 James Thomas R.S.
About 1829, James Thomas and other members of his family moved to Ware County, Georgia. Banner Thomas, LewisThomas and James Thomas, Sr. lived on adjoining property, in Ware County in the area that is now Pierce County. Their farms are located about five miles north of Patterson, Georgia. James Thomas died about 1835, and is buried in an unmarked grave in the Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church in Pierce County, Ga. James served in the Revolutionary War with his father Gilshot. He moved his family to Liberty Co. GA about 1807 and is listed in the tax digest there until 1828. He and Sarah were among the first members of Jones Creek Baptist Church on April 22, 1810. He served as clerk of the church from March 23, 1822 until Dec. 22, 1822. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ James Thomas was born in 1760 in St. George's Parish, Georgia, in what is now Screven County, Georgia. His father was Gilshot Thomas who migrated from Cecil County, Maryland, and settled in the Province of Georgia sometime prior to 1756, this being the year he made his first petition for land. He received a Royal Land Grant in St. George's Parish. (Candler-Colonial Records of Georgia - Volume VII - Page 816.) It is not known who James Thomas' mother was. Gilshot Thomas' parents were John Thomas and Ann Gailshiott Thomas, daughter of Lawrence Gailshiott. All were substantial citizens of Cecil County, Maryland as early as 1720. The records of the Jerusalem Lutheran Church, New Ebenezer, Georgia, show that Elizabeth Thomas, the daughter of Gilshot Thomas and his wife, was born the 11th of February, 1769 and was baptized the 15th of September, 1769. Godfathers and Godmothers were both parents and John Casper Wertsch. Gilshot Thomas died in Screven County, Georgia in 1809. James Thomas and his father, Gilshot Thomas, were both soldiers in the Revolutionary War and fought together in the same company in the South Carolina State Militia. This company was commanded by Lieutenant Jacob Buxton and Colonel Alexander Garden. James Thomas was married about 1783 to Sarah Banner. It is not known at this time who her parents were. He is listed in the U.S. Census of 1790 in Beaufort County, South Carolina as head of the family, with a wife and three sons under 16 years of age. He and his wife, Sarah Banner Thomas, had at least seven children in all, but only five are known at this time. They are: James Thomas and other members of his family moved to Liberty County, Georgia about 1807 and he is listed in the Tax Digests of Liberty County, continuously, from 1808 to 1828. He and his wife, Sarah, were among the first members of Jones Creek Baptist Church when it was newly constituted on April 22, 1810. James Thomas served as clerk of the Jones Creek Baptist Church from March 23, 1822 to December 22, 1822. Sarah Banner Thomas died in Liberty County sometime after 1820 and before 1830. Miriam Thomas Winsryg
|