... starts with the Thomas Family - John Walker Thomas

Page 2 of Letha's binder is the Family Group Sheet of John Walker Thomas, son of Archelaus Thomas and Rachel Ann Walker Baber. John is listed as being born 30 Jan 1827 in VA. His death is recorded as 17 Jan 1892, he was nearly 65.

John was married to a Nancy Miller, born 7 May 1835, died 13 Sep 1894. There is no marriage date for them listed, but a note from Letha says that "All children born at Meadow Bluff" in Greenbrier County. I did find their marriage info here on the WV Culture website, (which if you do any WV research, is PRICELESS), they applied for a marriage license on 19 Dec 1855, and were married on 20 Dec 1855 in Greenbrier County by a J.P. Etchison. John's parents are correctly listed as Arch & Rachel, Nancy's parents are Wm & Jane Miller. Nancy was 20 years old and born in Greenbrier County.

In the Information Obtained From section Letha has noted again the "Old Diary of Mary Jane Thomas Fitzgerald, shared by her daughter Susie Fitzgerald Oak Hill, WV" Mary Jane is a daughter of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller. Several of the following children have a notation of "(Ollie)" next to them, Ollie being a child of John Floyd Thomas and Flora Belle Callison, grandchild of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller.

The children of John Walker Thomas and Nancy Miller:

1. Martha Estaline (Infant), b 21 Mar 1857 or 8 Apr 1857 (Ollie) d 30 Aug 1857
2. Wm Alexander M. (Infant), b 21 Apr 1858 or 21 Mar 1858 (Ollie) d 8 Aug 1858
3. Mary Jane Brown, b 23 Apr 1859 d 11 Oct 1938, married Geo. W. Fitzgerald, children listed: Robert Lee, Susie, Bessie. "See back" notation: "Mary Jane md Geo. W. Fitzgerald, b 13 Mar 1834; Robert Lee b 11 Sep 1897 at Springdale (WV) d 9 Jul 192, md Barbara Williams, d 1 Jun 1956, 6 girls; Susie b 5 Jan 1898 Meadow Bluff, d 14 Nov 1994 Oak Hill (WV); Bessie b 4 Oct 1901 d 29 May 1990 Oak Hill."
4. Elizabeth Nettie, b 8 Mar 1861 d Feb 1906, married Jake Milner, children: Charles and Howard.
5. Fannie Ann, b 13 Apr 1863 d 9 Feb 1874 at 11 years old.
6. John Floyd, b 27 Jun 1865d 1 Jan 1944 in Seoul Chapel, married Flora Belle Callison 12 mar 1896 in Greenbrier County, WV, children: Ollie, Ray, and Russ.
7. Lydia Alice, b 28 Apr 1868 d 31 Dec 1894 at age 26.
8. Robert Lee, b 19 Apr 1869 d 1 Dec 1921, never married.
9. Augustus "Gus" Samuel, b 25 Sep 1871 d 30 Apr 1950, married to Lula Deene. children: Myrtle, Lacy, Baby Boy; "see back" notation: Gus' daughter Myrtle married Lacy Moody, Myrtle died of a stroke Dec 1988; Gus' son Lacy md Ava ___, had a son Lacy Jr.
10. Edward Smith, b 5 Jul 1874 or 1 Jul 1874 (Ollie) d 28 Feb 1936, married Sarah Bell Evans 10 Apr 1910 in Kingwood, WV, children: Frank, Fred, Helen Rae, Olive.
11.  Lulie Mackie, b 10 Jun 1877 d 22 Aug 1964, married Walter Cae Hamilton (d 21 Jun 1941), no children.
12. Joseph Lemon "Joe", b 23 Jan 1880 d 29 Nov 1937, married to Myrtle Steven (?) who died 26 Apr 1952.

Also on the back of this group sheet is the following entry recorded by Letha:

John Walker Thomas died when his wagon was crowded to the edge of (the) road. He had some barrels of salt he'd gotten at Sandstone for someone where he lived. When the wagon tilted the barrels slid to the side and took the wagon and horses and all over the cliff above a creek. I saw the place where it happened. The road is very narrow and a team of oxens tried to pass him, he should have gotten off but didn't. They carried him to a house across the creek, a family of Hollands lived there. (As written by Susie Fitzgerald, granddaughter)

Are you connected to this family? Do you know who currently has Mary Jane's "Old Diary" (I'd love to see it!). Do you have any pictures of this family? Contact me!