Carroll Thomas
Carroll Thomas was born on December 31, 1831 in Trigg County, Kentucky, the second of four children who grew to adulthood of James Thomas, Jr. and Margaret Ethridge Thomas. James, Jr. had been born in Bertie County, North Carolina and traveled with his father’s family to settle in Trigg County. His mother, Margaret, was a native of Davidson County, Tennessee. James, Jr. owned a farm in the Donaldson Creek community. Carroll’s siblings were Edwin C. Thomas, born in 1830 and married Amanda C. Brandon; James Clark “Muck” Thomas, born in 1835 and married Mary Elizabeth Lawrence and then married Mary Ann “Mollie” Fowler Meeks; and Amanda Jane Thomas, born in 1838 and married Bayliss Print Vinson. James, Jr. and Margaret also had one unnamed infant and Pollie S. Thomas, who died in childhood.
Carroll grew up on his father’s farm which was near the present-day Donaldson Creek Baptist Church. He attended school at the Upper Donaldson one-room school house along with numerous members of his kinfolk. Carroll was an accomplished musician, especially adroit on the violin. On one occasion he was called before the church deacons to explain why he had played the violin at a square dance, which was frowned upon by the church.
On February 10, 1859, Carroll married Margaret Jane Reid. Margaret was born on August 2, 1842 in Stewart County, Tennessee, the daughter of Matthew Milton Reid and Martha Ann Vinson Reid, both natives of Stewart County. Carroll was 28 years old and Margaret was 19 at the time of their marriage. They moved into his father’s two-story frame home where all eight of their children were born and raised. The eight children were Sarah L. “Sallie” Thomas, born in 1860, and married James Edmond Sumner; Jesse Milton “Bud” Thomas, born in1862 and married Lula Augusta Shelton; Robert Henry Thomas, born in 1867 and married Lillie Belle Thomas and then married Ora Agnes Bridges; Martha Thomas, born in 1870 and died at the age of two; Richard Ellis Thomas, born in 1872 and married Nannie G. Hendricks and then married Effie Sivills, with a third marriage to Ora Crute Wills and a fourth marriage to Ada Justice Smith; Margaret “Jennie Thomas, born in 1874 and married George Walton Thomas; Charles Major Thomas, born in 1879; and Edward “Edd” Clark Thomas, born in 1882 and married Augusta “Gustie” Arbelle Carr.
Carroll’s wife Margaret died at the age of 48 on February 13, 1890. She was buried in the Carroll Thomas Family Cemetery which was located at the rear of the site of their family home. On January 1, 1891, Carroll married his second wife, Frances “Frankie” Wills Vinson. Frances was born on June 20, 1857, the daughter of Jospeh Patrick Wills and Harriett Duncan Wills. Frankie was the widow of Ezekiel Vinson. Carroll and Frankie were the parents of three children, one who died in infancy; and two who grew to adulthood, John Cullen “Taylor” Thomas, born in 1891 and married Myrtle Green Chewning and James Carroll “Pat” Thomas, born in 1899, and married Bessie Elizabeth Satterfield.
Carroll spent his entire life on Donaldson Creek in the family home built by his father on the farm that he had acquired in 1825. He died at that home on February 12, 1922 at the age of 90. He had incurred a fall several weeks before his death which had resulted in a broken hip and because of his advanced age, his death was not unexpected. He was buried in the family cemetery near the rear of his family home. His wife, Frankie, outlived him by 24 years and continued to live in the family home along with his family until her death on January 31, 1946, at the age of 88. She was buried in the family cemetery behind the home along with her husband and his first wife.
Carroll Thomas home place on Donaldson Creek
Carroll and Margaret tombstone
Frankie Thomas tombstone
LINEAGE: (Carroll Thomas was the second child of James, Jr. and Margaret Ethridge Thomas. James, Jr. was the sixth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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