The Thames Family of North Carolina
Circa 1735 to 1850
by
Walter S. and Maxine C. Gabennesch
2006 Edition
The Thames/Tims Family Association is pleased to announce the sale of The Thames Family of North Carolina, Circa 1735 to 1850, the culmination of Maxine and Walt's years of research into the Thames family's North Carolina origins. The 2006 edition of this work includes corrections and several additions not contained in previous versions. The Table of Contents can be viewed below.
Excerpts from the Introduction:
This [book] is an effort to help people with their research of the Thames Family of Bladen/Cumberland Co., North Carolina and beyond. Evaluate it and use your own judgment to accept or reject the information contained therein...It is full of documents and some necessary speculation...If you read and study this you will find out an awful lot about the Thames Family of Bladen/Cumberland Co. NC.
The Thames Family of North Carolina was an authentic "Colonial Family", "The Salt of the Earth", "Devout Christians", "Dedicated Patriots", human beings with all of our human strengths and frailties. They did their share in building this great country. This family fought in the "American Revolution", "The War of 1812", "The Indian Wars", "The Texas Rebellion from Mexico of 1835/36" and the "Mexican-American War of 1845". Many of this family served "The Cause" in the uniform of the Confederate States of America. They served when called.
...with the many documents available, it is possible to research [the Thames family] and gain a somewhat intimate knowledge of certain individuals. It is a "labor of love".
While teeming with document transcriptions, charts and source citations, The Thames Family of North Carolina is written primarily in a narrative style. The result is not only that the family researcher can utilize the book as a research tool, but also that the story of the early North Carolina Thames family is told in a manner that binds the interest of even the most casual researcher or curious family member. The book lacks an index, but this reviewer regards that as a positive point, because the book must really be read to fully glean the wealth of information it contains. A researcher would do him- or herself an injustice merely flipping pages to make notes and not regarding the work as a whole.
Throughout the decades, the Thames family genealogy has become peppered with conflicting information and unanswered questions. With respect to the family history contained in this book, Maxine and Walt have pieced together enough information to make arguments and speculations that offer us insight and answers to some long-standing puzzles. And when they do so, they are diligent throughout in advising the reader that definitive conclusions cannot be drawn but that their research has led them to make those speculations and assumptions. They do not make the claim that their research is infallible or "the final word"; on the contrary, they encourage the reader/researcher to seek out answers and even to independently explore the research and results they have provided.
This reviewer spent two delightful evenings delving into this book and came away more informed and enlightened than ever about the Thames family origins in North Carolina. Ancestors came alive within the book's pages, and I gained great insight into the personalities, motivations, and characters of several of them. It is truly worthy of any Thames researcher's intensive study and any descendant's library. You will come back to it again and again.
Reviewer: Rebecca Thames-Simmons
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Table of Contents |
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Dedicated to |
Page 2 |
| Prologue - "Imagine That" | Page 3 |
| Introduction | Page 6 |
| Chapter One - The Thames Family from 1735 to 1780 | Page 7 |
| Chapter Two - The Joseph and Martha Thames Family in 1758 to 1789 | Page 13 |
| Chapter Three - Thames Family land is annexed to Cumberland County in 1789 | Page 16 |
| Chapter Four - Martha Thames Family 1780 to 1814/15 Sons & Daughters | Page 17 |
| Chapter Five - People and Documents Relative to this Scenario | Page 27 |
| Chapter Six - Additional People Worth Noting | Page 30 |
| Chapter Seven - Grandsons - Who is Who? | Page 34 |
| Comments | Page 39 |
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Addenda |
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| The Children of Reverend David Thames | Page 42 |
| Cornelius and Mary Evans Thames | Page 44 |
| Analysis of the Recollections of George W. Marsh | Page 48 |
| James and Deborah Newberry/Lucy & William Thames Jr. | Page 56 |
| The Three Elizabeths Plus One | Page 59 |
| William "Grandpa Billy" Thames born 1796 the son of Thomas Thames | Page 66 |
| William Thames born 1813 the son of Rev. David Thames and Hannah | Page 69 |
| Thomas Thames in Georgia | Page 72 |
| Samuel Thames in Georgia | Page 75 |
| Stephen Thames in Georgia | Page 77 |
| The family of Joseph and Martha Thames Go West | Page 79 |
| The Rev. William and Son Rev. David Thames | Page 83 |
| Petition for the Division of the Estate of Reverend David Thames | Page 89 |
| "Proud to Remember" by Vera Kurl Marshall Corrections | Page 92 |
| Thames Groom & Bride Marriage Bonds North Carolina | Page 96 |
| Thomas, John & Amos, the Sons of Thomas & Prudence Thames | Page 97 |
| Descendants of Thomas Matthews, Three Generations | Page 99 |
| Descendants of John Newberry and Elizabeth Matthews, Three Generations | Page 100 |
| Descendants of Thomas Thames and Prudence, Three Generations | Page 101 |
| Descendants of Neil Beard and Catherine, Thames, Carver, Newberry Connections | Page 102 |
| Descendants of Joseph Thames and Martha Newberry | Page 105 |
| Out of the Carolina's - Censuses | Page 114 |
The cost of the book is $30, which includes shipping. We're excited to tell you that for every book purchased, Walt and Maxine have generously pledged to donate $10 to the Thames/Tims Family Association. To purchase this book or for further information, please contact Walt and Maxine Gabennesch at gabennesch@atmc.net.