| This question has been answered - at least I'm pretty sure it has been. Thanks to another Petty cousin (Lauren), I now have Margaret's death record showing she died in Hopkins County, Kentucky on 28 Jul 1876 and her parents were "J & R Thomas". There is also a census record for Rebecca Thomas in the 1870 Census in Logan County, Kentucky living in the same district as Margaret & John Petty. These two pieces in addition to the information below about Jesse & Rebecca Thomas, seem to be a pretty solid indication that Jesse & Rebecca Thomas of Lumpkin & Murray Counties in Georgia were Margaret's parents. Margaret E. Thomas was born about 1839 in Georgia. She married John R. Petty in Whitfield County, Georgia on 20 Sep 1857. Census records show Margaret & John in McMinn County, Tennessee in 1860 and Logan County, Kentucky in 1870. Based on birth places listed in census records for their children they moved from Tennessee to Georgia after the 1860 census was taken and before April, 1861 when Samantha was born in Dalton (Whitfield County), Georgia. Two other children were born in Georgia in 1865 & 1867. Between 1867 and 1870, they moved to Kentucky and their 3 youngest children were born there between 1871 - 1874. Most of the Petty children were living in Forsyth County, Georgia in 1880 with Margaret's sister, Mary Thomas Echols & her husband, James. Mary Thomas was born 14 Jun 1828 in Georgia, married James Echols 16 Jan 1845 in Forsyth County and died 22 Aug 1899 (probably in Forsyth County). She and James are buried in Friendship Cemetery in Forsyth County. The 1860 Forsyth County Census lists John R. & Elizabeth Thomas next to James & Mary Echols. John died during the Civil War and is also buried in Friendship Cemetery. His widow & children were also listed next to the Echols' in 1870. It is possible Margaret & Mary were John's sisters. Only one Margaret Thomas has been found in the 1850 census (so far) who could be our Margaret. There was a Jesse Thomas (48) in Lumpkin County, Georgia living with Rebecca (43), William (14), Margaret (14), Nancy (10), Oliver (5) and Daniel (2). This family was living in Murray County, Georgia in 1860. At that time the household members were Jesse (57), Rebecca (51), Nancy (19), Oliver P. (15) and Daniel W. (12). This same Jesse Thomas appears to have also been in Murray County in 1840 when the household consisted of 2 males under 5, 1 male 30-40, 1 female under 5, 1 female 5-10, 2 females 10-15 and 1 female 30-40. Since Mary & Margaret were married in Forsyth and Whitfield Counties, the family probably had some connection to those places. Lumpkin and Murray Counties were created in 1832 from Cherokee County. Forsyth County was also created that year from Cherokee and 2 other counties. Whitfield County was created in 1851 from Murray County. So this Jesse Thomas family seems to also have been in the general area where our Margaret probably was during her childhood. This family is also interesting because Margaret had sons named Oliver Perry and Daniel. Please e-mail me if you know anything about these families. |
| Who were the parents of Margaret Thomas? |
| Click here for Family Group Sheet for Margaret Thomas & John R. Petty |
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| Last Updated: 12 Jul 2008 |