| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHY: "David F. Thomas Family" from Wells County, Indiana Family History 1837-1992, p579.
David F. Thomas, his wife, Anne; sister Magaline [sic], her husband, Abraham Beaber; sister Anna Mary, her husband Henry Beaber; oldest brother, Isaac Jr. and wife, Barbara, youngest brother John L.F. and his wife, Elizabeth, and all their families came to Indiana between the years 1845 to 1850 from Tuscarawas County, Dover Township, Ohio where their father Isaac Sr. had homesteaded in 1810. All settled in the Zanesville area of Wells County.
Some came by canal, some by covered wagon, but for all the journey was long and difficult. They came to unchartered, unlceared land, but they settled and endured all the hardships of early pioneers to raise their families.
David moved to his pre-emptied land in May, 1847, with his wife and three children, Sampson, age four, Lydia, three, and Shalter, one year old. He built a log cabin, one room, no windows, and a door made of skins into which his family moved in January, 1848. In this cabin three more children were born, but none lived to adulthood. Between 1870 and 1872 David built a new home for his family. This home is still standing and is the home of Marshall Johnson.
In 1849, David started classes for U.B members in his home. He, his sisters and brother were all well acquainted with the United Brethern Church. Their father had donated land and helped build an early church, which still stands. Christian Newcomer, an early circuit rider from Friedrich's [sic] County, Maryland for the church, was a visitor in their home when he made the trip to Tuscarawas County.
David was granted his first license in 1859. Together with his two sisters and their husbands, they helped build the College Corners Church and later the school which served the small community for many years. David was a circuit rider on the Bluffton circuit and later minister at College Corners.
Isaac, Jr., moved to land David sold to him. There he raised five children. John L.F. moved to Zanesville, where he worked at blacksmithing. He was a Justice of the Peace for several years. He was also a volunteer in the Civil War. He raised six children. Both sisters and their husbands lived close to Zanesville, were active in school and church.
David's wife Anne died in 1873. His oldest son, Sampson, had married in 1866. Shalter had purchased land in Union Township, Huntington County and was farming there. David remarried in 1884 to Mahalia Jackson Black. She had two children from a previous marriage. Lydia married Reverend S.T. Mahon in 1884 and moved to Ohio.
David was very active in the conferences and many years held offices. He wrote several papers for the church. But in 1885 he tendered his resignation because of needing to spend more time on his farm.
David was a large man, stern, tall, and energetic. He had a deep gruff voice and was a forceful speaker. Space does not permit the stories learned from many years of research about my third great grandfather, but he left his family and descendants a heritage of hard work and dedication of which they may be proud.
Source: http://www.plainofsharon.org/scott/gramps/ppl/7/1/cab61db683808cc4117.html - 22 Jul 2014.
DEATH: Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920
Name: David Thomas
Date: 8 May 1903
Location: Wells County
Age: 86 Yr
Gender: Male
Race: White
Source Location: County Health Office, Bluffton
Source notes: The source of this record is the book H-16 on page 53 within the series produced by the Indiana Works Progress Administration.
Source: Ancestry.com - 21 Jul 2014.
BURIAL: Jones Cemetery, Zanesville, Wells County, Indiana, USA
"David F Thomas: 1816-1903.
Anna Thomas: 1815-1873."
(headstone image onsite)
Source: Barbara Baker Anderson@findagrave - 21 Jul 2014
Memorial# 44371344
CENSUS: 1850 US Federal Census - Indiana, Wells, Union, Page 328B. *[2 Sep 1850]*
#13/13
David Thomas age 33 born Ohio. Farmer. Real Est=$300
Ann Thomas age 33 born Ohio.
Sampson Thomas age 7 born Ohio.
Lydia Thomas age 5 born Ohio.
Shelter Thomas (male) age 3 born Ohio.
Mary Thomas age 2 born Indiana.
Sarah Thomas age 1 month born Indiana.
CENSUS: 1860 US Federal Census - Indiana, Wells, Union, Page 53. *[20 Jun 1860]*
#381/358 (Post Office = Bluffton)
David F Thomas age 43 born Ohio. Farmer. Real Est=$1000, Pers Est=$250
Anne Thomas age 44 born PA.
Sampson Thomas age 17 born Ohio. Farmer.
Lydia Thomas age 15 born Ohio.
Shalter Thomas (male) age 13 born Ohio.
Mary Thomas age 12 born Indiana.
John Thomas age 6 born Indiana.
CENSUS: 1870 US Federal Census - Indiana, Wells, Union, Page 14. *[15 Jul 1870]*
#117/110 (Post Office = Markle/Zanesville)
David F Thomas age 54 born PA. Farmer. Real Est=$3000, Pers Est=$830
Anna Thomas age 55 born PA.
Shalter Thomas (male) age 23 born Ohio. Farmer.
John Thomas age 17 born Indiana. Works on Farm
Lydia Thomas age 25 born Ohio. Assists
Ann E Fisher age 9 born Ohio.
Anna Weible age 81 born PA. Knitting.
CENSUS: 1880 US Federal Census - Indiana, Wells, Union, ED 140, Page 2A. *[3 Jun 1880]*
#6/6
David Thomas (head) age 63 born PA. Widowed. Preacher. F=PA, M=MD
Lydia Thomas (daughter) age 35 born Ohio. Keeping House.
Shalter Thomas (son) age 34 born Ohio. Farmer.
CENSUS: 1900 US Federal Census - Indiana, Wells, Union, ED 155, Page 14B. *[25 Jun 1900]*
#218/321
David F Thomas (head) age 83 born Jul 1816 Ohio. Married 15 years. retired. F=GER, M=GER
Mahala Thomas (wife) age 56 born Jan 1844 Ohio. Married 15 years. 2 children, 2 alive. F=OH, M=OH
(David's son Sampson living entry above on census page)
CENSUS: 1910 US Federal Census - Indiana, Wells, Union, ED 172, Page 13A. *[12 May 1910]*
#287/291
Mahala J Thomas (head) age 68 born Ohio. Widowed. Own Income. 2 children, 2 alive. F=OH, M=PA
William W Black (son) age 35 born Ohio. Single. Labourer, Odd Jobs. F=OH, M=OH
|
1816 - 1903 (~ 86 years)