I98164: Thomas J. BILBO Maj. and Hon. (20 Jun 1776

Notes

"Bilbo Street in Lake Charles is named after him.
Census: 1803 Spanish census Mobile District
Thomas J Bilbo was a leader in every community he lived. He was a surveyor, planter, justice , judge, state constitution drafter, among other activities.

He left Va. early 1800 and arrived in the Ms territory, Tombigbee River settlement about 1802 . 1812 moved to Jackson County Ms. Appointed Depuly U.S. Surveyor Feb 7, 1812 as major. 17 Ms Regement served 2 terms in state legislative. Moved to Lake Charles. La in 1833.

Thomas was given a horse, saddle and bridle by his father when he left home to seek his living. He was still in Mecklenburg County, Virginia in 1799 as he witnessed the will of his uncle James Bilbo. Thomas may have gone to Georgia with his father for a few years,

Thomas Bilbo left for the Mississippi Territory and is found there in early 1800 as a surveyer. He married in 1804. During the year 1812 Jackson County was formed and the County seat was established at Thomas Bilbo's house.
Thomas served as a Judge for the county. The War of 1812 had started, and the 17th Regiment was formed with Bilbo elected as Major. The unit fought the Creek indians and served with Andrew Jackson at New Orleans.

Bilbo is found to have signed numerous petitions to Congress requesting assistance for the Territory. Thomas Bilbo was elected to represent Jackson County at a Constitutional Convention and was an origional drafter of the Constitution for the State of Mississippi.

The first school in the Mississippi Territory was established at the home of Thomas Bilbo . He was elected as Justice to the Quorum Court, the highest court in the Territory for 1812 , 1819, and 1823. Thomas served in the Mississippi House as a Legislator in 1821, 1823, 1825 , and 1829.

Thomas Bilbo left Mississippi and settled in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana in 1832. He moved into Contonement Atkinson which was formerly used as a Fort for Army troops. He was the second settler on the lakefront at LakeCharles, Louisiana.

Bilbo helped to form Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana and served on the first Police Jury {County Court}. He engaged Thomas Rigmaiden as the first teacher in the Parish and paid him from Parish funds.

Thomas Bilbo had numerous people stop at his place as he was located on"The Old Spanish Trail". The Texas Revolution was in March 1836 with General Santa Anna of the Mexican Army having been captured. Santa was released on November 26, 1836, and was escorted to Washingto by threeTexas Army officers. They stopped for the night at Bilbo's a few days later. Thomas Rigmaiden, the school teacher kept a diary which read:"Heard Santa Anna at Mr. Bilbo's last night . " The diary also had an entry that Thomas Bilbo died September 20, 1846.

WFT Vol. 61, Ed. 1, Tree #0528

1799 - Thomas is found in the Virginia tax assessment records.
1799 - Thomas witnessed a will of his uncle, James Bilbo in Mecklenburg,Virginia.
1801 - Thomas is found in the Virginia tax assessment records.
1802 - 1804 - Thomas was living in the Tombigbee River settlement in the Mississippi Territory .
On July 13, 1804, Thomas married Ann Lawrence. The wedding took place at McIntosh Bluff in Washington County. The county was a part of theMississippi Territory but today is located in the state of Alabama.

Washington County
Deed Book A, Page 79
July 13, 1804 - This may certify that I have celebrated the wrights of matrimony between Thomas Bilbo and Ann Lawrence both of County of Washington, this 13th July 1804.
/s/ John Callier, B. P.
There are many accounts of Thomas Bilbo, surveyor, where he surveyed land claims for the early settlers of the Mississippi Territory.

In 1812, Thomas moved to Jackson County, Mississippi. He received two land grants on the Pascagoula just south of the present town of Benndale now in George County. Thomas received land in Section 43,Township 2N, Range 8W on the east side of the river and in Section 41,Township 2N, Range 8W on the west side of the river. Land in this area was not divided into the tradition al 36 section townships of 640 acres per section because of the irregular Spanish and English land grants in this area before it became a part of the U.S.

Thomas built his home on the west side of the river near Benndale.According to A.C. Ramsey in his autobiography "Major Bilbo's place was on a high, beautiful elevated bluff and a ferry kept at the river, about one quarter of a mile from the house; sufficiently near to hear the signal of persons wishing to cross over. The house consisted of two rooms with a passage between ." The first election held in Jackson County was held on May 24 and 25, 1813 at the "House of Bilbo" and remained there for several years.

Thomas served as Chief Justice of the Quorum Court in 1812, 1819 and 1823. In 1817 Thomas was selected to serve as a member of the Mississippi Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the finished document. Thomas also served as a member of the Mississippi State Legislature in the years 1821, 1822, 1824, 1825 and 1829.

Thomas served as a Major in the Jackson County State Militia in the War of 1812. While living in Jackson County, Thomas helped build one of the first schools. The school was built in 1818. Mr. A.C. Ramsey wrote:"This school was taught by Mr. Neill Little, a brother-in-law of Peter Fairley, Esq. and but recently from North Carolina, a Scotchman.""Here were thrown together, as pupils all sizes and ages, from little boys and girls to grown young men and women ; and of course as different in temperaments and dispositions as in their ages and sizes; and many who had probably never been in school before."

About 1831, Thomas Bilbo and family moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Why Thomas Bilbo a man of considerable wealth and political power would move is simply speculation. One explanation could be the severe weather in Jackson County between 1813 and 1833. In 1813 there was a terri ble hurricane followed by a "year without summer" in 1816. In 1816 there was a freeze as late a s April 16 and a killing frost on June 3. The year 1817 brought constant rain followed in 1819 by another hurricane. In 1823 there was another cold winter with temperatures dripping to five degrees. This was followed in 1825 by a very dry summer.

Whatever the cause, Thomas purchased 640 acres of land for $500.00.This land included all the land from the present day Hodges Street to the lake and from Pujo Street to the Calcasieu R iver. He took up residence in old Fort Atkinson located on the shore of Lake Charles.

As in Mississippi, Thomas became involved in community affairs. He served as election commissioner, assessor and served on the school board of the Imperial Calcasieu Parish School. Thomas long and active life came to an end on September 20, 1846 and he was buried in the family cemetery on the shores of Lake Charles. There is little to remind you of Thomas' stay in Lake Charles. Outside of the small cemetery, there are a few streets named after members of the family. The most significant being Bilbo Street, one of the main streets in the older part of Lake Charles.

WILL of THOMAS BILBO

Dated April 24, 1844. Probated October 3, 1846. Calcasieu Parish,Louisiana.

First, I Now have a wife Ann, and the following children - John, Nancy, Jane, Joseph Lawrence , William, Rebecca Gaines and Ann Moore, all of majority and Laura Easter, a minor.

Second, I have given to my son, John, money, negroes, etc. about $1000;
to Nancy about th e same amount;
to Jane about $800;
to Joseph Lawrence about $500;
to William about $400;
to Rebecca Gaines, $600;
to Ann Moore about $400.

Third, Immediately after my death that an estimative inventory be made and such children as shall then be over the age of majority shall receive their portion in property as there are children of age and they shall take said lots as they agree upon, and if they shall not agree upon the respective lots to be taken by them severally then their said lots shall be given to them by casting of lots each one paying to the other the proportion as their lots may be more or less value.

Fourth, that such of my children to whom I have made advancest donations as aforesaid and those to whom I may here after make advances shall at my death account to my estate for such advances and shall collat them by taking less.

Fifth, after paying off all of my children that shall be of the majority at my decease that the balance of my estate shall be kept by my executors in common for the use and benefit of my minor daughter and when she shall arrive at the age of majority or get married shall receive her part or portion in property at an estimative value.

Sixth, all the property I now have in my possession is my own seperate property having been mostly brought by me from Mississippi and such as I have acquired in this state has been purchased with the proceeds of property and money brought into this state by me. And there is yet no community of property between me and my wife. It is my will that my said wife do take at my death one negro man by the name of Ben and his wife Harriet and one of the negro women named Phillis and one girl named Milly about four years of age, with the land that I now live on with all the buildings, household furniture, and farming tools, with all the horses, cows, and sheep belonging to the farm and at her death to be equally divided between all my surviving children.

Seventh, I Appoint my wife Ann Bilbo, executrix and my sons Joseph Lawrence and William L Bilbo, and my son in law Columbus Gillett executors, without giving bond.

Bilbo Cemetery site: An Attakapas Indian village which had about 180 residents originally inhabited the site.
The U.S. Army built a military cantonment, called Fort Atkinson, when Southwest Louisiana was still part of the disputed territory between Spain and the United States. When the Army abandoned the post in 1830, the property was purchased by pioneer settler Thomas Bilbo. Bilbo's daughter, Margaret, was the first person to be buried in the cemetery in 1840 .
Bilbo turned the fort into a 15 room home and bricks from the old fort were used in some of the early tombs in the cemetery.
The Bilbo Inn that once housed Santa Ana, has been replaced by modern hotels that collect money from gambling Texans. Another form of Santa Ana's revenge.

The cemetery is now guarded by a large sculpture of Jesus, cast in bronze, by Jane Susan "Ja nie" Stine LaCroix, a descendant of Thomas Bilbo, and John Jacob Ryan, Sr. and Jr.
Jesus has his back to the gambling next door."
Children:
2 John Rev Bilbo b: 8 MAY 1806 d: 22 MAY 1845 + Jane Ann Stevenson b: 2 DEC 1811 d: BEF 1850
2 Nancy Ann BILBO b: 14 JAN 1808 d: 1908 + Isham REEVES b: 1813 d: 1865
2 Jane Bilbo b: 10 MAR 1810 + Wyatt Dupree b: ABT 1810 d: BET 1835 AND 1884
2 Joseph Lawrence Bilbo b: 12 MAR 1812 d: 1900 + Georgia Elmira Hodges b: 1842 d: AFT 1880
2 William Lawrence Bilbo b: 25 MAR 1814 d: 18 JAN 1879 + Huldah Cole b: 12 SEP 1820 d: 1908
2 Rebecca Gaines Bilbo b: 22 MAR 1818 d: 31 DEC 1871 + John Jacob Jr Ryan b: 14 FEB 1816 d: 17 DEC 1899
2 Anna Marie Bilbo b: 12 Jun 1820 d: aft 1900 + Columbus Gillett b: 1812 d: aft 1870
2 Laura Esther Bilbo b: Oct 1827 d: bet 1841 and 1921 + William Thomas Bilbo b: 1808 d: bet 1850 and 1860 + James Glenn b: bet 1810 and 1830 d: bet 1844 and 1916 + Bennett Johnson b: bet 1810 and 1830 d: wft Est 1842-1901
2 Margaret Bilbo b: 9 MAR 1832 d: 8 APR 1840

My Southern Family

Maj. and Hon. Thomas J. BILBO

20 Jun 1776 - 20 Sep 1846

ID Number: I98164

Notes

Sources

John BONDURANT

ABT 1830 - ____

ID Number: I59468

Sources

CECILY BOURCHIER

ABT 1464 - AFT 9 Feb 1492

ID Number: I94843

Sources

Susan Gayle CAHILL

MAUD de FURNIVAL

____ - AFT 1348

ID Number: I61014

Sources

Milburn MEADE

1873 - ____

ID Number: I13035

Notes

Sources