John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 216

The Germanna Thomas family has more than its share of mysteries; however, thanks to the research of Mrs. Margaret James Squires, published in Beyond Germanna , vol. 1, no. 3, we do know something about the early Thomas history.  Anna Maria Blanckenbühler was the sister of Matthias, Balthasar, and John Nicholas Blankenbaker, who came in 1717.  She was also the daughter of Mrs. Cyriacus Fleshman and the half-sister of the Fleshman children and of Henry Schlucter.  All of these individuals are known 1717 immigrants but there is no proof that Anna Maria came with her family in that year, though it would seem probable.

  1. Anna Maria Blanckenbühler was born 5 May 1687 in Neuenbürg (now in Baden) as the daughter of Johann Thomas and Anna Barbara (Schöne) Blanckenbühler.  On 18 Nov 1711 she married, in Neuenbürg, Johann Thomas, the son of Albrecht Thomas.  They had three children born in Germany:
    1. Hans Wendel Thomas, b. 17 Apr 1712
    2. Ursula Thomas, b. 8 May 1714, d. 8 May 1714
    3. Anna Magdalena Thomas, b. 24 Nov 1715

    1. Michael, b. ca 1718
    2. Margaret, b. ca 1720 (the order may be reversed since the birth dates are uncertain)

Before the Second Colony members had taken up their land patents, John Thomas, Sr., had died and Anna Maria Thomas remarried, this time to Michael Kaifer.  They had five children.  Michael Kaifer's will helps to clarify all of Anna Maria's children including the daughter's husbands.  One of the 1726 land patents was to John and Michael Thomas (both of whom were minors).  The name has been given erroneously as Tomer.

    1. John Thomas, Jr. (Hans Wendel) was apparently married twice.  The first time might have been to Mary Tanner based on circumstantial evidence but without any proof.  The number of children is uncertain; there were at least three, very probably four, and perhaps five.  Late in life, John Thomas, Jr. married Sarah ___ but it is doubtful that she was the mother of any of the children.

      The children of John and Mary were (no significance to the order):

      1. Susannah, m. Jacob Holtzclaw
      2. Mary, m. Joseph Holtzclaw
      3. Mary Barbara, m. Jacob Blankenbaker
      4. Elizabeth, m. John Railsback (very probable)
      5. Michael, (perhaps) who moved to North Carolina

    1. Anna Magdalena Thomas married Johann Michael Schmidt, Jr.  Very briefly, their family was:

      1. Adam
      2. Mary
      3. Susannah
      4. Zachariah
      5. John
      6. Anna Magdalena
      7. Catherine

    1. Michael Thomas was married twice and by oral tradition he had twenty-five children.  Not all have been identified. His will, in Kentucky, was partially burned and only some of the names can be discerned.  Furthermore, these children's names seem mostly to be of his second family.  His first wife was Catherine ____.  Though some have speculated that she was a Wayland, there is no proof and, in fact, there is some reason to doubt it.  His second wife was Eve Susannah Margaret Hart.  I will reserve numbers 12 through 36, inclusive, for the children but I cannot name all of the children.

    1. Margaret married Henry Coller or Collier.  This family is a complete mystery as they seem to have left the community at an early date.

We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.