Thomas Ancestors - Generation 8 - Charles H Thomas

Charles H. Thomas was born 16 November 1851 in Almira, New York, and died 14 April 1939 in Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan. 

Charles was the son of Washington Lafayette Thomas and Harriet B. Walker Thomas.

Charles Thomas married Nancy E. Ford 21 September 1879, daughter of William Ford and Isadore Halsted.  She was born 02 August 1858 in Southfield, New York, and died 21 October 1931 in Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan. 

Children of Charles Thomas and Nancy Ford are:

i. Clarence Thomas 1880-1941

ii. Roy Thomas 1881-1947 

iii. Effie Camella Thomas 1890-1965

iv. Melvin Thomas 1891-1980

v. Renue L. Thomas 1893-1958

vi. William Charles Thomas 1899-1980

PHOTO: Back - Nancy, cousin Wilsie from New York, William Ford (Nancy's father), Renue, Charles. Front - Melvin and Bill. The little girl in the middle is Georganna, daughter of Roy Thomas (not pictured).

* * *

Charles Thomas died 14 April 1939, age 87

Nancy Ford Thomas died 21 October 1931, age 73

They are buried in Arlington Hill Cemetery, Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan 

Thomas Ancestors - Generation 7 - Washington Lafayette Thomas

Washington Lafayette Thomas was born 15 April 1827 in Otsego City, Otsego County, New York, and died 12 June 1895 in Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan.

Washington Thomas married Harriett B Walker in 1849, daughter of Herman Walker and Eunesa Caswell. She was born 26 April 1825 in Smyrna, New York, and died 16 December 1908 in Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan.

Children of Washington and Harriett Thomas are:

i. Ella H Thomas 1850-1887 (married T J Noggles, married Ira Beerman)

ii. Charles H Thomas 1852-1939 (married Nancy Ford)

iii. Arthur Lafayette Thomas 1854-1938 (married Frances McNeil)

iv. Garland H Thomas 1855-1862

v. Erville N Thomas 1860-unk (married Ella Wilcox, married Lillie Hall)

vi. William George Thomas 1863-1945 (married Nettie Durren)

vii. Etta Eunice Thomas 1866-1903 (married Myrick Hurlbut)

* * *

Washington Lafayette Thomas died 12 June 1895, age 68

Harriett B Walker died 16 December 1908, age 82 

They are buried in Thomas Cemetery,  Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan

Thomas Ancestors - Thomas Family Farm

Before we launch into generation 7, let's note the purchase of the Thomas Family Farm.

George H Thomas and Adeline Baker Thomas purchased what is now the "Thomas Family Farm" on 21 November 1853 in Bangor Township, Van Buren County, Michigan, from Simon K. Wood. At one time the farm was over 333 acres and is now 99 acres, plus 1 acre for the Thomas Cemetery. (There was a sawmill where the cemetery is now.)

Sawmill on Thomas Family Farm

The farm remained in the Thomas family for 5 generations. The last Thomas to occupy the farm was Roger Thomas, son of Melvin Thomas, son of Charles Thomas, son of Washington Thomas, son of George and Adeline Baker Thomas. Roger Thomas died in 2012 and the farm was subsequently sold to the first owner not a member of the Thomas family. The cemetery is currently owned by Bangor Township.

* * *

PHOTO: Thomas farmhouse, March 2024, picture taken from the Cemetery.

Thomas Ancestors - Generations 1 through 6

I would buy a copy of this book if it didn't cost $36, plus shipping. It should be our family, but I can't guarantee it. (John Thomas is a pretty common name, even in 18th century Rhode Island.)

GENERATION 1

John Thomas was born in 1640 in Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom; died 08 October 1729, age 89, in Rhode Island, Colonial America; married Abigail (unknown surname).

Child of John and Abigail Thomas:

George Thomas 1681–1740

GENERATION 2

George Thomas was born 20 August 1681 in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island; died 26 June 1740, age 58, Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island; married Alice Gorton 20 January 1703, Warwick, Rhode Island.

Children of George Thomas and Alice Gorton:

i. Peleg Thomas 1707-1790

ii. Mary Thomas (married Thomas Fay)

iii. Sarah Thomas (married Sampson Sherman)

iv. George Thomas, born 1708

v. Samuel Thomas (married Ruth Gould)

vi. Alice Thomas (married Phillip Tillinghast)

vii. John Thomas

viii. Benjamin Thomas 1729-1812

GENERATION 3

Capt. Peleg Thomas was born in 1707 in Jamestown, Newport, Rhode Island; died about 1790 in Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York; married Mehitable Tripp in 1725, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, daughter of Job Tripp and Elizabeth Sweet.

Children of Peleg Thomas and Mehitable Tripp are:

i. William Thomas, born about 1732

ii. Sarah Thomas 1735-1824

iii. Peleg Thomas 1738-1830 (married Russella Aylesworth)

iv. George Thomas 1743-1803

GENERATION 4

George Thomas was born 26 July 1743 in Exeter, Washington County, Rhode Island; died 14 May 1803, age 59, Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York.

George Thomas married Bathsheba Hull 12 August 1764, Kingstown, Rhode Island, daughter of Charles Hull and Abigail Slack.

Children of George Thomas and Bathsheba Hull are:

i. Amos Thomas 1765-1855

ii. George Hull Thomas 1767–1843 

iii. Peleg George Thomas 1769–1851 

iv. Abigail Thomas 1770–1836

v. Charles Thomas 1775-1850

GENERATION 5

Amos Thomas was born 18 June 1765, Exeter, Rhode Island; died 22 January 1855, age 88, West Exeter, Otsego County, New York.

Amos Thomas married Deliverance 'Delia' Green 1791, Stephentown, New York, daughter of Samuel Green and Abigail Hall.

Children of Amos Thomas and Delia Green are:

i. Bathsheba Thomas 1792-unk

ii. George H Thomas 1794-1882

iii. Harry Green Thomas 1798-1884

iv. Amos Thomas 1800-1891

v. Abigail Thomas 1803-1849

vi. Susan Thomas 1806-unk

vii. Hannah Thomas 1808-unk

viii. Hull G Thomas 1812-unk

GENERATION 6

George H Thomas was born 14 December 1794, in Plainfield, New York, later moved to Otsego County, New York; died 05 November 1882, age 87, in Ohio.

George H. Thomas married Adeline Baker 16 August 1812, daughter of Marshall Baker and Betsey Ward.

George and Adeline Baker Thomas purchased what is now the "Thomas Family Farm" on 21 November 1853 in Bangor Township, Van Buren County, Michigan, from Simon K. Wood. At one time the farm was over 333 acres and is now 99 acres, plus 1 acre for the Thomas Cemetery. (There was a sawmill where the cemetery is now.)

Children of George Thomas and Adeline Baker are:

i. Levi Thomas 1814-unk

ii. Uriah Baker Thomas 1818–1904 

iii. Sylvanus Thomas 1821-unk

iv. George Thomas 1822-unk

v. Washington Lafayette Thomas 1827–1895 

vi. Alvira A Thomas 1828-1901; married Almyron Hills 

vii. Andrew Thomas 1832-unk

viii. Benda Lucenda Thomas 1835-1922 (married Oliver Thomas)

ix. Walter B. W. Thomas 1839–1862

NOTE: Some of the information I have on George Thomas and Adeline Baker came from FamilySearch website, and does not exactly match with the information in my dad's history of the Thomas family. I have found a few legal documents to confirm some of the information. Generally, FamilySearch is not as reliable as you'd want it to be, as it is mostly user-generated content.)

I don't have pictures of any of these early generations, so I'll start with generation 7 tomorrow.

Those Who Served

Let's start with my favorite man in uniform...

Burford Ancestors - Generation 5 - Conclusion of Burford Ancestry

 Well, it seems we have arrived at the point in which the remaining "ancestors" in this generation are still living. (Can you even BE an 'ancestor' if you're still living?) How did that happen? Well, of the 13 children of Alexander Oscar Burford, with his first and second wives, the oldest (Raymond) was 31 years old when the youngest (Judy) was born. (Really makes you thankful for birth control, doesn't it?) I hesitate to make blog posts about living people. So I think I'll do a summary post to end this series. There are eight more people in Generation 5 of the Burford lineage -- 

Robert Neil Burford

Ronald Gene Burford

Donnie Jeneal Burford

Lee Burford Hombs

James Wesley Hombs

Richard Gerald Hombs

Suellen White

Aaron Duane White, Jr.

These are the children of the four youngest Burford siblings - Lester, Neil, Juanita, and Judy. 

Of these eight, three have died:

Ronald Gene Burford, son of Lester and Cleffie Burford, was born 29 March 1944. He died 06 June 1981, age 37, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.  

Lee Burford Hombs, son of Mel and Juanita Burford Hombs, was born 10 October 1937, and died in January 1939 (maybe 1938?) of pneumonia. (Family records indicate he was just a few months old when he died, but his gravestone says 1939. I can't find any legal records to verify the date.)

Richard Gerald 'Jerry' Hombs, son of Mel and Juanita Burford Hombs, was born 11 August 1941, and died in May 2024.

* * *

Burford Ancestors - Generation 5 - Lester Morris Burford, Jr.

Lester Morris Burford, Jr. was born 16 March 1939 in Judsonia, White County, Arkansas

Morris was the son of Lester and Cleffie Burford.

PHOTO: Cleffie with Wathada and Morris

Morris married Veronica Kay Linville in October 1967, Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan, Church of Christ, daughter of Chester and Regenia Linville. She was born 26 October 1946.  

Child of Morris and Kay Burford:

i. Darren Clark Burford Keefer 1969-1993

Morris Burford married Diana Leigh 'Becky' Stickels, daughter of Carl and Diane Stickels. She was born 04 January 1947. 

Children of Morris and Becky Burford are:

ii. Leslie Renee Burford, born 01 October 1969, Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan..  

iii. Karen Lynn Burford, born 24 April 1972, Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan.

PHOTO: four generations - Cleffie, Morris, Leslie, and Leslie's daughter Taylor

* * *

Lester Morris Burford, Jr. died 01 August 2022

He is buried in Watervliet Cemetery, Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan.

(I know I have a picture of his regular headstone, but I'll be darned if I can find it right now...)

Burford Ancestors - Generation 5 - Wathada Jewell Burford

Wathada Jewell Burford was born 30 March 1936 in Judsonia, White County, Arkansas

She was the daughter of Lester and Cleffie Burford

Wathada Burford married Richard Thomas 12 September 1953 in Hartford, Van Buren County, Michigan, son of William and Christie Treat Thomas. He was born 17 November 1934 in Bangor, Van Buren County, Michigan.

Children of Wathada and Richard Thomas are:

i. Crystal Dianne Thomas, born 10 November 1954

ii. Richard Melvin Thomas, Jr., born 01 October 1956

iii. John David Thomas, born 17 August 1964

* * *

PHOTO: Lora Burford, Wathada Burford Thomas, John David Thomas. 1965, Brinkley, Arkansas.

PHOTO: Red and Wathada, John, Dianne, Rick. 1997, Watervliet, Michigan.

* * *

Richard Thomas died 05 May 2011, age 76, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Wathada Burford Thomas died 26 November 2024, age 88, in St. Joseph, Michigan.

They are buried in Watervliet Cemetery, Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan.