Thomas Christian, of St. James Parish

Probably not the son of Thomas Christian, II

Thomas Christian

• Alias Thomas Christian lll
• Birth: about 1700
• Death: before Mar 23 1743 - Goochland County, Virginia
• Wife: Rebeckah

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Biography

Thomas Christian, seen in genealogies as Thomas Christian llI, was born about 1700 in Charles City County, Virginia. Birth date seen as Oct 23 1700. His origins are obscure, possibly a son of John Christian of Charles County. He died before 23 Mar 1743 (date will recorded) in the part of Goochland County that is now Brunswick County.

He married Rebecca about 1723 in Goochland or Charles City County, Virginia. She was likely the daughter of Thomas Christian, II & Rebecca Christian and his first cousin. Older studies called her “Rebecca Price.” She survived him, and married Joseph Smith in 1745.

Issue

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Christian-907

The children of Thomas Christian and his wife Rebecca were:

1. Anthony Christian (1724–1779)
2. Nathaniel Christian (1726–1781)
3. Thomas Christian IV (1728–1842)
4. Jesse Christian (1730–1821)
5. David Christian (1732–1821)
6. Archer Christian (1736–1821)
7. Mary Christian (1738–1794)
8. Elizabeth Christian (1742–1819)
9. Lewis Christian, Sr. (1742–1830) alias "Louis", "Luis"
10. Susanna Christian

Thomas Christian passed away in 1743.

Will

Will of Thomas Christian (1700-1743)
Posted 27 Sep 2020 by Carolyn Sims Fortner
Thomas Christian: Oct 23, ____ Mar. 20, 1743. D.B. 4, p. 316-8

• To Son, Anthonay Christian, 1 shilling.
• To son, Nathaniel Christian, 1 cow and calf.
• To son, Thomas Christian, 25 shillings current money and a horse.
• To son, Jesse Christian, 230 acres land on both sides of Little Buffalo Creek, a branch of Willis River.
• To sons, David and Luis Christina, 400 acres land on both sides of Little Buffalo Creek to be equally divided between them.
• To son, Archer Christian, 200 acres land on both sides of Archer Creek.
• To daughers, Mary, Susannah and Elizabeth, 25 shillings current money each when they reach teh age of 21.
• I appoint my wife, Rebeckah, to make John Goodwin a title to the tract of land he now lives on after first paying his bond.
• I lend to wife, Rebeckah, my whole estate, goods and chattels to the day of her death or remarriage, then to be divided between 3 daughters, Mary, Susannah and Elizabeth Christian.
• Ex: Wife, Rebeckah Christian.
• Wit: Edmund Wood Anthony Bennin, William Edwards, George Holmes

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Disputed origins

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/New-105

Another Thomas Christian also had a wife named Rebecca, which has led to some confusion in various published genealogies.[5] Theories include the possibility that her daughter Rebecca was this other Thomas Christian's wife, since her two unmarried sisters received bequests from their father after they were to marry, while Rebecca received ewes like her married sister Mrs. Ann Mourning Coleman.[6] Also, the 250 acres given in the 1737 will to the son named Thomas didn't seem to be in Goochland. It's been suggested that he inherited that land and remained in Charles City County (on 30 Jan 1726, Thomas Christian Jr. sold 115 acres in Westover Parish, Charles City County to James Christian and Elizabeth relinquishes dower right - Thomas Jr. bought the 115 acres on 19 Jan 1726 from Thomas Christian next to land the younger Thomas already owned - no further evidence of Elizabeth as the younger Thomas' wife).

Research Notes

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Christian-907

Some researchers include a son John not mentioned in the will.

Thomas Christian, who left a will in Goochland in 1737 treated his daughter Rebecca Smith similar to his married daughter Ann Mourning (Christian) Coleman, and unlike his then unmarried daughters Mary and Constant.[3] The theory accepted by Agnes Branch Pearlman who published the Christian Chronicles newsletter has Rebecca as the wife of this Thomas Christian. Rebecca's brother Thomas Christian Jr. lived in Charles City County and had a wife named Elizabeth. He inherited the 250 acres of land "that he lived on" mentioned in Thomas' will, which wasn't in Goochland. This other Thomas Christian is mentioned in a Will and Deed Book from Charles City County which was returned to Virginia in the 1970's after being taken during the Civil War[4] This appeared long after the late 19th and early 20th century histories of the Christian family were published in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, William & Mary Quarterly with this Thomas Christian as the son of Thomas and Rebecca (sometimes erroneously presented with the maiden name "Stith") Christian.

It has been proposed that this Thomas Christian was a cousin of his wife, and possibly the son of John Christian about whom little is known except his appearance as "John Christian of Westopher [sic] Parish, Charles City County" in a Goochland County deed from 1737.[5]

James Christian Lamb, “Christian Family,” William and Mary Quarterly 5 (1896): 261-263, FHL Film 1255. https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/97805234?cid=mem_copy

Please note this proposes that Thomas' mother was Rebecca Stith, daughter of Drury Stith. There is no evidence that Drury Stith had a daughter named Rebecca, and there is evidence that Thomas' mother was Edmund New's daughter.

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Old notes

Descendants of Rebeckah Price

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/christian/2279/

Generation No. 1

1.REBECKAH2 PRICE(JOHN1)1 was born 17021, and died 1.

She married THOMAS CHRISTIAN III1 1723 in Virginia1, son of THOMAS CHRISTIAN and REBECCA STITH.He was born Abt. 1700 in Virginia1, and died March 20, 1742/43 in Goochland County, Virginia1.

Notes for THOMAS CHRISTIAN III:

GOOCHLAND COUNTY, VIRGINIA ABSTRACTS Wills, page 316; "Will of Thomas Christian of St. James Parish, Goochland County."

More About THOMAS CHRISTIAN III:
Will: 1743, Goochland, Virginia1

Children of REBECKAH PRICE and THOMAS CHRISTIAN are:

• i. CONSTANCE3 CHRISTIAN1.
• 2. ii. ANTHONY CHRISTIAN, b. June 09, 1724, St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co., Virginia; d. 1814, Powhattan County, Virginia.
• 3. iii. NATHANIEL CHRISTIAN, b. 1726, New Kent County, Virgnia; d. Abt. 1779, Montgomery County, Virginia.
• 4. iv. THOMAS CHRISTIAN IV, b. 1728, New Kent County, Virginia.
• v. JESSE CHRISTIAN1, b. 1730, New Kent County, Virgnia1.
• vi. DAVID CHRISTIAN1, b. 1732, New Kent County, Virginia1.
• vii. LUIS (LINS?) CHRISTIAN1, b. 1734, New Kent County, Virgnia1.
• viii. LOUIS CHRISTIAN1, b. 1734, New Kent County, Virginia1.
• ix. ARCHER CHRISTIAN1, b. 1736, New Kent County, Virgnia1.
• x. MARY CHRISTIAN1, b. 1738, New Kent County, Virgnia1.
• xi. SUSANNAH CHRISTIAN1, b. 1740, New Kent County, Virgnia1.
• xii. ELIZABETH CHRISTIAN1, b. 1742, New Kent County, Virgnia1; m. WILLIAM BOYDSTONE1.
• 5. xiii. LEWIS CHRISTIAN, b. 1742, Goochland, Virginia; d. September 1830, Hawkins County, Tennessee.

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Everton Pedigree and Family Group Sheets
Thomas Christian
Describe The Record (Notes)
Thomas Christian
Document type: Family group sheet
Birth: 1700
Father: Thomas Jr Christian
Spouse: Rebecca Crockett
Children: Anthony C Christian, Nathaniel Christian, Thomas Chrsitian, Jesse Christian, David C Christian, Louis Christian, Archer Christian, Mary Christian, Susannah Christian, Elizabeth Christian

Comments

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/GW3G-PFP

Faulty logic asserts non-proof in "All Roads Lead to Texas" by Poole

In "All Roads Lead to Texas..." Mr. Poole makes the assertion that only one line of Christians used the name "Thomas" from the immigrant to son to grandson (ergo Thomas I, II, and III). However, extensive record loss yields little information about the names of Thomas the emigrant's assumed son John's children.

Furthermore, on page XLV-40 (2151 of 3014 in the page viewer), appear three deeds from a Charles City County deed book which was confiscated during the Civil War and returned to Virginia late in the 20th century.

The first was from Thomas Sr. to Thomas Jr. (with wife Rebecca relinquishing dower right) recorded 1 Feb 1726. The second was from Thomas Jr. to James Christian (with wife Elizabeth relinquishing dower right) also recorded 1 Feb 1726. Each of these were for 115 acres described with similar bounds including "Potatoe Run" and "Stith's line" and land that Thomas Christian Jr. already owned. The third was recorded on 4 Sep 1728, from Thomas Christian of Henrico to James Christian of Charles City with Thomas' wife Rebecca also signing. This parcel of 100 acres also mentions Potatoe Run and Stith's line, but also mentions a line between Thomas Christian Jr. and Edmund New Jr. and that the tract formerly belonged to Edmund New Sr.

Somehow Mr. Poole asserts that the 1728 deed "proves" that Thomas Jr's wife Elizabeth was dead and he had married Rebecca by this time. However, the elder Thomas was still living at this time (in Henrico), and the deed refers to Thomas Jr. as a neighboring landowner. The more likely scenario is that the third deed from 1728 deals with land sold by Thomas (and wife Rebecca New), not land that Thomas Jr. sold.

Mr. Poole offers copious citations in his work, however the alleged proof that Thomas Jr. (alias Thomas III) was first married to Elizabeth and later to Rebecca doesn't exist. There's no proof that Thomas Jr. of Charles City is the same as the Thomas Christian who left a will in Goochland in 1743 with a widow Rebecca who later married Joseph Smith.

https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/756637/?page=2112...

References

1. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:GW3G-PFP
2. All roads led to Texas : family histories of the allied families: Pettipool, P'Pool, Pool, Poole, McCain, McCown, Greenwade, Wingard, Mayes; v. 02 - Compiled by James L Poole 2019 page XLV-53: https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/756637/?page=2112...
3. “Christians Revisited” (1988) https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/197420457?cid=mem_copy (document attached)