The father of Thomas Thompson was John Thompson, perhaps of Tynemouth Parish,
Northumberland, England.
Nelly was the daughter of James & Rachel Agan/Eagan, immigrants to PA.
Thomas THOMPSON (173l) m.1752MD Elinor "Nelly" AGAN (1735-180O)
(Note: AGAN, also spelled EAGAN & EAGON, rhymes with "ray gun." HAGAN is another
variant).
St. George's Parish Record (Baltimore Co. MD)
A Thomas Thompson was
christened 16 May 1731, Christ Church, North Shields, Tynemouth Parish, Northumberland, Eng.;
son of John (Par. Register from FHL). He married Ellinor Agan Dec 1752. She was born 22 Feb
1735, probably in Baltimore Co. MD (perhaps in England). "Ellender" died 6 May 1800 per
notation in Thomas' Bible. The couple came to NC 1762/64. Thomas built grist mill at Saxapahaw,
and settled 3 miles north.
Composite family legend
Thomas Thompson was from a wealthy English family. He ran away from home as a
teenager because he didn't get along with his step-mother. In a barrel, he was put aboard a ship as
cargo, and sailed from Liverpool to Philadelphia, where he was sold as an indentured servant to pay
for his passage.
After he paid what he owed [5 years was standard] and turned 21, he and Nelly
were married and settled first in the Pennsylvania hill country [west of the Susquahanna River]. By
one version, she had been his childhood sweetheart in England.
Another legend says they
decided to move south after the death of a child one cold winter
Their oldest children were born in northern Baltimore/Harford Co. MD, which was then claimed by
PA.
In 1751 Thomas received 99 year lease on 99 acres on Broad Creek. In September, 1762 sold the
land rights for 90 pd, and 10 sh.
GGB B: 593-5
Lease made out in name of Rachel EAGON, "but she, being dead, and it appearing
that Thomas Thompson has the only equitable right thereto, it was leased to him." Dated 5 March,
1750 [when New Year began March 25; 1751).
[Note: Elinor, then 16, was too young to own land, and apparently ceded right to him.]
FPOL
Reported Thomas died in 1795. Thomas & Nelly were buried (per grandson Daniel) with
unengraved markers in Thompson Family Cemetery (hill overlooking Motes' Creek).
WT98
Reported visiting the cemetery with their grandson Daniel late 1897: "The graves had good
tombstones, but not a scratch on them" [with a date], nor was there "a scratch of a pen" in Thomas'
Bible.
The will of Thomas Thompson
Submitted for probate May 1796, but was "caveated" by John
O'DANIEL (Court of Pleas Minutes & Quarter Sessions) and never entered in the Will Book.
(Note: 0riginal Orange County Deed Books covering 1757-1768 were buried when the
British troops occupied Hillsboro during the Revolution, and totally ruined when finally unearthed. Current DB 2 has copies of a few deeds from that period. Court of Pleas Minutes also missing for Nov 1762 thru Mar 1777 (ref. MN). Thus there are few extant records for the time period when Thomas came to NC).
26 July, 1768 (Archive rec.)
Deed from John McKIE to Thomas
Thompson, Hawfields in Tract #3 (Lewis Conner, 12,223 acres mostly N&W of Cain Cr., East of
Haw Riv. but included land along E bank of river, S of Cain Cr.).
(DB 2-587)
13 January, 1770 Thomas Thompson. "yeoman" bought 277 ac. (50 pds) on the Haw River, mouth of Cain Creek
[east of the river] from William Carruthers. The land was situated at corner of later Alamance, Orange & Chatham
Counties. Witnesses: William Allen, Samuel Thompson
1773 "Intruder List"
Hawfields Tract #3 (Samuel Strudwick lawsuit)
1781 Orange County, North Carolina Tax List; Caswell District
John Thompson 1177 acres
Thomas Thompson __ acres
(Note: Thomas Thompson probably held title to the land, but son John Thompson paid most of the taxes.
18 June, 1787 (DB 3-47)
450 acres on Motes Creed, adjoining lands of John Steel, from Samuel Strudwick (part of the Edward Mosely grant (Granville agent). Witness: James Mebane.
1790 Tax List
1373 acres; 0 Black Poll. Adjoining lands of sons James, William, and Thomas Thompson, Jr. (Note: Thomas Thompson was the largest land owner in Caswell District.
August, 1797 Estate Inventory
1797 JH50
Deed to Josiah Thompson from John, Maria, James, Rachel, William, Thomas, Hannah, Samuel, Robert, Joseph, Jonathan, Sarah, and Ellender
I am much indebted to Alex Thompson of Tuscon, Arizona for the information contained on this page.
