The Hyphen Family Lineage

[Article "Rev. David F. Thomas," from Biographical and Historical Record of Adams and Wells Counties, Indiana, pp1023-1024.]

REV. DAVID F. THOMAS, of Zanesville, was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. In 1847 he started for Indiana with his wife, Anna (Weibel) Thomas, and three children - Samson, Sholter [sic] and Lydia. They located on land which he pre-empted, and in May, 1848, entered the same. Not a stick had been felled upon the land; no roads had been cut through the dense woods. He moved the household goods to Miami County, Indiana, by water, thence to Huntington County, and to his land. The first cabin on this tract was built about forty rods west of his present home. A small clearing was made, a small cabin built, and the family moved in January 11, 1848. The cabin had no floor, no door and no windows. Their furniture consisted of the boxes in which their goods were packed. David hewed a frame for his bedstead, and also for his trundle-bed. He was an independent young man, but had neither team nor money to pay for his land. For some time he worked by the day, earning money to keep his family in provisions. His first purchase was of a cow and calf, and another one purchased made his first team. A sled was made, and on it the family had their first ride to a neighbor’s. David led the calves, which really made a fine team. There was a mill at Roanoke, but frequently there could be neither flour nor meal obtained. At one time Mr. Thomas paid one dollar to get two bushels of corn ground. There were no bridges over the streams, and David had to swim his horse across Little Run, and carry the corn on his back to keep it from getting wet. The woods were full of game, but Mr. Thomas was not much of a hunter, and never killed but two deer and a few wild turkeys. Their syrup and sugar was made from maple trees. The inhabitants were mostly poor, but they were generous and would go many miles to assist a new-comer raise his cabin, or help to roll logs. Three children were born in the old cabin, and one died within its hallowed walls. Sarah, Mary and John are all deceased; the three oldest are living. Samson married Mrs. Susan (Caley) Core, and resides in Union Township; Lydia is the wife of Rev. S. T. Mahan, pastor of the Summerville circuit United Brethren church, in Union County, Ohio; Sholter [sic] is a bachelor, living in Huntington County, where he owns a farm. In 1859 Mr. Thomas received his first license from the quarterly conference of the United Brethren church in Lancaster Town ship. Two years later he received a license from the annual conference, and was assigned to Bluffton Mission and Mount Pleasant. After that he did miscellaneous work for several years, traveling most of the time and preaching in private houses. The first religious services of the United Brethren church were held in the house of our subject April 8, 1849, Rev. Lewis S. Groves officiating, when the first class was organized. This cabin was a regular preaching point for several years. Later the school-house was used for that purpose, and now they have a substantial frame church building, with thirty-five members, Rev. D. Abbott, pastor. Mr. Thomas continued in the ministry for more than a quarter of a century. In 1885 he left the pulpit to attend to his farm. The death of his wife occurred October 29, 1873, and October 30, 1884, he married Mrs. Mahala Black, who was born and reared in Mercer County, Ohio. They have no children. The life of Mr. Thomas has been principally devoted to the ministry. He has formed classes and established churches at many points. Mrs. Thomas has two children: Catherine and William.

[Article "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-empted 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.

[Article "Rev. David F. Thomas Family" from Zanesville, Indiana History 1849-1976, pp220-221.]

Rev. David F. Thomas, along with his wife, Anna (Weibel) Thomas and three children; Samson, Sholter [sic], and Lydia preempted land in Union Township in 1848.

The first cabin to which David moved his family had no floor, no door, and no windows. Their furniture consisted of boxes, in which their goods were packed. David hewed a frame for his bedstead and trundle-bed. He was an independent young man, working by day to provide for his family. His first purchases were a cow and a calf - and the purchase of another calf made his team. He made a slep to transport his family. Sarah, Mary and John, children born in the cabin, died. David built a house later. Samson married Mrs. Susan (Caley) Kohr. Lydia married Rev. S.T. Mahan. Sholter was at this time a bachelor.

David F. Thomas was a "circuit rider" preacher. He, along with Mr. and Mrs. Henry Beaber and Abraham and Magdaline Beaber worked to establish the College Corners United Brethren Church. (Beaber family).

In 1859, Rev. Thomas received his first license from the quarterly conference of the United Brethren Church. The first religious services of the united Brethren Church were held in Rev. Thomas's home, Apil 8, 1849. Lewis Graves was the minister. The cabin was a regular preaching point, where the first group was organized. The congregation later used a schoolhouse.

Although he didn't fill the pulpit as a regular preacher, his name was found along with A.M. Keplinger, of the United Brethren Church at Zanesville, in the Sunday School Division.

Mr. Thomas continued in the ministry for some 25 years. In 1885, he left his pulpit to farm. After his first wife died, he married Mrs. Mahala Black. The life of Mr. Thomas had principally been devoted to the ministry. He formed classes and established churches.

The second Mrs. Thomas had two children; Catherine Black and William Black.

This farm location is the south east corner of Section 7. Marshall Johnson, owner.

Samson Thomas' log cabin, pictured on this page, was situated 3 miles south on Rd. 3 and 1/4 mi. west on the south side of the road. Left to right: D. Monroe, Susan Caley Kohr (his wife), Allie, Samson, and Lewis Thomas.

D. Monroe (born in 1870) was the father of Lafe Thomas (Refer to the George Weaver family) Vaughn Thomas, Keith Thomas, Edna Fishbaugh, and Faye Thomas. Vaughn married Sadonna Plat (daughter of Senus Platt). They have been more than helpful on this book. They live 3 1/4 miles south on Rd. 303, and are the parents of Bill, Bob, Dick and Jean Kleinschmidt. They have 15 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Allie Thomas died young, no family. Lewis Thomas was the father of Floyd and Myrle [sic].

Susan Caley (refer to Sam Caley family) Kohr's children by her first marriage were Maggie (Kohr) Smith, whose children are Kenneth and Curtis, and Jake Kohr, father of Carl, Ray, L.D. and Glenna Clark.

[Editing note: like the article on the Samuel Burdell Caley family from the same text, this article is reproduced here without correction of formatting or grammar errors. The article does misspell the names of Shalter Thomas and Merle Thomas, and in the print page, the text describing the photo has Allie and D. Monroe switched in their placement.

Unlike several of the contemporary articles and essays I've read on David F. Thomas and his family, I believe this one was not written by Jane Anne Thomas. Instead, I think it more likely that this article was written by Robert K. "Bob" Thomas, son of Vaughn Thomas and Sadonna Platt, and second cousin to Jane Anne.]

[Biographical article for the Rev. David F. Thomas, from the History of the Auglaize Annual Conference from 1853 to 1891, by Rev. John Lewis Luttrell, pp165-166.]

In the absence of anything better we must content ourselves with a pen portrait of Rev. David F. Thomas, who became a member of the Conference in 1861. From whence he came, when he was born, when he was converted, and when he joined the United Brethren Church, we do not know, though we sought to obtain that knowledge. One thing, however, we do know, that Mr.Thomas is an old man and full of years, and possesses an iron constitution, and just such a will as we would expect to find in connection therewith. A strongly built muscular frame, large Roman nose, high cheek bones, stiff, bushy hair, sharply outlined general features, and distinctly marked muscles and blood vessels, together with a deep, grum, bass voice, presided over by the genius which is.his by right of nature's endowments, make the man. In him the motive temperament predominates, and had the grace of God passed him by, he not only would not have been saved himself, but would be in the way of others' being saved. Of such a one, where grace is absent, it would be just as easy to break the back as to break the will. But notwithstanding this, God's love and truth can so transform and assimilate as to make the rough exterior the dwelling place of the meek and lamblike spirit ofChrist. Mr. Thomas came into the world and into the Church for a purpose, and we suppose he has filled his place correspondingly well in common with others. In the many years of our acquaintance we have walked together unto the house of God in company, and often did we take sweet counsel together, without a thought, so far as we know, that ever the storm cloud of discontent and disaffection should fall upon us as we journeyed homeward. But it came to pass that the wrath of man came between the hearts of John[athan] and David, and without any other cause "David" went away, feeling himself impelled to identify himself with the seceders.

[Obituary for David Thomas, from the Huntington Daily News-Democrat, 9 May 1903, p1.]

[headline] DAVID THOMAS' DEATH

Wells county has lost a pioneer resident in the death of David Thomas, who was also well and favorably known in Huntington county.

His death occurred Friday night at 11 o'clock. He had been an invalid several years and his death was expected. For the last two or three years he lay in a stupor from which he was aroused from time to time to receive medicine and nourishment. He was advanced in years, being eighty-six years old. He was a pioneer minister of the United Brethren church and labored faithfully for his master. Death occurred at his home in Union township, Wells county.

Rev. Thomas was twice married, being survived by his second wife and three children, fruits of the first marriage. Children are Sholter and Sampson Thomas, of Union township, and Mrs. Rev. McMahan, of Decatur.

The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon, leaving the residence at 2 o'clock for the U.B. church near College Corner where services will be conducted. Interment will be made in the cemetery one-half mile east of the church.

Note: Researching Rev. David F. Thomas

With such a common given name (David) and surname (Thomas), along with the preponderance of Thomas family lines that came from Maryland and Pennsylvania into Ohio and further into the midwest in the 18th and 19th centuries, there has been some challenge establishing the ancestry of David F. Thomas and his wife Anna. Thomas family notes and oral history stated that David F. was the son of Isaac Thomas, was likely born in Tuscarawas Cty, Ohio (where his father, Isaac, homesteaded in 1810 and helped build a United Brethren church), became a United Brethren minister and circuit rider, married Anna/Anne Weble/Wieble, and moved to Wells Cty, Indiana when his oldest son was still young. He is also documented as one of the founders of the United Brethren Church in Zanesville, Wells Cty, Indiana, and is buried in Jones Cemetery in that same town of Zanesville. Additionally, his wife is described in family notes as being of German origin and whose family heralded from Maryland prior to moving to Ohio. He is buried with his wife, whose year of birth is listed on their gravestone as 1817. Their marriage date in family notes is listed as 24th Mar 1842.

There are three mentions of a David Thomas in The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, but none of them appear to be David F. Thomas, son of Isaac Thomas and Anna Maria Flack. The one in the Tuscarawas County history appears to have been born to Abraham Thomas and Elizabeth Baker (from Bedford Cty, Pennsylvania), was two years older, remained resident in the region on his own farm, and married twice (Nancy Fetter and the widow Agnes Butcher). There is, however, further mention of the Thomas family in a passage about a Union Church (involving United Brethren) that was built about 1844; they are mentioned as having participated in its construction.

David Thomas is noted in Christian Metzger: Founder of an American Family 1682-1942 (p182) as having been connected with United Brethren congregations and conferences, and that not long after his marriage to Anna Weible (listed in Christian Metzger as 1840) they relocated to Ronaoke, Wells Cty, Indiana. Anna's birthdate is given in Christian Metzger as 1816.

The family biography for David F.'s family in the Wells County, Indiana Family History 1837-1992 (p579) reports that David (with his wife and three children, Samson being the eldest at four years old) moved to Wells County, Indiana from Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1847.

The items seem to line up a bit too thoroughly for coincidence, so it seems to be fairly established that David F. Thomas, father of Samson Monroe Thomas and my fourth-great-grandfather, is husband to the Anna Weible, daughter of Anna Nancy (Metzger) Weible and great-granddaughter of Christian Metzger of the aforementioned Christian Metzger: Founder of an American Family history. The strongest evidence of David F. being a son of Isaac Thomas and Anna Maria Flack (daughter of Lucas Flack) is that David F.'s youngest brother was named John Lucas Flack Thomas. This brother and his wife, Elizabeth, came to Wells Cty, Indiana shortly after David and Anne. Additionally, David's oldest son, Samson Monroe Thomas, also had a son (who died in infancy) named John Lucas Flack Thomas. This would indicate a strong connection to the Lucas Flack family.

ADDENDUM: In the 1870 US Census, the record for the household of David F. Thomas includes an 81-year-old Pennsylvania-born women named Anna Weible. This is almost certainly his mother-in-law, Anna Nancy (Metzger) Weible of the Christian Metzger text. It is noted in the text that she visited the family in Indiana in the 1870s, and she was born in 1790, so the age lines up as well. I will note that both David and Anna's birthplaces are given as Pennsylvania in that record, which for David at least is incorrect - he was born in Tuscarawas Cty, Ohio.

SECOND ADDENDUM: In the files of Jane Anne Thomas (great-great-granddaughter of David) were photocopies of a biographical article from a Wells Cty history text that was not identified in her notes. I've since found this text to be the Biographical and Historical Record of Adams and Wells Counties, Indiana, published in 1887 - while David was yet living. Many of the details in that article are echoed by Jane Anne in the article she wrote for the Wells Cty history published in 1993, over a century later.

Note: Thomas family relations near the end of David's life

In the files of Jane Anne Thomas were many notes, essays, and other references to a division amongst the children of David in the later years of his life; I've not found anything that indicates a root cause as of yet, but it seems to have centered upon Shalter and his siblings (Samson and Lydia) and their families. Lydia had married and moved to Ohio, so it's assumed at this point that the bulk of the disagreement centered upon Shalter and Samson, extending to at least one of Samson's sons. David may well have been involved in the dispute, though to what degree is unknown at this time.

One bit of evidence of the family split was Samson's son Lewis Thomas - who was born Shalter Lewis David Thomas. As a child he was often called Shalter, and then later David, but by the time he was a young adult he was calling himself Lewis S. Thomas. (Family lore has assumed that the middle initial stood for "Samson," for his father, though the origin of that particular bit of oral history is unknown at this time.) Jane Anne had noted that Lewis had a falling-out with his uncle Shalter, and did not want anything associating the two of them, including his name. The fact that he didn't keep the name "David" at all might also suggest that he was at odds with his grandfather, as well, but I've not found anything to substantiate that as of yet (beyond Shalter being David's caretaker in later years, and thus connected to Shalter's "side" of the dispute).

In an article draft Jane Anne had written on David's second wife, the widow Mahala Black, she notes that David was separated from Mahala toward the end of his life, and was living on his farm in the same township (Union) but across the county line from his son Shalter's farm. David and Mahala had married in 1884, and David tendered his resignation to the United Brethren Church (Auglaize Conference) in 1885 - copies of that resignation letter and the minutes of the conference's acceptance of his resignation were also in Jane Anne's files. I would not be surprised if his resignation from the church was related in part to the family issues that had arisen between his sons, but I've not found any substantion for that assumption, either.

Mahala had two children from her previous marriage, but by the time of the 1900 US Census, her children were adults and living elsewhere - she and David lived alone on his farm. Jane Anne's writings on Mahala include interviews with those who remember her prior to her death in 1917, and including some who remember her during the time she and David were still living together. Sometime prior to David's death in 1903, she had separated from David and sued for divorce, though that legal action does not seem to have been completed.

As David's health failed, Shalter took over care of his father, particularly in the absence of Mahala, and was also working both his farm and David's farm. The two men would apparently travel back and forth between Shalter's home and David's, depending upon the farm work being done and David's health permitting. Merle Bell Thomas (m. Paul), David's great-granddaughter, remembers Mahala during the time Mahala was married to David but did not realize that Mahala had later separated from David - Merle was eventually not allowed to visit David because of the issues between Shalter and her father (Lewis).

When David died in 1903, Mahala sued for part of the estate, naming Samson, Shalter, and Clyde Mahan (David's grandson by his deceased daughter Lydia) in her petition. While Shalter participated in the court hearings and claimed a settlement from the estate (for care of his father and for working his father's farm), neither Samson nor Clyde contested the suit or claimed settlement from the estate for themselves. While Clyde was almost certainly living out-of-state (born and raised in Ohio, and at some point moved to the far northwest US prior to moving to Canada) and might have decided not to make the trip to Indiana for the hearings (or may possibly not have been contacted if his current whereabouts were unknown to the court), Samson was a resident of Wells Cty, local to the court, and lived on his farm not far from David's. Samson was undoubtedly aware of the proceedings, and while it's not known if he attended the hearings or was otherwise represented there, the lack of a claim from the court suggests at the least that he did not wish to participate in any further dispute with his brother Shalter.

I hope to eventually find more information about the family dispute, to better understand the reasons that drove David and Shalter apart from the rest of the family. My family retained few effects of David's, presumably because theyt were in Shalter's possession at the time of David's death, and it does not appear that Shalter ever reconciled with his surviving family (his nephews Lewis and Dale Monroe, sons of Samson Thomas) prior to his death in 1926. I have not seen a copy of Shalter's will, so I don't know which family members, if any, took possession any remaining effects from Shalter's estate, or even what might have been left of David's. I feel quite certain that David's family Bible may well have been a treasure trove of information dating back to the family's time in Tuscarawas Cty, Ohio, but I'm also very certain that this and many other pieces of history are likely lost.