Thomas Cross Christmas (1689 - 1769)

Born 16 Oct 1689 in Pohick, Stafford, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Annie (Duke) Christmas — married 1714 in New Kent county, Virginia

Descendants

Died 29 Dec 1769 at age 80 in St. Martin's Parish, Hanover County, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Thomas Christmas was a Virginia colonist.

Birth

Birth:

Date: 16 Oct 1689

Place: Hanover County, Virginia, USA^[1]

Marriage

Marriage:

Place: of VA^[2]

Will

Will of THOMAS CHRISTMAS:

Will: Thomas Christmas of St. Martins Parish, Hanover Co., VA. 29, Dec. 1768. Recorded Hanover Co., VA Sep 7, 1769. Attested copy records Bute Co., NC, Feb. court 1770.

In the name of God Amen. I Thomas Christmas of the Parish of St. Martins in the County of Hanover, being sick and weak of body, but of perfect mind and memory. thanks be given to Almighty God for the same and Calling to mind the uncertainty of this vanishing life, and being willing to settle my worldly affairs in order, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following.

I command my soul to God who gave it hoping thru death and merits of Jesus Christ my Savior to be made Partaker of the never fading joys of Immortality at the day of Resurrection and as for what temporal Estate it has pleased God to bestow upon me I give and bequeath the same In manner and form fo11owing, that is to say,

First: I give and bequeath unto my son John Christmas and to him and heirs and assigns forever, one feather bed and furniture, my riding chair and harness one horse names Shaven, also five Negroes (Viz.) Old Peter, Charles, Young Peter, Young Harry and Mllly;

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Paulett to her and to her heirs and assigns forever, one feather bed and furniture, and eight Negroes (Viz.) Matt, Louise, Fanny and her two girls, Jenny and Morning and one boy Stephen, Old Beck and her child Beck;

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Caty Higgason to her and to her heirs and assigns forever, one feather bed and furniture; also six Negroes (Viz.) Quon, Will, Old Ned, Moses, Rachel and Nan; also all the land I hold on the North side of the road being Part of the track I Purchased of James Flannakin, and also thirty Pounds current money;

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rachel Chrisholm to her and her heirs and assigns forever, one feather bed and furniture, also eight Negroes (Viz. ) Old Harry Young Ned, Robin, Lucy and her two children, Betty & Rachel also Lidy and Betty;

Item I give and bequeath unto the children of my son Thomas Christmas, deceased, (Viz.) John, Mary, Thomas, Richard and William Christmas to be equally divided between them and their heirs and assigns forever, at the time William Christmas, the younger shall arrive to the age of sixteen years of age, Six negroes (Viz.) Tom, Dick, Blackman, Moll, Judah and Patt, also three stock of cattle, sheep and working tools which Is now in the Possession of Temperance Christmas, widow of my son Thomas Christmas;

Item: It is my will and desire and accordingly order It so that the estate so as above given to my Grandchildren be immediately after my decease taken in the hands and under the management of my son, John Christmas and his son, Thomas Christmas and by them be divided accordingly as above directed, sooner if they think proper;

Item: I give and bequeath unto my six grandchildren (Viz.) Charles Whitlock, James Whitlock, Mary Jones, Anne Austine, Thomas Whitlock and Nathaniel Whitlock, to them and to their heirs, assigns forever ten pounds current money each;

Item: I give and bequeath unto my five grandchildren (Viz.) John Sanders, Elizabeth Sims, Nancy Sanders, Mary Sanders and Reitta Sanders, to them and to their heirs, assigns forever ten pounds current money each;

Item: I give and bequeath unto John Christmas, son of Elizabeth Paulett, to him and to their heirs, assigns forever twenty pounds current money;

Item: I desire all that tract, parcel of land and plantation whereon I now live, lying on the South side of the road together with all the rest and residue of my Estate of what nature or quality so ever may be sold to the best advantage by my Executors hereafter mentioned and the money arising by such sale to go in discharge of the above legacys given by me in current money and the over plus to be equally divided between my four children (Viz.) John Christmas, Elizabeth Paulett, Caty Higgason Rachel Chrisholm and the children of my son, Thomas Christmas, deceased, who are to be entitled to one fifth part amongst them share and share alike.

Item: It is my will and desire that my estate be not appraised, And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son, John Christmas and John Higgason Executors of this my Last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making void and null all former will or wills heretofore made Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament. In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the ninth day of December One thousand seven hundred and sixty eight.

Thomas Christmas [by Mark] [Seal]

Sealed and delivered in the presence of David Anderson, Richard Higgason & John Higgason.

Hanover Co., VA. Sept. 7, 1769. The Last Will and Testament of Thomas Christmas, deceased was offered to proof by John Christmas and John Higgason, the Executors therein named and was proved by the Oath of David Anderson, Richard Higgason and John Higgason the witnesses thereto, and also by Oath of the said Executors, and Ordered to be Recorded. Test: William Pollard C.H.C

Death

Death: 29 Dec 1769, St. Martin's Parish, Hanover County, Virginia

Thomas is granted 731 acres of land in Hanover Co. VA on the 11th day of April in the year 1732. His land was adjoining land of Henry Graves.

He was mentioned in Court records "The Inventory of the Estate of Thomas Christmas of Virginia deceased taken in this province returned by John Christmas one of the Executors on Oath and Ordered to be recorded" on 16 Feb 1770 at Buffalo, Bute Co., NC.

He left his will in Hanover Co. VA, but we find it in Warren Co. NC. When Thomas died his will was probated in Warren Co. NC and the settlement of his estate was conducted by his oldest living son, John. The information on his children was derived form this document. After years of research this researcher has determined that he only mentioned the living children by name in his will and the children of his deceased children. After careful study I believe that Elizabeth Paulett was a daughter-in-law. Possibly the widow of a Richard. For this I have no proof just that there are records of a Richard in the area and he has no connection to anyone. For this book I shall call him Son {Richard?}. One of the determining factors is the Will of Atkins McLemore where he mentions Nathaniel Christmas as his son.

Known children of Thomas Cross Christmas 1 and an unknown spouse were as follows:

1. i. Agnes Christmas 2, born 1715 at Hanover Co., Virginia; married James Whitlock II.

2. ii. John Christmas, born circa 1717 at St. Martins Parish, Hanover Co., Virginia; married Mary Graves.

3. iii. Sarah Ann Christmas, born 1718 at New Kent Co., Virginia; married Benjamin Sanders.

4. iv. Son {Richard?} Christmas, born circa 1719; married Elizabeth (______).

5. v. Catey Christmas, born 1723 at Hanover Co., Virginia; married John Higgason Sr.

6. vi. Rachel Christmas was born in 1725 at Hanover Co., Virginia. She married David Chisholm before 1769.

7. vii. Thomas Christmas, born 1727 at Hanover County, Virginia; married Temperance Whitlock.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S-1251564519 Page: Source number: 5503.002; Source type: Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; Number of Pages: 1 APID: 1,7836::233114
2. ↑ Source: #S-1251564519 Page: Source number: 5503.002; Source type: Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; Number of Pages: 1 APID: 1,7836::233114

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 09 April 2018, 18:29), entry for Thomas Cross Christmas(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LCPG-3FV); contributed by various users.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 07 June 2018, 19:55), entry for THOMAS CROSS CHRISTMAS(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LB2M-QVC); contributed by various users.
• Source: S-1251564519 Repository: #R-2137964982 Title: U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Author: Yates Publishing Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc APID: 1,7836::0
• Repository: R-2137964982 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com Note:

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Nancy Cousins for creating WikiTree profile Christmas-98 through the import of CussonHawkinsHillHughesSurrell.ged on Jul 29, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Nancy and others.