Thomas LAVENDER b. 27 April 1793 in Sussex, England d. 15 February 1876 in Thompson Twp. Delaware, Co., Ohio.

Researching Thomas LAVENDER has proven to be fairly difficult. I have found plenty of information on his children and last wife, but hardly anything about his earlier wife/wives and parents. There are several inquiries on internet about Thomas LAVENDER and the answers others have come up with don't really seem to resolve anything. I'm just left with more questions.

From what I understand Thomas LAVENDER had at least two wives, perhaps three. I find mention of Elizabeth HILDER or STREETER and Rebecca Elizabeth GORDON. From what I've found during my research I don't think Rebecca Elizabeth Gordon even fits into the equation. The only place I have located her is in family trees and I've never seen a source for her. I have seen two historical biographical sketches stating that Thomas LAVENDER's wife was named Elizabeth. As well as Sussex, England parish baptism records for Luke and John that state their mother's name is Elizabeth. The parish baptism records for sons Luke and John state that her maiden name is HILDER while in a Hardin County, Ohio history book I find her maiden name listed as STREETER. The Delaware County history book only lists her as Elizabeth, no maiden name.

I also haven't been able to get past the first names of Thomas LAVENDER's parents. His baptism record lists just first names. William and Elizabeth. Farther down it says that he is baseborn. Baseborn means illegitimate. So if I have the correct Thomas LAVENDER here, and it seems likely since this baptism was just a few weeks after his birth, he was an illegitimate child. I have no way of knowing if William or Elizabeth carried the last name LAVENDER. I have not located a William or Elizabeth LAVENDER that seems likely enough to be his parent.

Anyone running across this at any point in time, please contact me if you have information. Or if you're a descendant of Thomas Lavender and would just like to make contact.

Sources:

1. History of Delaware County and Ohio by O.L. Baskin & Co., Copyright 1880, pg. 803. (Found online through archive.org)
2. A Twentieth Century History of Hardin County, Ohio Vol II by Kohler, Minnie Ichler; The Lewis Publishing Co., Copyright 1910, pg. 475 (Found online through archive.org)
3. Sussex England Parish Baptism Record for Luke Lavender: http://www.sussex-opc.org/index.php?n=Lavender&t=baptism&k=240634&l=102
4. Sussex England Parish Baptism Record for John Lavender: http://www.sussex-opc.org/index.php?n=Lavender&t=baptism&k=240631&l=102
5. Sussex England Parish Baptism Record for Thomas Lavender: http://www.sussex-opc.org/index.php?n=Lavender&t=baptism&k=3917&l=102