GIDEON GREEN AND BENJAMN THOMAS LAND
Gideon Green received a land grant on Richardson's Creek issued in 1778. Benjmain Thomas and Gideon Green were chain bearers. There were no further land transactions until after the Revolutionary War. In 1784, Gideon sold one of his grants to Benjamin Thomas. The other was sold to Jacob Gurley.
In this image, Pleasant Hill Church Road crosses Richardson's Creek on the left. South of the creek is Austin's turkey houses, and to the north is the Smith land. In the early 1900's surveyor map of Union County, there was a Thomas mill just below the present location of the bridge. Also, leading from Jerusalem Chuch Road back to within a half a mile east of the present day bridge, a road crossed the creek at what is known as Charity Ford. The road and location of the crossing is faintly visible in this map. A wavy line coming in fro the south east corner and moving to the north west is what used to be the road leading to Charity Ford. It crossed the creek and intersected with Fish Road.
Likely within the borders of this image, Benjamin Thomas lived and died. He deeded land on the north side of the creek to son Ezekiel Thomas. Land to the south of the creek was deeded to son Annanias. Benjamin Thomas was buried on the north side of the creek in a cemetery that is long gone.
Note that Gideon Green's 1778 Land Grant was situated to the north of Richardson's Creek and bounded by Walnut Tree Creek. And that in Ezekiel's land division in 1872, Walnut Tree Creek was mentioned again. If you will notice, there is a pond at the top center of this image. Either/or Walnut Tree Creek dried up, or the formation of Pleasant Hill Road cut off the flow of the creek. I believe the pond is remnants of the water source for Walnut Tree Creek. If so, it would have run South-Southeast and entered Richardson's Creek somewhere near where Chartiy Ford crossed.
EDMOND L. DAVIS CEMETERY
In this image, Olive Branch Road can be seen at the top. Gourdvine Creek runs northerly on the extreme left hand side of the image and crosses Olive Branch Road at the top. At the lower right hand corner of the image, a square can be seen with a dark spot within its northern half. This is the Reverend Edmond Davis Cemetery. The dark spot is a small grove of cedars. Ananias Thomas and sons Jacob, Ebenezer, and Ananias Jr are all known to be buried in this cemetery.
Before his death in 1854, Ananias's son David owned 660 acres of land on Gourdvine Creek. Son James R. Thomas and brother-in-law Edmond Davis were appointed Administrators. Edmond Davis was appointed guardian for some of the children. He also purchased several hundred acres from the estate. I believe that David Thomas may also be buried at the cemetery. Furthermore, I feel the cemetery is either on or very close to the lands once owned by David Thomas.
David's brother Headley Thomas also owned land on Gourdvine Creek. He sold it and moved to just north of where present day Hwy 742 crosses Richardson Creek. Of interest, Headley Coburn/Cockburn once lived on Gourdvine Creek near where David and Headley Thomas lived. What is the relation between Headley Coburn and Headley Thomas?
HEADLEY THOMAS HOMEPLACE AND CEMETERY
Highway 742 runs to the north west in this image. Thomas Road bears off to the right and bends to the north east. At the top of the image, a dirt road turns off of Thomas road to the left. You should see a small house and some out buildings to the north side of this dirt road at the top of the image. Headley Thomas once lived in this area before his death in 1861. Headley Thomas and wife Winney Baucom Thomas are buried under a tree in the field directly across from the homestead at the extreme top of the page.
Please click once on the arrow at the bottom center of this image. From the new image that appears, you will see the Calvin Thomas house on the notheast side of Hwy 742 just below the intersection of Thomas road. Calvin is the son of Headley Thomas. Notice acrossHwy 742 from the Calvin Thomas home, you will see a small branch that runs to the south. Richardson's creek is just a little ways below the house. This Branch is known as Hudson's Branch and is likely the same one that is refered to in 1778 deeds involving Joackim Hudson. There was a Jacob Thomas that recieved land in 1778 on Hudson's Branch. I believe this Jacob is somehow related to our Thomas family.
JOHN R. and ANNIS NANCE THOMAS HOMEPLACE.
In this image, you should see a diamond shaped field at the top of the page. The field has a row of trees and two individual trees forming the image of two eyes and a mouth. Just to the right of this field, you should see two smaller fields that are not as well kept. In the early 1900's Union County Surveyor map, Annis Thomas lived in a house that once stood in the lower right field. All that is left of the homeplace is a punch well pipe sticking out of the ground at the lower end of the field.
You should notice a shadow just to the north of the field. The shadow is an old road running through the woods. Just below the field and to the right of the shadow, there is a hillside. On this hillside (less than a hundred yards from the old Annis Thomas homesite), there is a very old grave site containing about six graves. It is my belief that John R. Thomas is buried at this site. He died in 1857. I spoke to Ms. Emma Austin who once lived in the Annis Thomas home as a child. She said the graves were once marked, but does not remember who the names were.
BENJAMIN THOMAS, JR. TO HIS SON, JACOB THOMAS
In this image, highway 205 crosses the Rocky River on the Stanly-Union County line. In the lower part of this image, Pleasant Hill Church Road turns off to the right, curling up through the wooded river rise. To the left of highway 205, you will see a creek leaving Rocky River on the south side. It then crossing under the highway in the lower section of the image. This creek is known as "The Big Branch" or "Austin's Big Branch".
Benjamin, the son of Benjamin Thomas, once owned this land. Deeds indicate the land adjoined that of Bryant Asutin, hence the name "Austin's Big Branch". In 1835, being the same year as his death, Benjamin Thomas Jr. made a gift deed of 200 acres for his son Jacob Thomas. The deed stated the land adjoined another 300-acre tract owned by Benjmain.
Jacob Thomas married Elizabeth Baucom and lived on the land until his death sometime in the 1870's. He built a dam seat on the Big Branch situated within a few acres of Rocky River. Hard times hit by the 1850's and Jacob Thomas was faced with debt. The mill seat and land were sold to settle this debt. The description in this deed reflected the original description found in Benjamin Juniors gift. Furthermore, this land can be traced up to the present, verifying this is where Benjamin Thomas Junior once lived.
JACOB THOMAS
Jones Road turns west off Hwy 742 at the water tower in Burnsville, Anson County. About 1/2 mile down the road, it makes a hard left hand turn. This is where Jacob Thomas (son of Benjamin) made his home. After his death in the 1860's, wife Elizabeth lived in the home. After her death, grandaughter and grandson Louvenia and Jacob Biggers lived in the home.
In this image, the bend in the road is clearly visible at the bottom of the page. You will see a small blotch just below the bend. This is what is left of the outbuildings remaining on Jacob Thomas's homeplace. I was told the logs for Jacob's house were taken years ago as an effort to refurbish another old home.
J ust beyond this bend, as the road runs northwest, Jacob Thomas is buried in the open field just to the southwest of the road. Jacob's son John and daughter Frances are buried in a cemetery just down the road. (See John Thomas Cemetery)
JOHN THOMAS or JULIUS BURNS CEMETERY
If you continue on Jones Road about another half mile, you will pass a lake to the right and a home just beyond the lake. In this image, you will see the home on the right hand side of the road. To the northeast side of the house, the remains of a cemetery rests under an old tree beside the barn. Members of the John Thomas and Julius Burns families are buried here. Note that John is the son of Jacob Thomas and Julius married Frances, a daughter of Jacob Thomas. For land reference, Pine Log Creek runs parallel to this road just off screen to the west.