The Georgia in the Civil War Message Board

William C Thomas 11th Georgia

Hello, I'm trying to solve a bit of mystery regarding an ancestor of mine any help would be appreciated.

His name was William C Thomas according to the 1850/60 census he was born either 1836 or 1837 in Georgia. In 1850 he's with his family (Jesse and Rebecca Thomas) in Lumpkin Co., Georgia (listed as 14), in 1840 Jesse and Rebecca are in Murray Co, and in 1830 they are in Gwinnett Co., GA where they likely married a few years before (unfortunately marriage records from that time are lost though she likely is a Rebecca Baker).

They had four children. Their youngest, my ancestor, was Nancy Manassas Thomas born Jan 19, 1862. The story (that wasn't passed down, though I later received) was her father died at the battle of Manassas giving her the name and her mother died shortly after childbirth orphaning her at 7 days old.

What I know is that by 1870 her parents are seemingly dead and their children are split between multiple family members (made genealogy a bit of a challenge, but then again helped identify relatives). Manassas was a middle name used by her and multiple generations of descendants of her sister as well.

In scouring Civil War records the best candidate I have found for him is this:
https://www.fold3.com/image/20/78629409

A William C Thomas (sometimes W C Thomas) who enlisted in the 11th Georgia Infantry in Company C who in the following bounty roll record:
https://www.fold3.com/image/20/78629445

Is listed as being 27 years old and born in Lumpkin, Georgia and as enlisting July 3, 1861.

Assuming the 27 years old was at enlistment date (and not the bounty roll date, which I'm not sure since it doesn't seem to be dated, though lists a range of bounties being from July 1861 to July 1862 paid Oct 1862) that would make a birth year of about 1834. Not perfect but certainly close enough considering the limited records I have on my William C Thomas.

Company C of the 11th Georgia Infantry was mustered in Murray Co., GA. In 1860 William C Thomas and his family are living in Gilmer, Dawson Co., GA right next to his wife's (Amanda Langston) parents (John Langston and Clarissa Matthews), likely living on land owned by his father-in-law (his Thomas family never seemed to own land), though his parents Jesse and Rebecca Thomas were living in Murray County, GA in 1860, he had spent some of his childhood there as well.

Additionally it lists Lumpkin, GA as his birth place. If it's referring to Lumpkin Co., GA then it's not a perfect match but close. My William C Thomas was raised partially in Lumpkin Co., GA and might think of that as his birth place, before that his family jumped around quite a bit and counties changed borders. Around his birth is family was likely in Gwinnett Co. or Forsyth Co., GA which border each other and the last of which borders Lumpkin.

If it means the city Lumpkin, GA that would be quite far away further south in Stewart Co,. GA, which would be quite a ways from where he mustered as well.

Look at Murray Co., GA in 1860 I see only one other candidate that could possibly fit... he is a William Thomas (not identified anywhere as William C Thomas, which my William was listed as "William C Thomas" in his marriage record in 1854 in Gilmer Co., GA) who is listed as born in Tennessee, so the birth place certainly wouldn't fit.

Additionally I can't find a better fit for that enlisted William C Thomas record than mine, the age and birth place are close enough to work and though he didn't reside in Murray Co., GA he did have ties to it at the time of the war.

Looking at William's service record he enlisted as Private, it seems he drove a wagon a lot often an ambulance. Eventually he seems to get promoted to Sergeant (though the promotion records or steps seem to be lost) and he is last shown on the roll for March-April 1864. He isn't seen again and no further information can be found, seemingly he disappeared or died.

Interestingly I find this site:
http://www.murraycountymuseum.com/mf102.html

Which seems to talk about the William C Thomas that enlisted which I refer to. They seem to make two big mistakes though, they identify him as a William married to Rachel (father of a David that served)... that William was about 20 years too old. Additionally though they refer to the fact he died in Virginia somewhere in 1864 the William they refer to actually can be found in the 1870 census. Both facts seem to eliminate that he was the same one who enlisted.

Interestingly the site says:
"Records in the Murray County Courthouse indicate that Sergeant William C. Thomas was killed in 1864, somewhere in Virginia. "

I have yet to find any records regarding that... I've scoured the Murray Co. probate records and find no mention of either William Thomas or Jesse Thomas. I contacted the site admin and they didn't have contact info for whoever submitted that info either.

In any case this is where I dead end. I don't know for sure if that William C Thomas is mine, though seems to fit... I'd be curious on thoughts, ideas, knowledge... anything really :)

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William C Thomas 11th Georgia
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