In the beginning looking for my THOMAS roots led me to the family of my grandfather's sister, Augusta Thomas (Gussy), who married Amos Jesse French. My Father's given name was August and he was named after his aunt Gussy. Although everyone knew that she and my grandfather were raised by their mother,(Millie) and step father, Jesse Frost, nothing was ever revealed about their father and her first marriage to my great grandfather, Daniel THOMAS. The family story was; "He died in the Civil War". However, after finding the research of Inez Frost Moore on the Frost Family, The story from that side was that "...Millie's husband disappeared one day while traveling to the bank with money in his saddle bags. The horse came home, but the money, saddle bags and Daniel Thomas were never found....". The money was most probably the payment to men who served in the Confederate forces by the Texas legislature "Act to Support The Families and Dependents of Texas Soldiers". With this information it was not difficult to locate the Marriage certificate for Daniel THOMAS and Emelia Fowler in Washington County, Texas and locate his other 7 siblings in the 1860 Census for Washington County.
But from here researching for Daniel's parents became a nightmare. That same census revealed that the Head of the household was a "J" THOMAS, Born in S. Carolina about 1813, evidently single, and all of the rest of the family, except Daniel my great grandfather, born in Alabama between 1836 and 1853 and Mary, his wife.. Going to the 1850 Census for Shelby, Alabama revealed No "J" Thomas with a spouse or these children. Were all these children orphans? Unlikely. A search for Daniel THOMAS in the Shelby County Alabama 1850 census found him, his spouse Mary, and all the same children found in The 1860 Washington, Texas Census. However, the HOH in the Shelby, Alabama 1850 Census is Israel THOMAS, born about 1807 and a spouse, Mary THOMAS. This must be the same family because the ages for the children match up in both Censuses. The mystery - What happened to Israel and Mary between 1850 and 1860? Did they both die? And Who is the "J" THOMAS that is HOH in Texas? but about 5 year younger than Israel. Also the birth place for Israel is listed as Georgia and "J" is listed as S. Carolina. Maybe brothers? To complicate things further, no marriage certificates for either can be found except in neighboring Bibb County where a Isacc THOMAS is listed as marrying a Mary SCOTT in Dec. 1831. The time frame is OK, so I ask for the original document. On careful examation of the handwritten license it is clear the given name is Israel, rather than Isaac. Part of the mystery is solved.
Later it is discovered that Israel enlisted in the Confederate Forces in Alabama at the age of 53 and probably
never left the state to go with his children to Texas. He Married again after surviving his injuries in the war to a Mary Jane Bunch, and a third time to a Hannah. He died in Walker County, Alabama about 1883.
Research into this family continues to be very tough. Israel's father is believed to be John W. THOMAS who
married Elenor Gragg in Jackson County Georgia, December 1806. There were 4 other males born in this family before Israel. I believe The "J" Thomas of Washinggton County Texas is one of them. I welcome any assistance
with this Thomas family research.

Bill Thomas