For many years, I questioned whether the Lodowick Thompson who married Delilah Womack in Greenville County, Virginia could be my ancestor Lodowick Thompson who was married to Priscilla Reeves and lived in Lancaster County and Kershaw County, South Carolina.
I dug into this question a year or so ago, and still have questions, but believe that they were the same man.
There are no surviving 1790
census schedules for Virginia because they are believed to have been destroyed
during the British attack on Washington during the War of 1812. However, a
personal tax list for 1789 in Virginia does exist and can be used as a
census reconstruction. 1789 found Lodowick Thompson in Southampton Co., Virginia.
On the 1790 Southampton Co., Virginia tax list:
Loderick Thomson with Willie Turner
A research question: Why is Lodowick Thompson listed with Willie
Turner? Is Turner a step-father? Grandfather? Uncle? Older step-brother? Or is
there no family connection at all?? There was a Willie Turner who died in Southampton County in 1794 and left his property to his mother Lucy Turner. If she died that property was to go to John Wesley Turner, and if he died while underage, it was to go to Lucy and John Little.
Lodowick Thompson married Delilah
Womack on 18 March 1793 in Greensville County, Virginia with Richard Gilliam as
security.
[Source: "Greensville County,
Virginia Marriages,” Virginia Marriage Records: From the Virginia Magazine of
History by Elizabeth Petty Bently]
Delilah’s father Thomas Womack
died in 1795, leaving a will dated 26 January 1794 in Southampton County, Virginia that left a small bequest to
Harris Thompson, son of Lodowick Thomson. Evidently, Delilah had died, probably
in childbirth. Harris Thompson probably would have been born within nine to ten
months after his parents’ marriage. The fact that Thomas Womack left nothing to
Delilah suggests that she was deceased.
There are no surviving 1800 census
schedules for Virginia; however, there are surviving schedules for Kershaw and
Lancaster Counties, South Carolina. Since Lodowick Thompson cannot be found in
South Carolina on the 1800 census, that may be an indication that he was still
in Virginia in 1800.
Lodowick was in Lancaster
District, South Carolina by 12 November 1800 when he purchased land:
12 November 1800, James Douglass
of Lancaster Dist., for 30 pounds sterling to Lodawick Thompson, 200 acres adj.
George Correy, near to where Solomon Smith raise a house, part of a grant to
sd. Douglass, 986 acres, 1787…James Douglass (seal), Wit.: James Anderson,
George Vickery (T). Proved by James Anderson, 3 April 1804.
Deed Bk F, p. 240
[Source: Lancaster County, South Carolina Deed Abstracts 1787-1811 by Brent
H. Holcomb]
By 1806, Lodowick was selling the
same piece of land:
Lodwick Thompson of Lancaster
Dist., for $150 to Andrew McIlwean of same, 200 acres at the Waggon Road near
Mary Watson, adj. George Currey, near to where Solomon Smith raised a house,
along the road known by McDonalds Road, part of a grant to James Duglas, 966
acres, 1787…26 Sept. 1807. Wt: Wm Ross, Elias Caston. Loddwick Thompson (L) (LS)
Proves by Wm Ross, 10 Nov 1806
before Jno. Crowder, J.P.
Deed Bk G, p. 112-113
[Source: Lancaster County, South Carolina Deed Abstracts 1787-1811 by Brent
H. Holcomb]
Lodewick Thomson of Lancaster
Dist., for $355 to Andrew McIlwain, two bay mares, beds & furnature, hogs,
etc… 9 April 1808.
Wit.: Robert McIlwain. Proved by
Robert McIlwain, 15 March 1808, before Jno Simpson, J.Q.
[Source: Lancaster County, South Carolina Deed Abstracts 1787-1811 by Brent
H. Holcomb]
1810 Kershaw Co., SC:
Lodrick Thomson 31001-21001
3
males under 10 = Lodowick b. 1806, Lewis B. b. 1805, Solomon R. Thompson b.c.
1804
1
male 10-16 = Harris Thompson
1
male 45+ = Lodowick Thompson
2
females under 10 = Abigail b. 1807, unknown female
1
female 10-16 = unknown female
1
female 45+ = Priscilla (Reeves) Thompson
1820 Kershaw Co., SC:
Thompson, Lodowick
311301-1121 6
3
males under 10 = James, Sterling b. 1810, unknown male
1
male 10-16 = Lodowick P. Thompson
1
male 16-18 = Lewis B. Thompson
3
males 16-26 = Solomon Thompson, two unknown males
1
male 45+ = Lodowick Thompson
1
female under 10 = unknown female
1
female 10-16 = Abigail Thompson
2
females 16-26 = two unknown females
1
female 26-45 = Priscilla (Reeves) Thompson
Thompson, Harris 0001-201
1
male 16-26 = Harris Thompson
2
females under 10 =
1
female 16 – 18 =
 |
| 1820 Kershaw County, South Carolina |
1830 Kershaw Dist., SC:
Thomson, Lodowick 11111001-1202001
1
male under 5 = unknown male
1
male 5-10 = unknown male
1
male 10-15 = James Thompson?
1
male 15-20 = Sterling J. Thompson
1
male 20-30 =
1
male 50-60 = Lodowick Thomson
1
female under 5 =
2
females 5-10 =
2
females 15-20 =
1
female 40-50 = Priscilla Thomson
Lodowick Thompson was deceased before 1840.
1840, Kershaw Co., SC census:
Mrs. Thompson 00101-01112111
1
male 10-14 = unknown male
1
male 20-29 = Starling J. Thompson
1
female 5-9 = unknown female
1
female 10-14 =
1
female 15-19 =
2
females 20-29 =
1
female 30-39 =
1
female 40-59 =
1
female 50-69 = Priscilla Thompson
Will of Priscilla Thompson, legacies:
Son Starling Thompson
Starling’s son
Jesse Thompson
James Thompson
Mary Ann Thompson
Lewis L Thompson
Harriet Amanda Thompson
Rebecca Fisher Thompson
Will mentions:
Lodowick Thompson Jr’s land
Solomon R. Thompson
10 Nov 1843, James P Dickinson
swore that he saw Priscilla Thompson sign with her mark.
Priscilla (Reeves) Thompson left a special legacy for her grandson Jesse Thompson. She had other grandchildren by this point, so what made Jesse so special? Is there a clue in his name? Was there a Jesse Reeves who she was related to? Was there a Solomon Reeves?
Children of Lodowick and Delilah
(Womack) Thompson:
Children of Lodowick and Priscilla (Reeves) Thompson. Birth order unknown:
2. Solomon Reeves Thompson
3. Lewis B. Thompson
4. Lodowick Pinkney Thompson
5. Abigail Thompson m. Scarborough
6. Sterling/Starling J. Thompson
7. Harriet Amanda Thompson
8. James Thompson
9. Mary Ann Thompson
10. Rebecca Fisher Thompson
