Drewry Bridges -- Early Trigg County Kentucky Pioneer

Drewry Bridges, one of eleven children and the fourth son of William and Mary Thomas Bridges, was born January 20, 1827.  He was named for his grandfather Drury Bridges, the early Trigg County pioneer who came from North Carolina to Kentucky in 1804.  On October 25, 1849 he married Peaches “Peachie” Ann Tart who was the daughter of Richard P. and Elizabeth “Betsy” Lawrence Tart.  The ceremony was performed by James Thomas, Jr., a justice of the peace and uncle of the groom.

Drewry acquired the home place where his father William had settled, and eventually became one of the most successful farmers and livestock breeders in Trigg County.  He had always been a farmer and enjoyed the distinction of being perhaps the most prosperous citizen of his community.

Eleven children were born to Drewry and Peachie:  Henrietta Gabriella, Mary Louisa, James Fillmore, William Henry, John Richard, Durwood Stanley, Martha Elizabeth, Drewry E., Creta, Peachie Ellen and Eddie Adeline. All their children grew into adulthood except James Fillmore, Drewry E. and Creta, who died in childhood.

Peachie Ann, his wife, died on March 26, 1884 at the age of 50.  Three years later on June 13, 1887, Drewry married his second wife, Nancy “Nannie” Gresham.  Nannie was the daughter of James Lawson and Mary Shirley Gresham.  They had two children, Garland Drew, and Hugh who died July 11, 1895, at the age of five.  Nannie died on July 7, 1901.

He was a member of Donaldson Creek Baptist Church for more than sixty years, and was active in the Canton Masonic Lodge.  He died at his home near Maple Grove on July 4, 1916, at the age of eighty-nine years, outliving all his brothers and sisters.  He and Peachie, his first wife, are buried in the William Bridges Cemetery in Trigg County, Kentucky.  Nannie, his second wife and their son Hugh, are buried in “the garden”, a site once used as a vegetable garden located to the right of their home.

His obituary stated that “He was a man of fine judgment, enjoyed a large circle of friends, and until failing health overtook him, was always found in the front of any movement looking to the betterment of his county and community and for the uplift of mankind generally.  Mr. Bridges always lived a life that his family and friends delighted in pointing to with pride.  For almost a year he had been one of five living generations, a distinction that come to but few people.”

Peachie Ellen, Drewry, Martha Elizabeth, Peachie Ann and Eddie Adeline

The Drewry Bridges Homeplace

 

LINEAGE:

(Drewry Bridges was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

William Orval Allen, Jr. -- Crop-Dusting Pilot Flying Winner

 

William Orval “Billy” Allen was born on December 18, 1936 in Pickwick Dam in Hardin County, Tennessee, one of three children of William Orval, Sr. and Ruth Moorefield Allen.  On July 7, 1962 he married Betty Jo Cossey of Cadiz, Kentucky and they became the parents of two children, a daughter, Stephanie and a son, William III.

Billy was an aircraft pilot and owned and operated the Hopkinsville Flying Service and Allen Aviation in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  His particular interest was in agricultural aviation as a crop duster. He spent many years in the cockpit of his yellow crop-dusting biplane that was very familiar over Hopkinsville skies during the planting season.   His wife, Betty was also a pilot.  The Allens were also fixed-base operators at Memorial Field in Hopkinsville and operated charter, aerial photograph and flight instruction services.

Billy attained national prominence in May 1983 by winning a national victory in agricultural flying that proved very special – it was the first national championship ever held in that event.  Christian County produced the “cream of the crop-dusters” in the nation as aviator Billy Allen flew to first place in an agricultural pilots’ championship in Americus, Georgia, outscoring 35 pilots from 20 states in a three day national completion event. 

Allen and his wife, Betty, along with some of their supporters flew to Georgia for a day’s familiarization with competitive flying. “The weather was perfect, but it was a little windy,” Mrs. Allen said, explaining the course that was set up to test skills normally associated in crop-dusting.

The competition required pilots to fly swaths over designated fields, spraying water as they would normally apply insecticides.  The pilot’s skills were also tested by flying through “gates’ that were hung between poles with red balloons set at intervals on the ground.  Misjudging one’s approach through a gate would cause a balloon to explode, costing points for the contestants.  Allen said that he realized the promoter, Miller Brewing Co., was helping give the agricultural spraying profession an improved reputation.  “It was also really safety oriented,” he said.

Allen’s national title was even more satisfying since he was unfamiliar with the competition plane, a blue and white Eagle. “Most of us didn’t have much experience in Eagles.  I had never flown one, “he said.  Southern Field, the facility from which the 35 pilots flew, had a special meaning among aviators since it is supposedly the location of Charles A. Lindbergh’s first solo flight.  Former president Jimmy Carter was among the spectators of the competition.

“I’m as elated as I can be,” the top crop-duster said after claiming the top flying trophy and $2,000 first prize money.  A portion of the $2,000 award was donated to the American Cancer Society and Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville in memory of their daughter, Stephanie, a victim of cancer.

In 1986, Billy became a corporate pilot with MSI, Inc. in Atlanta, GA.  During his years in aviation, he logged over 40,000 hours.  Billy died on June 25, 2006 in Cadiz, Kentucky at the age of 69 after a long battle with cancer.

LINEAGE:

(William Orval Allen, Jr. was the son of William Orval, Sr. and Ruth Moorefield Allen, the grandson of James Orval and Daisy Pearl Bridges Allen and the great-grandson of William Henry and Sarah Elizabeth Lancaster Bridges.  William Henry was the fourth child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges.  Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

James Maston Thomas -- Printer

 

 

On November 21, 1940, The Cadiz Record reported that a short film, featuring James M. Thomas of Model, Tennessee, and his homemade printing press, would be shown at the Kentucky Theater in Cadiz. The short film was only a few minutes long and was cut from a Universal Studios series.

James Maston Thomas was born in the Donaldson Creek community of Trigg County, but moved with his family to the Model, Tennessee area where he remained for many years. Thomas was an extraordinarily interesting and intelligent man, an inventor, farmer, and a minister of the Christian Union Church. However, he was best known as a newspaper publisher and was widely recognized for the unusual way his paper was printed.

As a boy, Thomas hung around the printing office of the Cadiz Record, watching and learning the trade. He carved cedar sticks into stencils and began printing with them. Eventually he was given a small hand press, and in 1901 he began using it to print a newspaper. He decided he needed a better press, and built his own in 1917 - a wooden cylinder press. By then he was printing a newspaper titled “The Model Star” once a year. It was a small four-page, three-column periodical, and set entirely by hand. Much of the paper was of a religious nature, but of no specific denomination. Thomas built up a worldwide circulation for “The Model Star” through missionary societies and it was sent to places such as Tahiti, Russia, China, and Egypt.

The Thomas & Bridges families owe a thank you to James Maston Thomas for preserving the family history in print form. G.A. Bridges wrote the first Thomas & Bridges family history in the late 1920s, and James M. Thomas printed the booklets on his homemade press.
(Source: The Cadiz-Trigg County Kentucky Bicentennial Facebook page, November 21, 2020)

 Maston also sent copies of “The Model Star” to service men all over the world.  Mementos sent by these men back to him were on display throughout his home and shop.  When Kentucky Lake was formed, the waters covered his farm and after selling his land, he and his family moved to Calloway County, Kentucky.  He was married to the former Miss Flora J. Seawright on October 20, 1901 and they had three daughters.

 

 Maston Thomas and his printing press. Photo courtesy of Ira Scott, The Cadiz-Trigg County Kentucky Bicentennial Facebook page, November 21, 2020.

THE LINEAGE:
(James Maston Thomas was the son of Albert Dillard and Mary Jonathan Vinson Thomas and the grandson of Peyton and Sarah L. Ethridge Thomas.  Peyton was the third child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas.  Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Ronald Chappell Redd -- Drowning Victim

 

On the morning of Wednesday, May 21, 1980, 29-year-old Ronald Chappell Redd and his friend Mervin Keck of Grand Junction, Colorado set out on a trip to canoe the whitewater rapids of the Gunnison River in western Colorado. The Gunnison River, between the towns of Delta and Grand Junction, Colorado, usually offers a very scenic and gentle float. The river flows through beautiful slick rock canyon country. The solitude and unspoiled beauty of this river make this trip truly a unique river experience. The narrow river corridor of the Gunnison Gorge creates exciting whitewater rafting in Colorado as the rapids wind into the 2,800 ft high walls of Black Canyon.

However, recent rains in the area had caused the rapids of the Gunnison to be more treacherous than usual. Redd and Keck had difficulty maneuvering their canoe in the rough waters and their boat capsized by the rapids near the town of Bridgeport.  Redd was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.  Both were thrown from the boat and Keck was able to make it to safety, but Redd was lost in the rapids.

Mesa County authorities searched the area for Redd but by the afternoon he was presumed drowned in the torrents of the Gunnison River.  The search for the Redd’s body was hampered by a river swollen from runoff and heavy rain.  Mesa County Sheriff Capt. Joe Hicks said the river was moving swiftly and full of debris, making it difficult to search for Redd's body.  “There are some logs three feet wide and 30 feet long in the river" Hicks said "It's just too high and too fast."  Sheriff's deputies used an airplane and a boat in the search for Redd, who was declared lost in the river at 5:21 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, 1980 when his canoe capsized. Hicks said search dogs were also used in an attempt to sniff out a trail, but no trace of Redd had been uncovered.  Officials speculated Redd did not survive when the canoe capsized halfway between Bridgeport and Whitewater, between 12 and 15 miles south of Grand Junction.   "It doesn’t' appear that he got out." Hicks said.

Crews of the Denver and the Rio Grande western railroad trains that pass near the river were asked to watch for Redd's body.  Most of the stretch where Redd was believed to have drowned is accessible only by railroad tracks running next to the river.

The body of Ronald Chappell Redd was not recovered for over two weeks after the accident, until Thursday, June 5, 1980 at 7:45 p. m. by sheriff officers.  The body was noticed about 6:15 p.m. by railroad crews who had notified authorities.

Redd and his family had been residents of Grand Junction for only about two years at the time of the accident.  He had lived in Colorado Springs for most of his life.  He was born in Trigg County, Kentucky on July 15, 1951 and was a bricklayer by trade.  He was survived by his wife, Lauretta “Jenny” Atnip Redd and two children, Carrie Ann and John Blane and his parents, Chappell and Vernell Redd of Colorado Springs.

THE LINEAGE:

(Ronald Chappell Redd was the son of Chappell Blane and Anna Vernell Johnson Redd, the grandson of D. B. and Bessie Marie Sumner Redd, the great-grandson of Thomas “Tommie” Darnell and Lula Bell Thomas Sumner and the great-great-grandson of James Edmond and Mary Louisa Bridges Sumner.  Mary Louisa was the second child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges.  Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Stanley Thomas -- Early Trigg County Pioneer

 

Stanley Thomas was the youngest child of John and Mary Thomas.  He was born on November 6, 1806 and died on April 11, 1858.  His brother-in-law, Cyrus Thompson, wrote a sketch of Stanley’s life as reported in the publication, “Pioneers of Trigg County, Kentucky, as Seen Through the Biographical and Genealogical Articles of Cyrus Thompson in the Kentucky Telephone and the Cadiz Record, 1889-1899” which was edited by Barney Thompson in 1996. Presented below is that sketch:

“In some of my previous communications I made mention of Stanley Thomas, titled Colonel, as having been a merchant in Cadiz in about 1836 and a partner of Maj. Alfred Boyd, and I now propose to speak of him at some length because he became a noted citizen.

Stanley Thomas, after going to Cadiz, first embarked in the goods business with Frasier Y. Lawson, who was a well-known citizen of Cadiz, a rather handsome man of pleasing address, and a tailor by trade.  Then with a man by the name of Burkley or Buckland, a northern man who, it was said, did not "tote fair," and lastly with Maj. Alfred Boyd.  Neither copartnership lasted over a year or two-- that with Boyd the longest.

After retiring from the mercantile business Mr. Thomas became the acting Sheriff of Trigg, and filled the position for six years under the leasing or farming system; and afterwards for four years by election by the people under the present constitution—being all the while a popular officer.  He was for a short time the proprietor of the old Hotel previously owned and kept by my father, and in 1849 was elected to the Kentucky legislature as a Whig, besting Col. Daniel Landes, the nominee of the Democrats in a Democratic county, thereby showing his personal popularity; and here allow me to digress by saying that Col. Thomas and Col. Landes were brothers-in-law, having married sisters,  and altho' the contest was heated and the race an exciting one, they were as good friends after the election as before.

Stanley Thomas was a man of generous impulses, social, honorable and liberal.  He had a sunny countenance and pleasing manners, and scarcely a man ever lived in Cadiz--so well known, and for so long a time, so prominent before the people in some public capacity--who was so popular.  He was very convivial in his nature and disposition, and this characteristic came very near destroying his usefulness.

In the first years of his residence in Cadiz, by association with frolicsome young men and indulgence in the social glass, he acquired a taste and formed a habit that injured him and threatened his destruction, but he had the moral firmness to throttle the "monster," and became an instance and an example of permanent reform.  He soon thereafter joined the Baptist Church, and lived thereafter a consistent Christian life.

In 1843, Stanley Thomas married my sister, Sarah Thompson, then the widow of N. W. Rothrock, and they had and reared three children, two sons and one daughter, who, if they have not or shall not honor their parents, certainly have never brought reproach upon them--they were Robert B., Henry C., and Sarah. Robert is a respectable and honorable merchant of Louisville, having been quite successful.  Henry came to Texas in the latter years of his boyhood, and in early manhood married and sold goods at Weimar, until his death some years since, having been honored and respected; and Sarah married Thomas Moore, a respectable merchant of Comanche, Texas, a brother of Mollie E. Moore, the gifted Texas poetess.  Stanley Thomas died in Cadiz in 1858 in his 50th year, an honored and respected citizen, and was preceded by his wife, who died in 1853, she having been an honored member of the Methodist Church.”

THE LINEAGE:

(Stanley Thomas the seventh child of James and Mary Standley Thomas)

James Luther Ledbetter -- Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee

 

 

Dr. James Luther Ledbetter or “Doc" as he was known was born on May 17, 1913 in the Bryan Chapel Community near Boatman in Mayes County, Oklahoma.  He was the eighth child of the nine children of Thomas Lewis Ledbetter and Amanda Elizabeth Thomas.  Amanda had been born in Trigg County, Kentucky, but as a child had moved by covered wagon with her family to Arkansas and then later into Oklahoma.

He graduated from Pryor High School in 1931 as class salutatorian. He graduated from Northeastern State College in 1935, and then he earned his master’s degree in 1940 from Oklahoma State University, and later his Doctoral Degree in 1964 from the University of Tulsa.

He served in the United States Navy from 1942 through 1945, where he taught math techniques of weight and balance control to officers who flew military cargo aircraft during World War II He was an engineer for McDonnell Douglas in Convair and contributed to the design of the B52 Bomber.

On July 9, 1944, he married Mildred Morgan of Nashville, Tennessee and they became the parents of two children, a son, Allen and a daughter, Marlis.

He settled down as a professor at Northeastern State University located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma less than an hour southeast of Tulsa, in the heart of Oklahoma's Green Country and nestled at the foot of the Ozark Mountains.

On January 25, 2003, Dr. Ledbetter was one of two men who were inducted into Northeastern University’s Athletic Hall of Fame at Tahlequah, Oklahoma.  The other inductee was Virgil Knight, Assistant Coach with the Green Bay Packers and one of Dr. Ledbetter’s former students.  

He was recognized for his meritorious service for his tireless work in the athletic department. He had served as NSU Athletic Ticket Manager for more than 40 years, was sponsor for NSU’s Baptist Student Union for 20 years, and was faculty representative for the Division of Practical Arts at NSU.  He had taught 21 year at NSU in the Department of Industrial Arts, Education and Technology.  

Present for the ceremony, which was preceded by a formal dinner, were his wife and all of Dr. Ledbetter's children and grandchildren along with several of his relatives from Pryor, Oklahoma.

He was also inducted into the Who's Who of South and Southwest for education excellence. He was a deacon in the First Baptist Church for 45 years, where he was also a Sunday school teacher for more than 35 years.  He also served as president of the local Lion’s Club.

James died on August 4, 2007 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma at the age of 94, leaving behind his wife of 63 years.  He was buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Pryor, Oklahoma.

THE LINEAGE:

(James Luther Ledbetter was the son of Thomas Lewis and Amanda Elizabeth Thomas Ledbetter, the grandson of James Clark “Muck” and Elizabeth Josephine Lawrence Thomas and the great-grandson of James Jr., and Martha Ethridge Thomas.  James, Jr. was the sixth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Mary Stanley Thomas McCasland --Childhood Recipient of a Family Heirloom

 

On a rather cool autumn morning in 1870, James Clark Thomas and his wife, the former Mary Elizabeth Lawrence, and their six children climbed into their mule-drawn covered wagon on Donaldson Creek in Trigg County, Kentucky and prepared to leave for Lonoke County in Arkansas.

Clark, whose nickname was “Muck” was about to say “giddap,” when his mother, Margaret Thomas interrupted. “Wait a minute,” she said.  “Those children need to be wrapped up better or they’ll catch a world of cold.”  She went back into the house and came out carrying a quilt. “Here,” she said to Mary Stanley, who at age ten, was the oldest of the six children.  “Take this and see to it that all you children keep warm.  After you get there, you can claim the quilt as yours.”

Clark was 35 and Mary Elizabeth was 32.  The children in addition to Mary Stanley were, Ezekiel, the only son, Drucilla, Harriett, Alpha Adeline and Amanda Elizabeth, who was only a few months old.  Their seventh and last child, Jemima Emma, was born in Arkansas in 1872.

The reason Clark Thomas pulled up stakes and moved to Arkansas has been guessed at for years.  He had inherited more than a hundred acres of fertile farmland in the Donaldson Creek Valley when his father, James Thomas, Jr., died in 1864.  Just why he sold it and moved to Lonoke County, Arkansas, no one among his many descendants remember today.   Undoubtedly letters were sent back to Kentucky telling about their 200-mile trek, but little is known about the route they traveled or how many days they spent on the way.

One thing we do know – Mary Stanley took her grandmother Margaret at her word – the quilt was definitely hers.  Ten years later, on February 16, 1879, Mary Stanley married Thomas Jesse McCasland.  She was 19 and he was 21.   When she and her new husband began their life together, the quilt which her grandmother Margaret had given her in 1870 went with her.  It’s been in her family ever since.

Thomas and Mary Stanley subsequently moved to Oklahoma and in the ensuring years, the quilt was passed along to their daughter, Monnie.  Due to its age, this family heirloom was brought out only on special occasions, or to show it to some of Grandmother Margaret’s other descendants.  All through the years since the quilt left Kentucky, it was used to help keep Thomas descendants warm during those cold Oklahoma winters.  Despite its use, it is in a remarkable state of preservation, with only a bit of wear apparent around the edges. 

The possession of the quilt was passed on to Betty Bradford Bergman of Pryor, Oklahoma, the daughter of Monnie McCasland and granddaughter of Mary Stanley.  Betty passed away in January of 2020.  She was quoted as saying, “I inherited the quilt from my mother.  My daughter keeps it in her cedar chest for me.  Since she is my only daughter, she will be the next owner.”  That daughter and current owner of the quilt is Lisa Anne Bergman Dennis of Oklahoma.

Margaret Thomas had been a widow for 22 years when she died in 1886.  The mother of six children, she may well have given quilts to others of her family, but this example of her handiwork likely is the only one in existence today.

Sisters, (Rear) Mary Stanley Thomas McCasland, Drucilla Thomas Smyth,
 (Front) Emma Thomas Martin, Amanda Thomas Ledbetter

Information for this article based on “With Love, from Grandma Peggy”, by Edison Thomas, TBA Newsletter, July 2000.

 

THE LINEAGE:

(Mary Stanley Thomas McCasland was the first child of James Clark “Muck” and Mary Elizabeth Lawrence Thomas and the granddaughter of James, Jr. and Margaret Ethridge Thomas.  James, Jr. was the sixth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Ophelia Thomas Ellis -- Centenarian of Three Centuries

 

 

Ophelia Angela Thomas Ellis has the unique honor to have lived in three different centuries.  She was born in 1899 and died in 2004, her life having spanned three centuries. 

At a special birthday celebration on her 100th birthday in 1999, Ophelia said she no special formula living for 100 years, “Just keep the faith, and be ready when the Lord calls,” she said “I’m going to hang in there”, she added, “I was born in 1899.  The 21st century is less than seven months away, and I want to say that I lived during three centuries.”  And she met that goal.

She was born in Trigg County, Kentucky on June 20, 1899.  As she put it, “…one of fifteen babies” born to William Henry and Martha Tinsley Thomas.  Twelve of those grew to adulthood. 

Ophelia married Lester Perry Ellis of adjoining Christian County, where they settled and raised a family of four.  She was 73 old when she joined the Thomas-Bridges Association as a charter member.  She attended most, if not all the reunions and was honored as the oldest person present at several reunions.  She was also a charter member of the James Thomas Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Trigg County, Kentucky.

Ophelia died on July 30, 2004 in Cadiz, Kentucky at the age 105.  She outlived her husband by 52 years.  Lester Perry Ellis preceded her in death on July 10, 1952.  Both of them are buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

(Upon the completion of the above article, it came to my attention that May Harris Gray, featured in another article below dated October 15, 2020 also lived in three centuries. May was born in 1896 and died in 2005.)

 

THE LINEAGE:

(Ophelia Thomas Ellis was the daughter of William Henry and Martha Ellen Tinsley Thomas and the granddaughter of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas.  Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Selethia and Piety Bridges -- Twin Pioneer Sisters

Selethia and Piety Bridges were two of the seven children of Drury Bridges and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  The twin sisters were born November 16, 1790 in North Carolina prior to their family’s departure to western Kentucky. Selethia and Piety, along with their older sister, Jemima and their brother William migrated along with their parents from their plantation home in the Tyancoca Swamp community of Edgecombe County, North Carolina to their new home in the area now known as Maple Grove, in Trigg County, Kentucky.  Another son, Orren Dates Bridges, died before his parents left for Kentucky.  The two youngest children of Drury and Charity, Elizabeth Josephine and Mary, were born in Kentucky and later, along with William, married into the Thomas family.

Piety Bridges married Noah Brunk in Christian County, Kentucky on June 3, 1813, with Dudley Williams as the officiating minister. She and her husband had five daughters, Lucinda, Elizabeth, Jennie, Priscilla and Martha.  Although each of the five daughters were married, Gilbert Bridges stated in his 1968 research of Piety’s daughters that there was minimal information on their families available  and that he “deemed it unfeasible to undertake tracing these families any further.”  Piety and Noah Brunk are both buried in a cemetery in McCracken County near Paducah, Kentucky.

Selethia Bridges became the second wife of Joel Futrell on November 9, 1813.  Joel was born on November 29, 1802, the son of Shadrach and Charlotte Johnson Futrell, who had also migrated from North Carolina.  Selethia and Joel had no children.  Selethia died on December 9, 1879 and was buried adjacent to her parents in the Drury Bridges Cemetery in the Maple Grove community.  Selethia was the only child of Drury and Charity to be buried in the same cemetery as their parents.  Joel died after 1880 and is buried somewhere on Donaldson Creek, also in an unmarked grave.

For over 119 years since her death, Selethia rested in an unmarked grave next to her parents.  During that time, members from seven generations of Drury and Charity descendants were interred near her.  In 1998 as a result of a special fund drive, funds were raised to purchase a marker for Selethia which was finally erected to mark her final resting place.  

A note, likely written by Perry Thomas, states ”Soletha Futrell, daughter of Drewry and Charity Bridges, was born in North Carolina on Nov 26, 1790,  She profest religion and was baptised in 1814 – was a member of the United Baptist Church – departed this life the 9th of December 1879.  She died in the triumph of living faith in Jesus Christ. Aged 89 years and 13 days.”    

  
THE LINEAGE:

(Selethia and Piety Bridges are daughters of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Wesley Gunn Thomas -- Farmer and Genealogist

 

Wesley Gunn Thomas, was born April 1, 1859 in Trigg County, Kentucky and was one of eleven children born to Stanley and Emily J. Light Thomas. He was a highly respected farmer and longtime resident of the Oak Grove community. Known throughout Trigg County as "Cousin Wes," he was a great-grandson of James and Mary "Mollie" Standley Thomas, who migrated to Trigg County from North Carolina and settled on Donaldson Creek in about 1806.

On March 17, 1881, he was married to Eliza S. Henderson, daughter of John and Susan Larkins Henderson of Caldwell County, Kentucky, with whom he had ten children. A deeply religious man, he was of the primitive Baptist faith. He and his wife raised their ten children on an 150-acre farm on Birds Creek not far from Oak Grove Baptist Church. She passed away in March, 1936.

Those who knew him always mention in particular--his remarkable memory, especially about his family. He had an ability to recall who descended from what branch of the large Thomas clan, and could even recall individual dates of birth. In 1928, when G.A. Bridges and Maston Thomas put together the first history of the Thomas and Bridges families, they relied heavily on "Cousin Wes" for assistance. Additionally, many in Oak Grove and nearby communities sought his assistance in verifying their birth when they applied for birth certificates. He was also well known for his love of Southern Harmony hymns. He traveled throughout Western Kentucky to "all day singings." For many years, the main highlight of his year was to attend the "Big Singing" (of Southern Harmony hymns), a ritual that has been held annually at the Marshall County Courthouse in Benton since 1884.

His children were Mattie Pearl Thomas Hughes, Hazie L Thomas., Eura Wesley Thomas, Leslie Edwin Thomas, Annie Thomas Bridges, Peachie Thomas Terrell, James Stone Thomas, Lucien M. Thomas, Luther Thompson Thomas, and Berta Thomas Francis.

Wesley Gunn Thomas died on February 3, 1946 in Cadiz, Kentucky at the age of 86 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Peachie Terrell. Funeral services were conducted on Wednesday, February 4th, 1946 at Dyer's Chapel Methodist Church with burial in the nearby Lawrence Cemetery. Pallbearers included Hershel Thomas, Hugh Thomas, Elzie Light, Allen Lawrence, Clarence Bruce and D. Bruce.

(Biographical information from obituary in Cadiz Record February 5, 1946 and from an article "Cousin Wes" which appeared in the Thomas-Bridges Association newsletter)

THE LINEAGE:

(Wesley Gunn Thomas was the sixth child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas and the grandson of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Lucy George Thomas Booker -- Civic Leader, Historian and Genealogist

 

Lucy George Thomas Booker, civic leader, historian, genealogist and founding president of the Thomas-Bridges Association was born on June 23, 1912 in Christian County, Kentucky, the daughter of Thomas Marshall Thomas and Georgia Ella Wilkins.

In 1971, when the Thomas-Bridges Association was organized, Lucy George was elected president.  She immediately setup an operating organization, wrote by-laws and established other procedures. It was through her ability and enthusiasm for the preservation of family tradition and history of our two families, that made the Association what it is today.

A “doer and a joiner” of anything that helped to promote, preserve or advance causes of things historic, she was always willing to do and usually did more than her part towards seeing that the endeavor was a success.  Among the organizations which she had an avid and active interest, ones in which she often was the force, were the James K. Polk Memorial Association , member and former officer, Jane Knox chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Columbia, Tennessee and the James Thomas chapter, DAR, Cadiz, senior president of the President Polk Society, Children of the American Revolution, member, Captain James Madison Sparkman chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and member and former director of the Maury County, Tennessee chapter of APTA, a preservation organization.  She was also member of the Giles County, Tennessee and the Kentucky Historical societies, member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, member and past president of the Maury County Mental Health Association, and an associate of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.  In addition she was communicant of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church of Columbia, and secretary-treasurer of Episcopal Church Women.

Lucy’s genealogical research of the Booker family resulted in the “The Booker Family Papers”, consisting of three cubic feet, spanning the years 1950 through 1987. The collection is genealogical in nature, and is centered on Lucy’s research. Her primary interests were her family, the Thomas and Clark families of Christian and Trigg Counties, Kentucky, and Maury County, Tennessee, as well as inter-related families. The Thomas and Clark families were originally from North Carolina and settled in southwestern Kentucky in the early nineteenth century. The papers include correspondence, notes, notebooks, printed materials, records and sketches, all reflective of the genealogical interests of Mrs. Booker. These materials were initially loaned by Columbia State Community College to the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville, Tennessee for microfilming, and later after filming, were donated to the library. There are no restrictions on the material. Single photocopies of items in the Booker Family Papers may be made for genealogical or scholarly research from the Tennessee Library and Archives.

Her husband, Loyd Woodrow Booker, whom she married on September 9, 1950, died in 1987 in Maury County, Tennessee.  They had no children.  Lucy George died on October 22, 1995 at the age of 83 in Columbia, Tennessee.  She was buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

THE LINEAGE: 

(Lucy George Thomas Booker was the daughter of Thomas Marshall and Georgia Ella Wilkins Thomas, the granddaughter of Alfred Marshall and Eliza Anne Martin Thomas and the great-granddaughter of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas. Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

James C. Bridges -- Early Trigg County Pioneer

 James C. Bridges was the sixth child of William Bridges and Mary Thomas Bridges.  He was born on June 14, 1832 in Trigg County, Kentucky on his father’s farm located what is known as “Little Spring” near where Beechy Fork Creek turns south toward its confluence with Donaldson Creek.

James married Mary Ross Calhoun on December 10, 1855 who was the daughter of Archibald Cohoon and the granddaughter of Joel Cohoon, a Revolutionary War veteran.  Mary was born on September 19, 1836.  They had four children, two girls and two boys, Francis T. Bridges, Robert Bridges, Dora Mae Bridges and Rufus “Cutt” Bridges. Some family sources list a fifth child, Belle Bridges who was born before Dora Mae and died at the age of 10.

James settled at what later became known as the Stan Bridges place in the Beechy Fork Creek Valley.  He and his wife Mary, made their home and raised their children there.  However, their life together lasted just eight years.  He was only 31 years old when he died on April 30, 1863.  There is no record as to why he died at such a young age.  He is buried in the William Bridges Cemetery.

In the early 1880’s, Mary, James’ widow, and their children moved to Graves County, Kentucky.  Their daughter, Dora Mae married John W. “Babe” Pritchard and many of their descendants live in that county today.  In 1889, their son, Robert was killed by a railroad train near Pryorsburg, Kentucky.  Mary was 77 years old when on December 13, 1914, she died at her home near Cuba, a small town in Graves County, Kentucky.

THE LINEAGE:

(James C. Bridges was the sixth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
 

Edward Smith Bridges -- Musician and Arts Advocate

 

Edward Smith Bridges was born on June 20, 1930, in Dover, Tennessee, the son of Samuel Henry and Inez Agnes Thomas Bridges.   He grew up in Hopkinsville, KY, played trumpet in the high school band and was an Eagle Scout.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University, where he was a member of the ROTC, he joined the US Air Force and became director of the Robins Air Force Base Band in Warner Robins, Georgia.  Edward and the band performed across the county and throughout Central and South America as part of an Air Force Goodwill tour.  He retired from the Air Force in 1972 and attended the University of Georgia to earn a master’s and doctorate in music education.  While in Athens, Edward was an assistant director of the University’s Red Coat Band.

For several years, Edward headed the music department at Georgia Tech.  In 1978 he founded the South Metro Concert Band at Clayton State College in Morrow, Georgia, where he met his wife, who played the oboe.

He was honored during the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay by passing the touch on the Square in McDonough, Georgia and was also a “Torch Bearer” in the Paralympics.

A longtime advocate for the arts in Henry County, Georgia, Edward was founder of the Henry Arts Alliance, the Henry Community Chorus and the South Metro Concert Band.  Since its founding 1991, the Henry Arts Alliance has helped other community arts organizations grow, including ones devoted to literary, visual and performing arts.  Edward once wrote that the organization’s mission was to “create awareness, stimulate interest and encourage involvement in the arts.”  In 1994, Edward was named Henry County Citizen of the Year.  In 1993, the Henry county commission honored him be proclaiming “Ed Bridges Day.”

Dr. Edward Bridges passed away at his home on March 9, 1997 in McDonough, Georgia at the age of 66.  He was survived by his wife, Joyce and three sons and two daughters.  He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

 

LINEAGE:

(Edward Smith Bridges was the son of Samuel Henry and Inez Agnes Thomas Bridges, the grandson of William Henry and Sarah Elizabeth Lancaster Bridges and the great grandson of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges.  Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Robert Peyton "Pate" Thomas -- World War I Veteran

 

 

Robert Peyton Thomas was born on November 12, 1889 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the son of Robert Henry Thomas and Lille Belle Thomas Thomas.  He served his country during World War I.

Pate entered the service on April 15, 1918, some six months before the war ended.  He received his basic training at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana After basic training he was assigned to an Army Ordinance outfit, and was then sent overseas landing in France on September 11, 1918.  He served as part of the American Expeditionary Forces and was under the overall command of General John J. Pershing

During the war, Robert Peyton or “Pate” as he was known sent a letter to his cousin, James Peyton “Buck” Thomas of Donaldson Creek. Pate was serving with the American Expeditionary Forces near the Belgian Border in France. The letter contained a photo of Pate.  As was the case with most soldiers overseas, Pate’s letter contained comments about the weather in France, inquires about things at home – planting corn, setting out tobacco, and how Buck’s older sons, Wilfred and Preston were doing.

“Tell Preston,” he said, “to get a motorcycle and when I get home he can haul me over to Mr. Gordon’s.”  The girl Pate left behind was Birdie Lee Gordon, who lived in the Dry Creek Community of Trigg County.

Pate was honorably discharge on July 29, 1919, returning home to Trigg County.  He lost no time renewing his romance with Birdie Gordon.  On August 23, 1919, less than a month after arriving home, they eloped to Dover, Tennessee.  On July 9, 1920, their only child, a son, Lonnie Jackson Thomas, was born in Trigg County.

Pate established a successful business operating a woodworking and cabinet shop.  He was known for his great sense of humor and enjoyed telling stories of his army life while serving in France.  Pate died on April 28, 1961 at his home on Donaldson Creek at the age of 71. His wife Birdie died in Cadiz, Kentucky at the Trigg County Hospital on July 12, 1992 at the age of 91.  Both Pate and Birdie are buried in the Peyton Thomas Cemetery in Trigg County, Kentucky.

 Pate Thomas' World War I Draft Registration Record

 

 

 

THE LINEAGE:

(Robert Peyton Thomas was the son of Robert Henry and Lille Belle Thomas Thomas and the grandson of Carroll and Margaret Jane Reid Thomas.  Carroll was the second child of James, Jr., and Martha Ethridge Thomas.  James, Jr. was the sixth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)