Family lore is that Thomas came to the US by ship around 1800, met an English girl on board ship, possibly last name Benton. They eloped against her parents wishes and went to Kentucky (or possibly Tennessee). His wife was killed by Indians around 1812, their daughter Winnifred was born around 1809 and was raised by her maternal grandparents. Per census, Thomas was living in Schuyler County, Missouri, in 1850 with a wife, Letticia, he was 79 years old and Letticia was 76. They lived with Winnifred and her third husband, Stephen Ruddell. The Ruddells took the Oregon Trail in 1851 to the Puget Sound area, nothing indicates that Thomas went with them. Looking for: Thomas's birth, death dates, parents names, first wife's name Winnifred's actual birth record Karin Morey, Oregon City, OR