Mary Amanda Thompson

Mary married John Jackson Amacker on 22 Mar 1841 in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. John was born about 1815 in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana; died on 4 Apr 1888 in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alexander married Mary Amanda McMorris on 28 Feb 1822. Mary was born after 1800; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From the Deed Records of Franklin Co, GA, Abstracted and compiled by Martha Walters Acker, pg 87:

Bill of sale dated 20 Nov 1805, rec. 24 Dec 1805, from A. Franklin and Isaac Strickland, executors of John Gilbert, to Alexander Thompson, Jr. (?) In cons. of $630, conveys a negro woman named Betty and two of her children, a boy named Nelson and a girl named Celi. Wit: J.I.C. Cleghorn

Alexander Thompson settled on the place on which John Hopkins lived and died. He was a most excellent man and was one of the first elders of the Presbyterian church of Danielsville before its removal to town, when it stood two miles south of town and was known as Pisgah church. About 1820, Alexander Thompson, Jr. sold his place near Danielsville to a Mr. Towns, and removed to Mississippi, and the subsequent history of him and his family is unknown to me. (From HISTORICAL SKETCHES, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES AND EARLY SETTLERS IN NORHTEAST GEORGIA)

Alexander Thompson, Jr. came to Amite County in 1818 with the Epps, Powells and Wells. They organized the Pisgah Presbyterian Church with Rev. Robt. Smiley pastor. This church is now in Summit with all its records. (From HISTORY OF PIKES COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI by Connerly, pub. 1909)

Alexander married Eunice "Unah" Strickland in Jan 1794 in Madison County, Georgia. Eunice (daughter of Solomon Strickland and Amey Pace) was born on 11 Mar 1776; died on 27 Dec 1845 in Amite County, Mississippi. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From "Thompson Mill History" by Calvin G. Floyd in STRICKLAND SCENE Vol 2, No 1 First Quarter 1981 (Strickland Research, Inc. 1661 Laurancae Way, Riverdale, GA 30296): "Alexander Thompson, Sr. was born 1739 and died 1815 in Madison County. He married Elizabeth Hodge (1745-1820). They are buried near Thompson's Mill, but no grave markers have been found by the writer.

Alexander Thompson, Sr. was a Revolutionary War soldier. He received a scalp wound at the battle of King's Mountain which left a permanent scar.

Alexander Thompson moved his family from Burke County, NC, to Wilkes County, GA in 1788. His sister and her husband, William McDaniel, also came to Wilkes County at this time. (Later he) moved to a place on the east side of South River across from his son's home (James Thompson, Sr.). This was in Elbert County at that time. They built substantial log houses for their families. Alexander Thompson, Sr. built a dam across South River at the shoals. A grist mill and a saw mill were constructed and were operated by water power. His will states that he also had cotton machines. In the book, OUR KIN by Manning, it is written that this was the first grist mill in north Georgia. Lumber was sawed at the mill from primeval timber to build the two story home of Alexander Thompson, Sr.

He was on the first Superior Court Jury list after Madison County was formed in 1812. He was a member of the first Board of Road Commissioners from Danielsville District in 1812. He bought one of the lots at auction onthe Court House Square in Danielsville, which were sold for funds to build a courthouse.

A plantation of 1900 acres was operated by the Thompson family. Several slaves were owned by family members. The mills and farms were operated for several generations by descendants of Alexander Thompson.


From HISTORY OF GEORGIA AND GEORGIA'S PEOPLE by Geo. G. Smith:

Listed on page 623 are names of revolutionary soldiers who recieved money and those who received land warrants. On page 640, Alexander Thompson and Solomon Strickland, father of Thompson's daughter-in-law Eunice are listed as receiving land warrants. Alexander received land in Washington Co, GA. He was wounded in the Battle of King's Mountain.

From the book HISTORICAL SKETCHES, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES AND EARLY SETTLERS IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA by Rev. Groves Harrison Cartledge, compiled by Jessie Julia Mize and Virginia Louise Newton, Athens GA 1960 pps 72-76:

Alexander Thompson and his two sons, James and William, were from Burke County, NC and settled on the South Fork of the Broad River about 1790. Alexander Thompson located on the place now owned and occupied by his grandson, Dr. Berry M. Thompson, and built the first mill on the place. He was a man then somewhat advanced in life.

From HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, 1798-1876, by L.W. Conerly: The Thompson ancestors were from Scotland. Some of them settled in New York, North Carolina and Georgia. Alexander Thompson, Sr and son James, fought in the battle of King's Mountain. he was wounded in the head. A man named Griffith was hot and when Thompson stooped to raise him up a ball stuck him in the forehead, passed over his head under the scalp and came out at the back of his neck, leaving a scar were hair was prevented from growing.

Alexander married Elizabeth Hodge about 1760 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth was born between 1742 and 1745; died between 1808 and 1820 in Madison County, Georgia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In Bruce Howard's book about the Pace family, he notes (pg 137-138) that Solomon and Amy resided at his plantation on Turkey Creek for many years and (this) is where most, if not all of their children were born. The area where they lived was near the Franklin, Wake, Nash county line, or in the southwestern part of Nash County. They were already living on their farm when the new county was created and in the year 1778 he applied for and received a grant for land which adjoined his farm:

Nash County Grant Book, Caveat no. 256 Solomon Strickland enters 250 acres of Land in Nash County, on both sides of the great branch of Turkey Creek above Barniby Barrons, Running so as to Include the Improvements he now lives on. 31st Dec. 1778.

The family lived here until 1786, when they and some of his brothers loaded up their wagons, herded together their stock, and moved to the State of Georgia. Solomon sold his 700 acres of land for 100 pounds of gold and silver on November 4, 1786 to Stephen Young (Nash County, N.C. Deed book 1, p. 342). At the time they came to Georgia the parent county in which they settled was old Wilkes County, which was later broken up to form Elbert and others. Two of the brothers, Solomon and Jacob were in Elbert, and Isaac, Henry and Matthew in the lower part of Franklin, which in 1796 became Jackson County. Solomon during that same period purchased land in Jackson upon which he was taxed, although he physically resided in Elbert.

In "Foxfire 7" edited by Paul F. Gillespie, 1982, Plate 12 (p 74) shows the 12 original members of the Lystra Primative Baptist Church as Timothy Carrington (Minister), Winifred Carrington, Solomon Strickland, Amy Strickland, David Robertson, Amelia Sorrells, William Davis, John Mearon(?), Mary Mearon, Pony(?) Williford, Nancy Williford, and Juda Williford, and was dated 15 January 1803.

Howard Parham, the only remaining member of the Lystra Primitive Baptist Church, recounted its history (p 71): "The church was first built over in Oglethorpe County (GA) across the river. It was and still is a Primitive Baptist church. The people moved over to this place and this building was built in 1820. They built it close to a spring so they wouldn't have to dig a well and close to water for a baptisizing hole. My granddaddy got baptized [in that hole] with ice on the banks. He wanted to be baptized then and didn't want to wait till the water got warm. [After they moved] they changed the name from Skull Shoals to Lystra. So this building is about 150 years old. They were still fighting Indians when the church was established. At that time, there was no community and no roads. The most members they ever had, according to my records, was fifty. They only have one member now and that's me. They had slave members there and a balcony set up for the slaves. They didn't sit down there with the (white) people. Once they turned a slave out for beating his wife. The women sat on one side of the church and the men sat on the other. [They] always did that. They had foot washings up until they quit having services. Every year in August they had communion and foot washings. We always called that Attracted Meeting. We had a three-day meeting in August and foot washings on one day."

In PACE OUR COLONIAL ANCESTORS, Bruce Howard wrote that in 1805, the clerk of the land office in Jackson County, who apparently had a keen eye and a bit of a sense of humor, listed Solomon, Senior as "Solomon (Bit nose) Strickland." This was because he has apparently got into a knock down, no holds barred fight with someone around this time period, and that someone may have got the better of him and bit a plug out of his nose and probably broke some bones (p 139).

Before leaving Elbert County and moving into the easter portion of Jackson County (circa 1805), Solomon made a deed of gift to certain of his children, disposing of his wordly property. Howard speculates that "he was quite a rounder and a good hand at drinking his own whiskey...(and perhaps) thought he was about to die" Howard went on to note that he did not intend to leave the impression that Solomon was one of little morals...he was an educated and energetic man and a very successful planter of the well-to-do class in the South. This eastern portion of Jackson was severed in 1811 to form Madison County. Solomon ratified the earlier gifts he made in Elbert County in 1813, while living in Madison County.

The deeds of gift are reproduced below:

Deed Book A, p. 83 Georgia Madison County

Be it known that I Solomon Strickland of the County & State aforesaid did on the fourteenth day of July in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and four make and execute an Instrument of writing commonly called a deed of Gift wherein I gave to my children, to wit: Ephraim Strickland, Unah Thompson, Barshebah Strickland, Linny Strickland (now Linny Ware), Ezekiel Strickland and Nancy Strickland Certain property therein named which is of record in the Clerks office of the Superior Court of Elbert County all of which property in and by the said deed of Gift they were to be possessed of after the death of myself and my wife Amy Strickland, having previously given to each of my other children, to wit: Henry Strickland, Barnabus Strickland, Milly Higginbotham, Hardy Strickland, Solomon Strickland, Polly Carter and Jinny Bridges, as Sum equal to that Given to each of those named in the aforesaid deed of Gift.

Now be it remembered, that in making the aforesaid Instrument I gave to my daugher Nancy Strickland a Certian Negro Girl known by the name of Ester and whearas my beloved daughter Nancy has departed this life, and it was her wish and desire previous to her death tht my son Ephraim Strickland should have the aforesaid Negro girl Ester, in consideration of such request and other considerations me hereunto Moving do hereby Give to my son Ephraim Strickland all the right Interest or claim which I have in the said Negro Girl Ester and do this day deliver her to him as his right and property and all the property which I Gave to my son Ephraim in and by the aforesaid deed of Gift, to wit, the tract of land on which I now live and one Still containing thirty Gallons myself and my wife Amy Strickland and from divers other Good Causes and Considerations I have and do hereby and at this time deliver up to my said son Ephariam Strickland his heirs or assigns foever against the claim (of) all and every person or persons whatsoever directly or Indirectly In witness whereof I the said Solomon Strickland have hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this fifth day of November 1813. Test Aaron Johnson, Elisha JohnsonSolomon "x" Strickland (seal)
[attested to and filed on the 11th November 1813.]his mark


Deed Book A, p. 91 Georgia Madison County

Be it known that I Solomon Strickland of the County & State aforesaid did on the fourteenth day of July in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and four make and execute an Instrument of writing Commonly called a Deed of Gift wherein I Gave to my children Ephraim Strickland, Barshebah Strickland, Unah Thompson, Linny Strickland (now Linny Ware), Ezekial Strickland and Nancy Strickland Certain property therein named which Instrument is of Record in the Superior Court of Elbert County...[same wording as above]...

Now be it remembered that In making and executing the aforesaid Instrument I Gave to my daughter Unah Thompson and Barshebah Strickland One Negor Woman known by the name of Isbel and her Increase which by the Said Instrument they were to be possessed of after the decease of myself and my wife Amy Strickland but from divers Good causes and Considerations I have and do hereby at this time deliver up to my daughter Barshebah Strickland and Alexander Thompson Husband of my Said daughter Unah, four Negreo Children, par of the Increase of the said Negro woman Isbel (to wit) Eve a Girl, Suky a Girl, Franky a Girl, and Jack a boy In order that they may now divide them between themselves or otherwise dispose of them as they may think proper retaining nevertheless the said negro girl Suky in my own possession for my own use and benefit Until after the death of myself and my wife Amy Strickland, after which period the said Negro girl Suky is to return either to my daughter Barshebah or Alexander Thompson their heirs or Assigns which ever She may fall to in the division which may be made and agreed to between them. In witness whereof I the said Solomon Strickland have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 28th day of October 1813. Test: Allen Danile, Charles Sorrels Elisha JohnsonSolomon "O" Strickland (seal) his mark[attested to on third day of November 1813] Henry Ware J P Recorded 30th Nov'b 1813

Citations of Deeds of Gift:

Deed of Gift from Solomon Strickland to his children from Madison Co GA Deed BK A pg 83 and 84 (1812-1813) recorded Nov 11, 1813.

From the online version of the FHL Catalog: Title: Deeds and mortgages, 1812-1907 Authors: Georgia. Superior Court (Madison County) (Main Author)

Deeds, vol. A-E, 1812-1828. FHL US/CAN Film 351771

In the Pace Society of America quartertly bulletin, No. 132, dated June 2000, Jane Shelton Strickland writes that Solomon is often shown as dying in 1818, but with no documentation. She believes his date of death could be as late as sometime after 1821.

Solomon married Amey Pace on 19 Sep 1764 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Amey (daughter of Richard Pace and Elizabeth ???) was born about 1749 in Guilford County, North Carolina; died about 1815 in Madison County, Georgia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bruce Howard disputes the conclusion of the former editor of the Pace Society Bulletin that Amy Pace was the daughter of Thomas and Amy Pace of Northhampton County, North Carolina. He believes that the editor had failed to take into consideration certain critical evidence which would have disproved her assumption at once had she looked closely. First of all was the time sequence. Solomon and Amy were married in September of the year 1764 in Edgecombe County and Thomas Pace of Northhampton did not die until about January of 1765. His will was filed for probate at February Court, 1765, in Northhampton County where the family physically resided, and he had time to change that will if he disapproved of her actions. But that is not the important feature. Secondly, was the law. By law all marriages had to take place in the county residence of the female. (Laws of North Carolina, 1741). There was a very compelling and strong reason for this law...to protect the girl and ultimately her family from unscrupulous men....it did not prevent her from marrying the man of her choice; it simply exposed him to her family and relatives in the community where she lived. Had Solomon Strickland lured the daughter of Thomas of Northhampton, away from family to western Edgecombe to marry her away from the family, there would have been objections coming from her mother, and possibly others, to the sheriff. Also, remember that Solomon applied for a license, or bond, for marriage, legally, at the courthouse before the marriage took place. Does it make sense that he would follow the law on one hand and break it on another? (pps 136-137).

Jane Strickland Shelton, Ed.D., also presented a paper agreeing with Bruce Howard's thesis at the Pace Society Annual Meeting, Williamsburg, VA on June 17, 2000. He paper was printed in the Pace Society of America quarterly bulletin, No. 132, published in June 2000.

Her Find A Grave memorial page shows she was buried at the Lystra Primative Baptist Church Cemetery in Comer, Madison County, Georgia.

Notes:

Married:
Date of bond, 19 Sept. 1764 Bondsman, Jacob Strickland witness Tho. Cavenas. From STRICKLAND SCENE Vol 3, No 1, First Quarter 1982. Submitted by Patty Rowsey.

From Bruce Howard's book (pps 349 - 350)

Edgecombe County, N.C, Mariage Bonds, Loose Papers, Archives

Know all men by these presents that we Solomon Strickland and Jacob Strickland---are held and firmly bound unto his excellency Arthur Dobbs Esq Governor &c in the sum of Fifty pounds proc. money we bind ourselves and each of us our and each and every of our Heirs Ex'ors and assigns Jointly and Severally firmly by these---presents Sealed with our Seals and dated this 19th day of Septr--1764.

THE CONDITION of this obligation is Such that wheras the above bound Solomon Strickland--Hath this day obtained a Lycense to be Joined together in the holy Estate of Matrimony with Amey Pace---of this County now if there shall there shall appear to you no lawful cause to Obstruct the Same otherwise to Remain in full force and Virtue

Sealed & DeliveredSolomon ( + his mark) Strickland (seal) In presence of Thomas CavenasJacob (S his mark) Strickland (seal)