Thank you, Jean Rose !!! Today, at the library, I found a book, "Cumberland County Virginia and its People" published in 1983, Third Printing, 1994, by the Cumberland Co. Hist. Soc. The following excellent article was in the book. Do you know Bessie Thompson Jackson? I would like to contact her! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THOMAS Among the immigrants to the New World in the 1700's was Job Thomas, born in England. Soon after arrival he married Elizabeth (Betsey) Hoggett (Collins), widow of Stephen Collins who had one child, Eleanor, who later married John Foster. Elizabeth was a daughter of Anthony Hoggett, a wealthy planter on James River, who sold Tuckehoe Plantation to John Utley in 1723-975 acres. In 1740 we find Job, Elizabeth and two teen-age sons, Jesse and Phineas, well established in Cumberland Co., Va. About this time Job, in conjunction with several others, was g ranted a large tract of land on New River which drains the lower part of the Great Valley between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge and flows northwestward to Gauley Bridge, W. Va., where it joins the Kanawha. So Job decided to go on a long hunt to find out more about this fabulous place. Long hunters were the first explorers and most of them will forever remain nameless as they kept no records. Job was probably one of them as he collected his musket, a hunting knife, a few cooking utensils and a package of combs, needles and pins by which he could attract an Indian he might chance to meet and set off, not to be seen again for many, many years. In the meantime their sons, Jesse and Phineas, grew up with their mother Betsy on Royal Oaks Plantation which is now in the State Forest. Jesse made frequent trips to England where he married Sarah Wood of London, who died in a few years. His second wife was Mary Howell of Buckingham Co. who was about twenty years his junior. By her there were 12 children. As the years rolled on the Indian Trails widened into roads and a new frontier was opened up. A trickle became a stream of settlers going through Cumberland Gap - horseback riders, ox carts, heavy road wagons with iron wheels and canvas tops all loaded with settlers going west. Some of the Thomas relatives were already there, so they took their mother, Betsy, out for a visit. There they found their father, Job, who had heard that Betsy was dead and had taken a second wife, a Miss Crow, by whom he had another family of children. The rest of the story is quickly told. Job's will was probated October 24, 1791, in Cumberland County, Virginia, leaving all to his two sons. (Will Bk. No. 2, P. 520). Jesse died June 1805. In his will probated July 22, 1805, he stated that his wife, Mary was to support his aged mother out of his estate. Of their twelve children only two remained in Virginia: Elizabeth Hoggett Thomas who married Francis Wilkinson o Buckingham Co., and Eleanor (Nelly) who married Elijah Glover and remained in Cumberland Co. The others migrated to Tennessee and beyond. Now their descendants have circled the globe. Bessie Thompson Jackson On Mon, 12 Oct 1998 11:38:42 EDT JeanRoseM@aol.com writes: >I'll do my best... >Jean > > >==== VABUCKIN Mailing List ==== >Visit the Buckingham County USGenWeb Homepage! >http://www.rootsweb.com/~vabuckin/bucknham.htm > > > > ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]