Monday, July 25, 2011

Genealogy Makes You Learn History


The earliest record we have found on James Speck Thomas places him in Owsley County, Kentucky in the year 1850.  Owsley County had only been formed 7 years before that from parts of Clay, Estill, and Breathitt Counties, and it was only 51 years before that on June 1, 1792 that Kentucky became the 15th state to be admitted to the union with full consent from Virginia.

Kentucky Counties 1818

Kentucky Counties 1855

There were a handful of other Thomas families found in the 1850 census in Owsley County, and all but one listed their birthplace as Kentucky.  There is ANOTHER James Thomas (40 years old) whose birthplace is listed as Virginia.  He's married to a Polley (birthplace listed as KY, 28 years old) and their children Ann, Presley, Amanda and America.  Whether or not there may be a connection to our James is still a mystery - I'm only using the birthplace as a clue to another investigation.  It may mean nothing.  Trying to figure out James Speck Thomas' parentage has been at a standstill now though for years - I may just request the assistance of you male Thomas' for DNA testing!  Whose interested?

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