBLIC OF TEXAS POLL LISTS: James Thomas

FIRST SETTLERS OF TEXAS: David Thomas and John N. Thomas received land in Montgomery County and James Thomas received land in Walker County. Those boundaries are now in Grimes County.

TEXAS - SAN JACINTO: Algernon P. Thomas, Benjamin Thomas, G.S. Thomas fought in the battle for Texas' Independence at San Jacinto.

1848 - Petition presented to establish a Baptist Church in Leona, Leon County. Signed by Sentha Thomas, daughter of John and Phoebe Thomas. She was a member in 1850, deceased in 1852. Judge R. E. B. Baylor conducted early services there. He also presided over the first district court.

1860 Census, Leon County, Texas hh660 - S.A.J. and Jane Thomas (Samuel A. J. , son of John and Phoebe) This area was known as Bear Grass, located in the northwest corner of Leon County, northeast of the present town of Jewett.