Immigration & Historical Information
:: THOMAS & NELLY THOMPSON ::
The father of THOMAS THOMPSON was JOHN THOMPSON, perhaps of Tynemouth Parish, Northumberland, England.
A Thomas Thompson was christened 16 May 1731, Christ Church, North Shields, Tynemouth Parish, Northumberland, Eng.; son of John (Parish Register).
THOMAS (b:173l) married ELINOR "NELLY" AGAN (b:22Feb1735, d:180O) in 1752
at St. George's Parish Record, Baltimore County, Maryland. NELLY THOMPSON was the daughter of JAMES & RACHEL AGAN/EAGAN/HAGAN, immigrants to Pennsylvania (country of origin unknown).
The couple came to NC 1762/64. Thomas built grist mill at Saxapahaw, and settled 3 miles north.
"Ellender" died 6May1800 per notation in Thomas' Bible. There is no annotation of his death made.
:: FAMILY LEGEND ::
Thomas Thompson was from a wealthy English family. He ran away from home as a teenager because he didn't get along with his step-mother.
In a barrel, he was put aboard a ship as cargo, and sailed from Liverpool to Philadelphia, where he was sold as an indentured servant to pay for his passage.
After he paid what he owed (5 years was the standard) and turned 21, he and Nelly were married and settled first in the Pennsylvania hill country, which is west of the Susquahanna River. By one version, she had been his childhood sweetheart in England.
Another legend says they decided to move south after the death of a child one cold winter.
Their oldest children were born in northern Baltimore/Harford County, Maryland, which was then claimed as part of Pennsylvania.
In 1751 Thomas received 99 a year lease on 99 acres on Broad Creek. The lease was made out in name of Rachel EAGON, "but she, being dead, and it appearing that Thomas Thompson has the only equitable right thereto, it was leased to him.", in a document dated 5 March, 1750 (this was when New Year began March 25 rather than January 1st as we now know it), so the correct date would have been 5 March, 1751. [Note: Elinor, then 16, was too young to own land, and apparently ceded right to him.]
In September, 1762 Thomas sold the land rights for 90 pounds, 10 shilling.
It has been reported that Thomas died in 1795. Thomas & Nelly were buried (per grandson Daniel) with unengraved markers in Thompson Family Cemetery (on a hill overlooking Motes' Creek).
Visiting the cemetery late in 1897, their grandson Daniel noted: "The graves had good tombstones, but not a scratch on them" [with a date], nor was there 'a scratch of a pen' in Thomas' Bible."
:: THOMAS THOMPSON ::
Last Will & Testament
and
other papers located
The will of Thomas Thompson was submitted for probate May 1796, but was "caveated" by John O'DANIEL (Court of Pleas Minutes & Quarter Sessions) and never entered in the Will Book.
(Note: 0riginal Orange County Deed Books covering 1757-1768 were buried when the British troops occupied Hillsboro during the Revolution, and totally ruined when finally unearthed. A current database has copies of a few deeds from that period. Court of Pleas Minutes also missing for Nov 1762 thru Mar 1777. Thus there are few extant records for the time period when Thomas came to North Carolina).
Thomas' Last Will & Testament includes the following:
::26 July, 1768 Deed from John McKIE to Thomas THOMPSON, Hawfields in Tract #3 (Lewis Conner, 12,223 acres mostly N&W of Cain Creek, East of Haw River but included land along East bank of river, South of Cain Creek).
::13 January, 1770 Thomas Thompson, a "yeoman" bought 277 acres (50 pounds) on the Haw River, South of Cain Creek [East of the river] from William Carruthers. (The land was situated at corner of later Alamance, Orange & Chatham Counties.)
Witnesses: William Allen, Samuel Thompson
::1773 "Intruder List"(?)
::Hawfields Tract #3 (Samuel Strudwick lawsuit)
::1781 Orange County, North Carolina Tax List; Caswell District
::John Thompson 1177 acres
::Thomas Thompson __ acres
(Note: Thomas Thompson probably held title to the land, but son John Thompson paid most of the taxes.
::18 June 1787, 450 acres on Motes Creed, adjoining lands of John Steel, from Samuel Strudwick (part of the Edward Mosely grant [Granville agent]).
Witness: James Mebane
::1790 Tax List
::1373 acres; 0 Black Poll. Adjoining lands of sons James, William, and Thomas Thompson, Jr. (Note: Thomas Thompson was the largest land owner in Caswell District).
::August, 1797 (Estate Inventory)
::1797 Deed to Josiah Thompson from John, Maria, James, Rachel, William, Thomas, Hannah, Samuel, Robert, Joseph, Jonathan, Sarah, and Ellender
 :: 
This site is an ongoing research project, so will be continuously updated with new information as it becomes available.
Last update:
Friday, 18-Apr-2008 18:50:22 MDT
~ Site content and design © 2002 - 2008 by Vickie L. Charlton ~
Reproduction of written material or photographs from this site is
PROHIBITED
without express written permission of author
Clip Art & Backgrounds
provided by:
|