We still are with the Thomas family in Virginia that originated with the marriage of Johann Thoma and Anna Maria Blankenbuehler in Germany. They had four children, Hans Wendel (a.k.a. John, Jr.), Michael (Sr.), Margaret, and Anna Magdalena (not in birth order, as John, Jr., and Anna Magdalena were born in Germany and the other two in Virginia). We now have reason to believe, based on land transactions and on DNA studies that John, Jr., had two families. The first by Mary Unknown included four daughters and a son, Michael, Jr. (to distinguish him from his father’s brother). Then John, Jr., married Sarah Unknown and had at least four sons, William, Jesse, Lewis, and Joel. These four sons are identified in North Carolina land deeds and with land for John Thomas, Jr.
We have DNA tests for a male descendant of Michael, Sr., via his son Abraham (one of the better-known families in the large number of Michael, Sr., descendants). This male descendant is the brother of Marilyn Thomas Hansen, who has been doing so much recently to educate us. Then we have the DNA test for a descendant of Michael, Jr., in the first family of John Thomas, Jr. (the fifth child whose existence was only suspected but is now confirmed). And we have a DNA for a descendant of Joel in the second family of John Thomas. All three of these individuals today match excellently with only small differences to be expected from a common descendant of Johann Thoma. The three descendants have lines back to Johann Thoma as is shown by their excellent matches in their DNA.
In the second family of John Thomas, Jr., we know that William was born in 1763 per his Rev. War pension application. At this time his father was married to Sarah as we know from the land transactions.
A question was raised about a Mary Thomas who is mentioned in land records when John, Jr., was giving away land to his children. This is the daughter, Mary, who was not yet married. Very soon thereafter, she married Joseph Holtzclaw and Joseph received land from John, Jr. (Not all of the land was distributed at the same time but the earliest deeds reflect the intentions of John, Jr., even though he had not yet executed the deeds. John, Jr., had two daughters, Mary Barbara and Mary, where Mary Barbara used both of her names while Mary used only her calling name. This Mary might have been named something like Anna Maria.)
Several questions have been answered by the DNA studies. It has extended the Germanna Thomas family. Not only am I happy to see the clarification in the Thomas family, but we showed what DNA studies can do. It is a suggestion that other families might also profit by similar studies.
(06 Apr 06)
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.