Esther Hale

Esther married John Thompson about 1698 in Ireland. John was born in 1672 in Ulster, County Antrim, North Ireland; died in 1710 in Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"Jimmie Thompson was orphaned at age 10. He was bound to Patrick Hagan. Hagan was a very harsh taskmaster and made Jimmie do most of the farm work. Sundays were spent in religious study at the Hagan home. Jimmie ran away from Hagan when he was 13. He crossed the sea into Scotland with a merchant friend. He met a John Alexander who hired Jimmie to plow for him. The Alexanders were Presbyterians and they took Jimmie into their home and reared him. He was sent to his first formal school. John Alexander had one child, a daughter Ruth. Jimmie fell in love with Ruth and they wanted to marry. Her parents did not allow this until Ruth was 18 and Jimmie 21. The John Alexander and James Thompson families emigrated from Scotland to America about the 1730s. They settled about 20 mile west of Philadelphia, PA" from Calvin G. Floyd, THOMPSON MILL HISTORY.

Pennsylvania records show a will of James Thompson dated 3 Feb 1748, leaving property to his sons: Alexander, Samuel, James, Robert and William.

James married Ruth Alexander in 1739 in Pennsylvania. Ruth was born before 1721 in Scotland; and died. [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:

Said to have married William McDANIEL.

Notes:

"James Thompson, Sr., son of Alexander Thompson, was also a soldier in the Revolution. He served for 20 months and 21 days and was also at the Battle of King's Mountain. He was appointed by the Georgia Legislature to the Board of Madison County Academy in November 1812. He was on the first Superior Court Jury list in 1812 of Madison County." (THOMPSON MILL HISTORY by Calvin G. Floyd)

In HISTORICAL SKETCHES, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES AND EARLY SETTLERS IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA, p 72-76, it is noted that: "James Thompson had in his young manhood fought the British and Tories at Cowpens, King's Mountain, and Guilford Court House. He married after the war, Sarah, the daughter of the widow Saye, whose husband had been killed in the Battle of Savannah, Ga, on the 9th of October 1779. James Thompson and his wife, Sarah, raised two sons and several daughters. Two of their daughters became wives of the two Carringtons, the sons of Rev. Timothy Carrington, a Baptist Minister, and perhaps the first pastor of Lystra Church. From these two daughters of James Thompson are numerous Carringtons now residing in Madison County and elsewhere. James Thompson's youngest daughter, then somewhat advanced in life, became the wife of John Bell, of Hall County, GA, a nephew of old Jim Bell.

Family/Spouse: Sarah Saye. Sarah was born after 1761; died in 1840. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

SUCCESSION RECORDS OF ST.HELENA PARISH, LOUISIANA 1804-1854,
E. Russ Williams, Jr., c1966, p. 31 NOTE (Patricia Ezell): In LA, Succession Records are the equivalent of Probate Records.

Ruth Thompson, dgt. of Alexander Thompson and Elizabeth Hodge of Elbert Co. GA, married about 1787 to Henry Strickland, b. 1766, N.C., d. Madison County, GA Feb 1817. Henry was the son of Solomon Strickland and Amy Pace.

In the 1820 census of St. Helena Parish, LA., Ruth Stricklin appears as a widow over 45 yrs of age, has 1 boy age 18-25, 2 girls 16-25, 1 boy and 1 girl 10-15 yrs of age.

On 10 Apr 1823, Ruth Strickling married Benjamin Bagley in Amite County, MS.

On 29 Oct 1824, Benjamin Bagley and wife, sold to Elizabeth White, chattel (probably a slave) in Amite County, MS. Conveyance Book I, page 2, p.68.

On 28 Sep 1826, Benjamin Bagley sold to K. & R. Strickland in Amite County, land Conveyance Book 2, p.172

Benjamin Bagley had probably been married before his marriage to Ruth as he appears in the 1810 Amite County census with a family. He received a land grant in Amite County on 21 Dec 1811, Township 3 North, Range 13 East, Section 24, 505 acres. He received another land grant in Amite County, MS. on 15 Oct 1816, Township 3North Range 6 East. This 2nd land grant was assigned to Josiah Powell on 1 July 1827 which may be a sign that Benjamin and Ruth moved.... or it could just be that he sold the land.--(Patricia Ezell)

The BAGLEY family does not appear in the 1850 census for Amite, Wilkinson, or Franklin Counties, MS, nor do they appear in the 1850 census for St.Helena, East or West Feliciana.
A number of the STRICKLAND children were in the 1850 St.Helena Parish census: Cade, James and Willis (at least).
There is no succession record for Ruth Thompson, Ruth Stricklin, or Ruth Bagley in the St.Helena Parish records.
One curious thing is how did Ruth Thompson from GA to MS? With whom did she come? Henry Stricklin died in 1817 in Madison County, GA. (at least according to Albert Casey's book, AMITE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI AND ITS ENVIRONS, p. 589. It's probably that she came with some of her adult children who had already married while still living in GA., i.e. , like Elizabeth STRICKLAND who married Edward WHITE about 1814 in Elbert County, GA, Nancy STRICKLAND who married Grant Rice TAYLOR in Madison Co. GA on 19 Sep 1818, Willis H. STRICKLAND who married Amy in 1816 in Madison Co.GA (this family went to Tangipahoa LA where he founded Tangipahoa Baptist Church).

Ruth married Henry Strickland about 1787 in Georgia. Henry (son of Solomon Strickland and Amey Pace) was born about 1766 in North Carolina; died on 6 Feb 1817 in Madison County, Georgia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ruth married Samuel Benjamin Bagley on 10 Apr 1823 in Amite County, Mississippi. Samuel was born about 1763; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: David Robinson. David was born before 1765; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Mary Saye on 24 Nov 1799 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Mary was born after 1766; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: William Langford. William was born before 1767; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Not listed in the will of her brother, John Thompson. She either is mistakenly being shown as a child of Alexander Thompson and Elizabeth Hodge, or she predeceased her brother.

Notes:

Never married. Inherited the mill and home tract from his parents, along with his brother, William. John died at Williamsburg, Virginia during tumor surgery. From "Abstracts of Georgia Wills" by Jeannette Holland, page 114 from the Madison County Will Book A (1812-1841) page 40: John THOMPSON of Elbert is listed here, 29 October 1811: 12 March 1813, p. 1, Lists his younger Brother William. Brothers and sisters: James, Sarah Robinson, Ruth Strickland, Alexander, Esther Langford, Robert, William. Exts: William and Alexander Thompson.

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:

"After his brother John died, he became the sole owner of Thompson's Mill and farm."

William married Nancy Mary Tillman on 12 Nov 1810 in Jackson County, Georgia. Nancy was born in 1784; died in 1858. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]