VINT. H. THOMAS
Was born at Holstein Mills, Smyth county, Virginia, on February 9,
1840, a son of John Thomas and Elizabeth S. Thomas, nee Morgan.
John Thomas, of Scotch descent, great grandfather of Vint. H., had two
sons, Abijah and Thomas. The former married Martha McReynolds, of
Irish descent, and was the father of John Thomas, who was born and
raised in Smyth county, Virginia, and removed to Tazewell county when
Vint. H. was four years old, lived at Burks Garden, and died on February
29, 1864. The maternal great great grandfather of Vint H. Thomas
was Haynes Morgan, who with an only sister was brought from Wales
to America when both were children. Their parents died soon after and
their uncle raised them. Gen. Daniel Morgan of Revolutionary fame
is believed to have been of this family. A son of this Haynes Morgan
served in the French and Indian wars, also in the Revolutionary war,
where he received the title of colonel, married Mary Thompson, sister
of Col. Billy Thompson—the Thompsons a Virginia family. Haynes
Morgan, son of—Morgan and his wife Mary, was born at Williamsburg,
Virginia, in the time of the Revolution; was raised in Pittsylvania
county, married a Miss Shelton, daughter of Vinton Shelton of Virginia,
her mother a Robertson, who lived near Richmond, Virginia. Haynes
Morgan moved to Roanoke county, North Carolina, in 1818, and raised
his family there; he was a successful farmer. His daughter, Elizabeth
Shelton, mother of Vint. H. Thomas, was born in 1811; is living now
in Tazewell county, Virginia.
At the commencement of the civil war, Vint. H. Thomas had six
brothers and one sister. Four of these brothers: Haynes M., Abijah
M., William M. and John L. went into the Confederate service in 1861,
as did Vint H. and the sister's husband, Capt. F. W. Kelly. The three
oldest brothers in the order named died in service. The father and the
sister died during the war. John L. was made prisoner and held in
Fort Delaware until July after the surrender. Samuel M., next to the
youngest of these brothers, joined the army as soon as old enough, and
was at the surrender at Appomattox C. H. The youngest, D. T., was
not old enough to enter service when the war ended. Vint H. was first
lieutenant Company C, 50th Virginia regiment. In 1863 he was forced
to resign on account of disability, and he was at home in Tazewell
county, badly broken down, at the time of the surrender. He is now a
farmer and stockraiser of Washington county, near Saltville.
