In 1776, at the age of 15, Thomas enlisted in the Continental Army and served as a private in Capt. Robert Powell`s Co., 3rd Virginia Regt, commanded by Col. Thomas Marshall and Lt. Col. William Heth. He served at Morristown, was sick when the Company was at Black River, was at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 under Gen. George Washington. His pay was 6 2/3 dollars per month. Was discharged Feb. 14, 1778 and received a grant of land in Kentucky for his services. He was in Wilkes Co., GA around 1793-1794 but left prior to the will of his father-in-law William Thornton in 1809. Around 1800, he started to Kentucky to claim his land, but the Indians were so hostile that he stopped in Lawrence Co., TN. He went to Alabama in 1814 and settled where St. Florian is now located, near Big Spring, but again the Indians drove him into Tennessee, this time to Maury Co., where he was living in 1815. He came back to Alabama in 1816 and got some 169 acres of land, probably along Blue Water creek, in Lauderdale Co. He told his children that they were named after his brothers and sisters, except for his sister Dorinda. Both he and Mary are buried in Grisham Cem., near where his farm was located. (Virgil L. Gresham-A family named Gresham.)
In 1776, at the age of 15, Thomas enlisted in the Continental Army and served as a private in Capt. Robert Powell`s Co., 3rd Virginia Regt, commanded by Col. Thomas Marshall and Lt. Col. William Heth. He served at Morristown, was sick when the Company was at Black River, was at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 under Gen. George Washington. His pay was 6 2/3 dollars per month. Was discharged Feb. 14, 1778 and received a grant of land in Kentucky for his services. He was in Wilkes Co., GA around 1793-1794 but left prior to the will of his father-in-law William Thornton in 1809. Around 1800, he started to Kentucky to claim his land, but the Indians were so hostile that he stopped in Lawrence Co., TN. He went to Alabama in 1814 and settled where St. Florian is now located, near Big Spring, but again the Indians drove him into Tennessee, this time to Maury Co., where he was living in 1815. He came back to Alabama in 1816 and got some 169 acres of land, probably along Blue Water creek, in Lauderdale Co. He told his children that they were named after his brothers and sisters, except for his sister Dorinda. Both he and Mary are buried in Grisham Cem., near where his farm was located. (Virgil L. Gresham-A family named Gresham.)
Family Members
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
