THE THOMASON/THOMASSON FAMILY ARCHIVES

TO THE

(St. Dunstan in the West, London, England...
this is where George and Catherine Hutton Thomasson are buried.)

On the Religious Memory of Mrs. Catherine Thomason,
My Christian Friend, Deceased December 16, 1646
by John Milton

When Faith and Love which parted from thee never,
Had ripened thy just soul to dwell with God,
Meekly thou didst resign this earthy load
Of Death, call'd Life; which us from Life doth sever.
Thy Works and Alms and all thy good Endeavor,
Stay'd not behind, nor in the grave were trod;
But as Faith pointed with her golden rod,
Followed thee up to joy and bliss for ever.
Love led them on, and Faith, who knew them best
Thy handmaids, clad them o'er with purple beams
And azure wings, that up they flew so drest,
And spake the truth of thee in glorious Themes
Before the Judge; who thenceforth bid thee rest
And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams.

FEATHERSTONE CASTLE

In the magnificent South Tyne Valley of Northumberland, England,
near the picturesque English village of Haltwhistle, Featherstone
Castle sits nestled in in a Dale next to the South Tyne River.
The Featherstone Castle was the home of Cuthbert Featherstone, our
direct ancestor, the grandfather of Catherine Hutton Thomasson of
England. Here are some links you might want to take time to view:

THE FEATHERSTONE CASTLE
CUTHBERT FEATHERSTONE

Catherine Hutton Thomason was the wife of George Thomason,
one of our earliest known Thomason/Thomasson ancestors.
George Thomason of London, England, born CA 1602, is widely known in English
literary circles as a book publisher and as a collector of the
English Civil War tracts. George and his wife, Catherine, were
close friends to John Milton, the poet...

James Franklin "Frank" Thomasson was the son of Thomas Randolph
Thomasson and Sarah Roach. According to his Civil War
pension records, he was born in Franklin County, Georgia,
on August 9, 1831, during his family's move from York
County, South Carolina, to Morgan County, Georgia.
About 1841, the family moved to Pike County, Alabama,
where they settled in Farriorville, which was later
named Post Oak. When Thomas Thomasson received a 40-acre
homestead grant, the family moved once again and this
community became known as Thomasville, named after
Thomas Thomasson. About 1854, Thomas Thomasson moved his
family to the community of Rose Hill in Crenshaw County;
however, Frank Thomasson stayed behind in Pike County.

Frank Thomasson married Miss Julia Ann Shaw of Union
Springs, Alabama, the daughter of Archibald Shaw and
Catherine Cameron, on February 3, 1859. On May 3, 1863,
he entered the War Between the States, enlisting in
Company H, 57th Alabama Infantry, at Troy, Alabama.

The 57th Alabama Infantry Regiment

In 1864, when the 57th Alabama was enroute to join the Army
of Tennessee, Private Frank Thomasson became critically ill
with chronic diarrhea, at Iuka, Mississippi. After
being hospitalized for about a month, he was transferred
to Union Springs, Alabama, where he was at the time of
surrender. He was honorably discharged in May 1865.

Returning home to his little family, he moved his
family in 1869 to Walton County, Florida, where he
settled in the little sawmill town of Portland, Florida.
Here he lived the rest of his life, and he and his wife,
Julia, had the following children:

ELIZABETH ARJENIA (Ari) - 1860-1917 - Married James Senterfitt
JAMES JACKSON (Bud) - 1866-1923 - Married Lucy Eliza Caswell
CHARLIE DAMASCUS - 1867-1944 - Married Malinda Bishop
NANDY ERASTUS - 1878-1940 - Married Texie Nora Brown
OLIVER - 1880-1912 - Never Married
ADOLPHUS EDWARD (Doll) - 1883-1978 - Married Aubrey Ethel Neel
TIDY - died as infant
WALTER - died as infant

One of the loves of Frank's life, especially after the
death of his wife, Julia, in about 1899, was "going back home" to
Covington County, Alabama. He would hitch up his wagon and
drive up those old winding country roads through the piney
woods, peddling salt mullet and Bibles along the way. He
would usually stay with his brother, Neil (Cornelius Starr),
and all of his brothers and his sister, Mary Ann, would get
together and reminisce. A very fun-loving man, Frank was
known for his "tall tales" and storytelling ability.

Frank Thomasson was a devout Christian and served for many
years as a deacon of the First Baptist Church, in Freeport,
Florida. He died on Easter Sunday, 1918, and both he and
his wife, Julia, who died about 1899, are buried in Hatcher
Cemetery, Portland, Florida.

THE THOMASSON's
OF PIKE COUNTY AND COVINGTON COUNTY, ALABAMA

THOMAS RANDOLPH AND SARAH ROACH THOMASON
Their children were:

Thomas Roach Thomasson - born 1824 in York District, SC; died
11/19/1862, in the Confederate Hospital, Chattanooga, TN. Married Mrs.
Margaret (Hammonds)Frazier on 2/14/1850.

Trezevant Fernandes Thomasson - Born 1826 in York District, SC; died
prior to 1895 at Patsburg, AL. Married (1) Susan Dudley Barron 7/4/1851;
(2) Philura Massengale Read 10/18/1885.

Lorenzo Marion Thomasson - Baptist Minister - Born 3/18/1829 in York
District, SC; died 12/23/1910, Covington Co., AL. Married
Martha J. Hammonds 9/1847.

James Franklin Thomasson - Born 8/9/1831 in Franklin Co., GA;
died 3/31/1918, Freeport, FL. Married Julia Ann Shaw of Union Springs, AL, on 2/3/1859.

William Monroe Thomasson - Born 1833 in Morgan Co., GA; died 1863 in
the Confederate Army. Married Martha Ann Ingram 4/16/1857.

Cornelius Starr Thomasson - Born 4/26/1836 in Morgan Co., GA; died
1/18/1918 in Covington Co., AL. Married Susannah Henley 1/6/1859.

John Randolph Thomasson - Born 1838 in Morgan Co., GA; died in the
Confederate Army. Married Mary _______.

Madison Thomasson - Born about 1841, Thomasville (Pike Co.), AL; died
before 1850 in Pike Co., AL.

Jefferson Sylvanus Thomasson - Born 1/2/1844, Thomasville, AL; died
3/22/1939, Dozier, AL. Married (1) Rebecah Butler; (2) Inez Davis;
(3) Mrs. Missouri C. Houston.

Mary Ann Abbagail Thomasson - Born 3/9/1847, Pike Co., AL; died
9/4/1936, Andalusia, AL. Married Micajah (Mike) Henley 7/3/1865.

Charles Clawson Thomasson - Born 1/1/1850, Pike Co., AL; died
1/14/1929, Coleman Co., TX. Married Mary E. Little on 12/7/1871 at Red
Level, AL.

JAMES JACKSON (BUD) AND LUCY CASWELL THOMASON
CA 1899

James Jackson Thomason took as his bride,Miss Lucy Eliza Caswell,
the daughter of James Exum and Civility Walker Caswell, on
March 10,1894, at Portland, Florida. Lucy was the granddaughter
of Sylvanus Exum and Lucy Vaughn Caswell, Florida Pioneers,
who came to Florida from Tattnall County, Georgia, around 1827.
NOTE: Much research has been done on the Caswell genealogy, and taking many
many factors into consideration, it has been determined that Sylvanus
Caswell was the son of James A. Caswell and Eleanor Wooten Caswell,
and he was the grandson of Martin Caswell, who was the brother to
Richard Caswell, the first governor of North Carolina.

James Jackson and Lucy had the following children:

Carolie - born May 15,1895 (a school teacher, she died in the
flu epidemic of 1918.

Ethel - born CA 1897 (died as infant).

Pearl - born CA 1898 (died CA 1900...died from burns received when
she accidentally fell into a washpot of hot scalding water.

Clifton - born CA 1900 and died in 1903.

James Maxwell Thomason - born March 9, 1901; died April 30, 1991.
Married Ellaverd Marie Rougeau.
They were the parents of one son and one daughter
and Ellaverd had a daughter from a previous marriage.

Julia Civility - born May 10, 1905. Married Lee Overstreet Garrett.
They had no children. Julia died March 27, 1981.

Weston - born February 2, 1910; died April 1, 1980.
Married Minnie Grace King, December 28, 1931.
Parents of three sons and two daughters.

BEST FRIENDS

June 9, 1931, was one of the most tragic days to ever occur
in the little community of Freeport, one that the old timers
around Walton County still talk about until this day. Annie
Bell and Grace, along with Annie Bell's little brother, Thad,
and her cousin, Seaborn Garrett, had gone swimming in the nearby
bay. The young boys could not swim and got off into deep water,
and the girls tried to save them. Their dear friend, Tim Johnson,
came up on the scene and swam out and tried to help with the rescue.
Grace got to Seaborn and threw him across a floating log, but it
was too late for Thad. His sister became hysterical and
disappeared beneath the surface also. Grace and Tim both did
everything they could to find them, but the bodies of both
Annie Bell and her little brother, Thad, were not found for
almost two days. The community turned out to search the waters
for them, but it was their own cousin, Lee Overstreet Garrett,
who located their bodies and brought them to shore. Grace, who
was a very good swimmer, had a fear of water the rest of her life.

On December 28, 1931, six months following this tragic drowning
accident, Grace, the 16-year old daughter of
Burrell Albert and Jessie Ruth Wallace King, married
Weston Thomason, the 21-year old son of James Jackson (Bud)
and Lucy Caswell Thomason...

In 1935, Grace and Weston moved to Panama City, Florida,
where Weston transferred with his job with the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers. They spent the rest of their married lives here,
other than a two-year period when they moved back to Freeport
in the early 1960s, but they returned back to Panama
City. They were very special parents to: Ronald Weston,
Darrell Wallace, James Earl, Grace Josephine and Edna Ruth.

Grace King Thomason "Mama" - taken about 1949.
Weston died April 1, 1980, and Grace died November 8, 1982, and is
buried next to her husband at Hatcher Cemetery, Portland, Florida.

"Mama"
GRACE KING THOMASON
Taken about 1960

Wes and Grace Thomason's Children..
(left) Ronnie, Darrell, Jimmy, Jo... (Edna had not been born at this time)

Jo and Edna...

DOLPHUS EDWARD (Uncle Doll) THOMASON

August 4, 1883 - December 14, 1978

"Doll" Thomason was the youngest son of James Franklin and Julia Ann Shaw
Thomason. Born in Portland, Florida, he lived most of his adult life near
DeFuniak Springs, Florida, in the little community of Union.
The above picture was taken in his favorite wooden rocker by the fireplace,
and he is gazing out the window past the peach tree and down the road
running between his corn fields...he could see the cars coming over
a quarter-mile away. The father of two sons and five daughters, Doll
was blessed with a very long life, and was respected and loved by all
of his family and many many friends. He was very active until past 90,
when he fell from a tractor and broke his hip. He is buried at
Sandy Creek Baptist Church near Union, Florida.

CAROLIE THOMASON
May 15, 1895 - November 23, 1918
(Picture taken on Steel Bridge in "old Freeport" about 1910)

Carolie was the eldest child of James Jackson and Lucy Eliza Caswell Thomason. Born in Portland, she completed school at nearby Freeport. She loved school and was a very good student...she would get up in the wee morning hours before daybreak to do her household chores before walking 2-1/2 miles to school every day. She graduated from Florida Normal School in 1915 and her family was very proud of her. Carolie returned to Walton County and began her teaching career, teaching in the communities of Freeport, Alice Creek, Darlington, Santa Rosa, Mossy Head and Sandy Creek. She taught grades one through eight, and was very beloved by her students. In 1918, Carolie became engaged to Mr. Burress Prescott of Darlington, and was making plans for her wedding when
she came down with the flu. Her whole family became ill except for her little brother,Weston, and she and her mother became critical and they both died, Carolie dying five days before her mother. She was buried at Hatcher Cemetery, Portland, Florida, along with two sisters, Pearl and Ethel, and a little brother, Clifton, who had all predeceased her. Carolie will never be forgotten...

Back Row: Julia Thomason Garrett and Louette Caswell Browning Middle Row: Lovie(sic)Caswell, Carolie Thomason, and Eva Caswell Mills Front Row: Weston Thomason Taken at Freeport, Florida, possibly on Easter Sunday 1918, the day James Franklin Thomasson (the grandfather of Carolie, Julia, and Weston) died. This could account for the sad expressions on their faces.

JAMES MAXWELL and ELLAVERD MARIE ROUGEAU THOMASON

One of the most beloved members of the Walton County Thomasons was James Maxwell (Mack) Thomason. Mack retired from Eglin Air Force Base (Civil Service) and was a deacon in the Freeport Baptist Church, where his grandfather, James Franklin Thomasson, had served as a deacon also. Mack was one of the most honest and down to earth men you would ever meet. He had a twinkle in his eye and his dry sense of humor and friendly manner made him special to everyone who knew him. Affectionally known as the "Mayor of Gopher Ridge", his favorite response when anyone asked him how he was doing, he would always reply with a smile and say, "Well, I'm okay for a no-good skunk!" He was very beloved by his children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews...
(Julia Thomason - taken about 1922)

JULIA CIVY THOMASON GARRETT Married Lee Overstreet Garrett on December 24, 1924. She and Lee had no children, but helped raise several homeless children. In the early years of their marriage they operated a grocery store in Freeport, and they also farmed and raised cattle. In the mid 1940's, Julia turned her life completely over to the Lord and she became a very devoted member of the Freeport United Pentecostal Church, and she and her husband donated the land that the church is now located on. She was the church pianist for many years and taught Sunday School as well. Julia was a very good cook and loved to crochet. She was very beloved by her brothers and nieces and nephews.

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ROY ALLAN THOMASON June 11, 1934 - October 6, 2004 Roy Thomason, son of James Maxwell Thomason and Ellaverd Marie Rougeau, lost his battle with cancer on Wednesday, October 6, 2004, in the presence of his loving family. Born in Texas, Roy had lived most of his life in Freeport, Florida, and was a retired boat captain. Roy was a very colorful person, full of life, and loved to fish and hunt. He loved his family...his wife, Faye, his children, Al, LeeRoy, Teresa, and Reba... and all of his grandchildren, his sister, Louann, his nieces and nephews, his cousins, his pet squirrel, Rocky...but most of all he loved the Lord. Roy will be missed by everyone...and those who knew him, will never ever forget him!

THE TWENTY-SIXTH THOMASSON/THOMASON REUNION
Cedar Grove Church of Christ
Andalusia, Alabama
August 7, 2004

H O N O R I N G

Left to Right: Trezevant Fernandes Thomasson, Lorenzo Marion Thomasson, James Franklin Thomasson Cornelius Starr Thomasson, Jefferson Sylvanus Thomasson, Mary Ann Abbigail Thomasson
Henley, Charles Clawson Thomasson. Photos not available of John Randolph Thomasson, Madison Thomasson, William Monroe Thomasson, or Thomas Roach Thomasson. If anyone has pictures of these family members, we would love for you to share them with us!

"OLDE THOMASSON CAKE?"
The 26th annual Thomasson/Thomason reunion was a very special event this year. Family members gathered again to share the day, and reminisce about "days gone by" and shared a wonderful luncheon. One of the highlights of the dessert table was a "THOMASSON CAKE" which featured the family crest and pictures of the children of Thomas and Sarah Roach Thomasson. A standing ovation was given to honor Marjorie (Margie) Brasselle Malloy, the great-granddaughter of Cornelius Starr Thomasson, and the author of Thomasson Traces, Volumes 1 and 2, in appreciation for her lifetime spent researching the Thomasson family. Margie is facing serious health problems at this time, and is in need of your prayers.

"Our Little Margie"
MARJORIE JEAN BRASSELLE MALLOY September 30, 1929 - December 13, 2004 Marjorie Brasselle Malloy, the daughter of Herbert Spencer Brasselle and Durlie Gladys Thomasson, went to be with the Lord on Monday, December 13, 2004, following a lengthy battle with cancer. Margie, beloved mother, grandmother, cousin, friend, and the author of THOMASSON TRACES, touched the lives of so many people. She will be missed tremendously. Her beautiful spirit and love for God, her country, and her family, gave her a radiant shining glow that so many people do not possess. Her life-long dedication and accomplished goal of documenting the precious Thomasson/Thomason family history will cause her memory as well as the memories of so many other loved ones to live on forever! Margie will be laid to rest in the Thomasson Cemetery in Brooklyn, Alabama, (Covington County), on Friday, December 17, time not announced yet. Foreman Funeral Home of Andalusia is in charge of arrangements. Please be in prayer for her two children, Tom and Charlotte, her grandchildren, and the many Thomassons/Thomasons everywhere who loved her dearly!
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.
Psalms 122:1
COUNTRY CHURCH A country church seems close to God In its simplest way-- Its white spire shining in the sun As we kneel to pray. Its tombstoned yard encircling the peaceful quiet walls-- The church bells sweetly ringing Their Sunday morning calls. Here love wears a cotton dress, And friendly faces glow... Jesus loved the simple things... True faith lives here I know. ~~Ethel Bailey

NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH, PORTLAND, FLORIDA
"A Trauma Center for the Hurting"
Rev. Louis Taunton,Pastor (Grandson-in-Law to James Maxwell Thomason)

The above tree is hundreds of years old and grows on the grounds of the Featherstone Castle in England.

LINEAGES OF THOMAS RANDOLPH AND SARAH ROACH THOMASSON OF YORK DIST SC
Descendants of Thomas Roach Thomasson Descendants of Trezevant Fernandes Thomasson Descendants of Lorenzo Marion Thomasson Descendants of James Franklin Thomasson Descendants of William Monroe Thomasson Descendants of Cornelius Starr Thomasson Descendants of John Randolph Thomasson Descendants of Jefferson Sylvanus Thomasson Descendants of Mary Ann Abbagail Thomasson Descendants of Charles Clawson Thomasson

Little is known on Madison Thomasson born ca 1841-1842, at Thomasville, Pike County, AL. There is a Madison Thomasson that shows up on the 1860 census of Mississippi, which may very well be him. We hope to learn more about Madison in the future.

SPECIAL LINKS
FREEPORT-ONLINE
THE COVINGTON COUNTY, ALABAMA GENEALOGY FORUM
by Curtis H. Thomasson

WALTON COUNTY GENEALOGY WEB

COVINGTON COUNTY, ALA GENEALOGY WEB

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The data we will be sharing on this web site is the result of many years
of family research by Darrell Wallace Thomason, Jo Thomason Manis, and all of the contributors to the "Thomasson Traces" historical archives maintained by Marjorie Brasselle Malloy, as well as other researchers around the world. We want to thank BECKY BLOUNT BUXTON of Freeport, Florida, for providing us with some wonderful Walton County pictures and other valuable information...

SOME OF THE FAMILIES WE ARE RESEARCHING: Thomason/Thomasson, Caswell, Walker, Shaw, Featherstone, Hutton, Stonestreet,Vaughan, Cameron, King, Joyner, Ivey, Wallace, Wilson, Buckelew, Grubbs, Boutwell, Garrett, Sweatt, and Kirkland, Ward, Goodman, Eiland, Carter, Shiver(s), Jones...We have an extensive family data base consisting of approximately 75,000 names and growing. At this time, all of this info is not on line; eventually we hope to be able to do so. If you have information on these lines and would like to exchange genealogy data, we would love to hear from you! Any family queries will be answered as quickly as possible.