ONLY ONE THOMAS

SUMMARY

 

From the data we have found, it seems certain that there was only one adult Thomas Bandy in the Roanoke, Virginia, area before 1796.  This Thomas was 1) born in 1748, 2) the son of the Richard Bandy who wrote the July 21, 1795, Botetourt County, VA, will, 3) a Revolutionary War soldier, and 4) a co-executor of his father's will.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS

 

From Revolutionary War Pension applications, record No. W5782:

1. Thomas Bandy (1748 Thomas) was born June 22, 1748, in Cumberland County, VA. 

2. Thomas married first Polly [Christian], second Nancy Burns on October 12, 1777. 

3. Nancy Burns was born in 1756.

4. Thomas served in the Revolutionary Army in 1781, first at the Battle of Guilford Court House, NC., and later at the seige of Yorktown, VA. 

       The Americans actually lost the battle at Guilford^[1], but the British troops and supplies were so depleted that they had to retreat to Wilmington, NC, 150 miles away.  This was to be a significant turning point in the Revolutionary War.

       Edythe Rucker Whitley’s private papers in the Williamson County, TN, library contain detailed descriptions of both Battle of Guilford Court House and Seige of Yorktown. 

5. Thomas resided in Botetourt County, VA, after the Revolution; moved to Sumner County, TN, about 1816; and died there October 18, 1835. 

6. Thomas had the following children:

a. Wife Polly:

1) Cary born October 30, 1769

2) Richard born July 10, 1771

3) Elizabeth born February 7, 1773

4) Martha born August 8, 1775

5) Thomas born August 8, 1775

b. Wife Nancy

1) James born [date uncertain, difficult to read] December 27, 1786

2) Elihu born June 9, 1788

3) Elizabeth born April 4, 1790

4) Robert Dodson born February 15, 1792

5) Horasha born August 13, 1794

VIRGINIA PROBATE RECORDS

 

The July 21, 1795, Botetourt County will^[2] of Richard Bandy (1795 Richard), named his sons, "SE" Thomas and "SE" Richard, as co-executors.

VIRGINIA PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX ROLLS

 

Virginia personal property tax rolls for Botetourt (1783-1814), Bedford (1782-1805), Franklin (1786-1803) and Washington Counties (1783-1786), show:

Bedford County: One Thomas Bandy in 1782 and 1785.

Botetourt County:

One Thomas Bandy for all years 1787-1803.

One Thomas Bandy, and one Thomas Bandy, Jr., for 1804-05. 

Washington and Franklin Counties: No Thomas Bandys in the periods checked.

 

Conclusion: Tax Rolls show only one Thomas Bandy until 1804.

VIRGINIA LAND TRANSACTIONS

 

There are eight land transactions involving a Thomas Bandy in Virginia up to 1811.  All are in Botetourt County.

 

                                          Book-
 #      Date                       Page             Grantor                                 Grantee                                    Description
 1      7/18/1787          9-718            State of VA                           Richard Bandy                      250A Wolf Cr

                                                                                                                Thomas Bandy                     

                                                                                                                Christian Vinyard

 2      9/8/1801             7-498            Richard Bandy,                  Thomas Bandy                      254A

                                                                Exec Richard, decd

 3      8/11/1802          8-38              Thomas Bandy                   Blue Ridge Meeting House

                                                                Daniel James                                                                          2A

 4      11/12/1810        10-241         Christian Vinyard             Thomas Bandy                      115A

 5      11/12/1810        10-245         Thomas Bandy,                  Christian Vinyard                135A

                                                                Son Richard, Decd

 6      3/11/1811          10-301         Thomas Bandy,                  William McDermed             238A

                                                                Exec Richard, decd

 7      3/11/1811          10-303         Thomas Bandy,                  Jacob Gish                               186A

                                                                and wife, Nancy

 8      3/11/1811          10-304         Thomas Bandy                   Sarah Jordan                          10A

 

Figure 2, at the end of this chapter, plots out all of the land parcels involved.  Each of the eight transactions is made up of sub-parcels:

Transaction                                         Sub-parcel(s)

                                                                A B  C  D  E  F  G  H

                1                                                            d  e   f   g

                2                                              a  b   c

                3                                                       c                      h

                4                                                                 e   f   g

                5                                                            d

                6                                              a                      f

                7                                                  b            e

                8                                                                          g

 

If the above table of parcels are studied with Figure 2, it is seen that all of the Thomas's must be the same person.  Since transaction 6 names its Thomas as being Richard's executor, they all must then be "SE" Thomas.  Further, the Richard Bandy in transaction 1 must then be 1795 Richard.  Transaction 1 is the same as transaction 10 in the "Two Richards" chapter.

 

Other points of interest are:

1. In transaction 3, parcel "H" was apparently owned by Daniel James.

2. Transactions 4 and 5 together make the agreement between Thomas and Christian Vinyard (Wynart) to split up the 7/18/1787 land grant, transaction 1.  Thomas in transaction 1 has to be the same as the grantee in transaction 4 and the grantor in transaction 5.  Otherwise, the Thomas of transaction 1 would have to have been a grantor in transactions 4 and 5.

 

Conclusion: The overlapping nature of these parcels as described in their deed bounds indicate that the Thomas Bandys in all of above transactions are one and the same - "SE" Thomas Bandy, the son and executor of 1795 Richard.

TENNESSEE CENSUSES

 

Sumner County, TN, censuses show:

For 1820: Thomas Bandy, 1 male born prior to 1775, 1 female born prior to 1775.

For 1830: Thomas Bandy, 1 male born between 1740 and 1750, 1 female born between 1750 and 1760.

These birth dates fit those of 1748 Thomas and his wife, Nancy Burns, agreeing with Thomas' pension application that he moved to TN around 1816.

BLUE RIDGE MEETING HOUSE

 

In the 8/11/1802 land transaction number 3 above, Thomas Bandy and Daniel James sold about two acres of land to the Blue Ridge Meeting House for $9.  This church still exists in the same location today with the name of Blue Ridge Baptist Church.  It is in the town of Vinton, on the fringe of Roanoke, just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 

In October, 1989, we talked to the pastor, Lon E. Hicks.  Reverend Hicks told us that in 1801 and 1802, there was a large series of revivals through that part of Virginia.  The Blue Ridge Meeting House was formed as a result of one of those revivals.  There was no prior gathering or congregation.  In 1824, the Meeting House joined the Strawberry Baptist Association.  The oldest building still standing is a brick structure connected with and behind the present sanctuary.  This was built in 1854.  In 1875, the church withdrew from the Strawberry Association and has been independent ever since.  The present sanctuary was built in 1972. 

 

There were old church records, membership rolls, etc., which Reverend Hicks suspects are in the possession of a family of a long ago member.  The Church is searching for these, but presently has no clues as to their whereabouts.

CONCLUSION

 

For the following reasons, we believe it certain that "SE" Thomas and 1748 Thomas are the same person:

1. From the land transactions, "SE" Thomas lived in Botetourt County, VA, from 1787-1811.

2. In his pension application, 1748 Thomas says he lived in Botetourt County, VA, after the Revolution until he moved to TN around 1816.

3. From the above land and personal property tax records, we find no evidence that there was more than one adult Thomas Bandy in Virginia prior to 1796.  The land and personal property tax records do not indicate a second adult Thomas until later, but 1748 Thomas' son, Thomas, should have been an adult there in 1796.

4. From 1, 2 and 3 it follows that the "two" Thomas are the same person.

5. "SE" Thomas seems to be winding up his Botetourt County, VA, affairs (selling all his property) around 1811. 

6. As we said in the "Two Richards" chapter, when a person by one name drops from sight in one location at about the same time the same name appears in a second location, we can usually expect then to be the same person.  Thus 2 and 5 support the conclusion that the Thomas's are the same.

 

FIGURE 2  BOTETOURT LAND TRANSACTIONS OF THOMAS