His Descendants and Ancestors
Submitted by:
Peggy
Ackerman
© 2005
Joseph Green Thomasson apparently came to Sumner County in the 1850s. He is not listed in the 1850 census, but his marriage to Louisa Elizabeth Belote in Sumner County was recorded on July 16, 1857. Joseph was born in Bedford County, VA, on March 18, 1825. Elizabeth was born in Castalian Springs, TN, on March 27, 1838.
Joseph and Elizabeth had seven children who lived to adulthood. The parents and all of the children are buried in Gallatin Cemetery, with markers relating the dates of their births and deaths. In order of their births, the children were Nannie (June 1, 1858-September 17, 1934), James Morton (October 3, 1861-March 29, 1936), Josephine (June 11, 1864-February 20, 1943), Elizabeth (March 20, 1866-September 27, 1903), Annie Laurie (November 20, 1869-March 24, 1919), Florence Mae (February 7, 1872-August 6, 1955), and Frank Belote (February 23, 1876-October 19, 1946). *(See Thomasson Obituaries.)
Joseph was listed as a druggist in the 1860 census. But in the 1870 Sumner census, he was shown as a hotelkeeper. In 1880, Joseph and family were in Trousdale County, keeping a hotel in Hartsville. The 1890 census is missing. Joseph died on March 8, 1897.
The 1900 Sumner census shows Elizabeth as the head of the family, with five of the adult children, all still single, in the household. Morton, age 38, was listed as a farmer. Josie (age 35), Lizzie (age 34), Laura (age 30), and Florence (age 28) were "at home." Daughter Nannie had married Philip White Hager in Hartsville in 1880. Frank at some juncture had become a barber and was not with his siblings in 1900.
Elizabeth (called Bettie) died on March 10, 1909 (See Thomasson Obituaries.). Her daughter Elizabeth (Lizzie) had died in 1903. The six surviving children were listed in the obituary, which also stated that Elizabeth had once been proprietress of the old Sumner Hotel in Gallatin, a noted hostelry.
The 1910 Sumner census shows James M (Morton) as head of a household including his sisters Josie, Laura, and Florence, and his brother Frank. By 1920, James was counted with his sisters Josie and Florence, and Frank was listed with his wife Sarah (Sallie) and their three children: Morton (age 7), Robert (age 5), and Ada (age 2). Frank had married Virginia (Sallie) Lawhorn in Carthage, Smith County, on August 16, 1911.
The 1930 Sumner census showed Frank and family with no additional children. His sister Nannie Hager was listed in the household. *(See will of Nannie T. Hager.) She was also included in the James Thomasson household, along with Florence. Since Josephine (Josie) was still alive, it is probable the census taker listed the wrong sister in one of the households. *(See Deed of Nannie Thomasson Hager to Morton, Josie, & Florence Thomasson, 1930.)
Researchers of the Lawhorn family have posted further information on the family of Frank B. Thomasson and Virginia (Sallie) Lawhorn. Their son Morton Thomasson (1912-1994) had two sons, both of whom died young. Charles Wagner was born in 1942 and died in 1968. Kerry Randall was born in 1962 and died in 1986.
Frank's son Joseph Robert (1914-1985) had one son, Richard Freed Thomasson (1945-1968). Like his cousins, he also died before his 25th birthday.
Apparently, none of Frank's grandsons married. Nothing is known about Frank's daughter Ada.
Turning now to Joseph's ancestry, there is evidence from death records and a Family Bible to attest that Joseph was born in Bedford County, VA. Death records for five of Joseph's children have been posted (see Annie Laurie, 1918; Nannie, 1934; Morton, 1936; Josie, 1943; Frank, 1946). The Bible was microfilmed by the WPA. Unfortunately, it has only a few entries: Joseph's birth and death, his wife Elizabeth's birth and death, and the marriage of Nannie to Philip Hager.
Daughter Florence was the informant for some of the death records. She listed the father as Dr. Joseph Green Thomasson, but there is no information regarding his training. He was also identified as Dr. Thomasson in the 1860 mortality schedule for Gallatin. The entry on this schedule was for his still-born child.
Thomasson researchers believe Joseph Green was the son of William Thomasson, who was born in 1799 in Bedford County, VA. William was the son of James Thomasson, who was married to Nancy Hix in Bedford County on May 3, 1796. James was the son of John Thomasson, who was born January 18, 1744 in Louisa County, VA, and died after 1833 in Bedford County. John was the son of William and Sarah Turner Thomasson of Louisa and Henry Counties. William (born 1720) was the son of George and Mary Pollard Thomasson of Louisa County. George (born in 1703) was the son of Thomas, who immigrated to Virginia from England in about 1677.
Thomas, the immigrant, was the son of George Thomason of London (born about 1592), who rates an entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica. He became famous for his collection of the English Civil War tracts, also known as the Cromwell papers. He published and sold books in London near St. Paul's Cathedral.
Many, if not most, of the Thomassons/Thomasons in the United States descend from George of London, a worthy patriarch. George Thomasson of Louisa County, VA, is my common ancestor with Joseph Green Thomasson. If I count correctly, Joseph was my fourth cousin, once-removed.
*See Newby Funeral Home Records: 1934-1936-1946.
*See Gallatin Cemetery Records.