Thomas, Nancy Elizabeth Ann

Birth Name Thomas, Nancy Elizabeth Ann
Gender female
Age at Death 97 years, 5 months, 27 days

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Birth March 18, 1840 Morgan County, Alabama, United States Alabama  
Death September 14, 1937 McGregor, McLennan County, Texas, USA Texas  
Burial 1937 Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County, Texas USA Old Tarrant Cemetery  

Relation to the center person (Claunch, William Nathan) : second great grandaunt

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Thomas, Laban GilbertOctober 26, 1816August 4, 1902
Mother Maples, Rachel HelenSeptember 14, 1818July 30, 1888
    Brother     Thomas, Laban Henry July 14, 1853 January 5, 1933
    Brother     Thomas, John Laban 1838 1862
    Brother     Thomas, William E. 1843 September 30, 1862
         Thomas, Nancy Elizabeth Ann March 18, 1840 September 14, 1937
    Brother     Thomas, James F. 1842
    Brother     Thomas, Benjamin K. 1844 September 10, 1882
    Sister     Thomas, Emmarille Jane 1847 1920
    Sister     Thomas, Rachel Francis February 1, 1849 December 4, 1922
    Sister     Thomas, Sarah Matilda Angeline March 8, 1851 November 22, 1937
    Brother     Thomas, James Burton 1857 November 12, 1917
    Sister     Thomas, Martha Custus October 26, 1860 February 27, 1947
    Sister     Thomas, Bertha 1838 1845

Families

    Family of Mathews, John C. and Thomas, Nancy Elizabeth Ann
Married Husband Mathews, John C. ( * + ... )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage July 4, 1867      

Media

Narrative

Biographical Note

Born in Morgan County, Alabama to Laban Gilbert and Rachel Helen Maples Thomas.

Married John C. Mathews, July 4, 1867.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22427762/nancy-elizabeth_ann-mathews

Narrative

PROFILE OF AN EARLY SCHOOL AND ITS TEACHER
Ruth M. Higdon

The location, Hopkins County, Texas - the time, 1875 - the building, a crude plank structure used for church services and chapel for a nearby cemetery. The teacher - Nancy Elizabeth (Thomas) Matthews.

Nancy had taught as early as 1858 in Northern Mississippi after having attended The Female Academy in Vicksburg. After the War Between The States was over, nancy married John Mathews and started raising her family, consequently, she abandoned her chosen profession for the time being.

Conditions in Northern Mississippi being what they were and the lure of the many wagon trains leaving for Texas enticed Nancy and John to board their ox wagon and join the throngs. They settled in Hopkins County.

John died in 1874 leaving Nancy with three small children so it became necessary for her to resume her teaching career. There was no public school building near her home but being an enterprising young woman, Nancy soon thought of the only available building, the church, in which she might teach a subscription school. She set about soliciting pupils from among the families of the community who wished to have their children taught and who were willing to buy Blueback Spellers, Davies Arithmetic and Eclectic Readers. They also had to be willing to pay $15.00 per child per term of school which lasted three months.

The meager facilities of the school were split log benches, slates in the absence of blackboards adn the nearby timber was utilized for restrooms. Water was supplied from a well by pulley and chain and if a child did not bring his own drinking cup, he was obliged to drink from a common dipper which was likely to be a gord [sic].

Despite the inconveniences and the inaccessibility of this early day school, children were taught to read, write and work arithmetic. Many grew up to revere their early teacher who lived most of her life in this community, and when she was lain to rest at age 97 1/2, her Pallbearers were former students, some of whom had by this time become tottery.

I knew Nancy Thomas Matthews well, she was my grandmother.

 

Included among research notes from Mary Louise Claunch

 

Family Map

Family Map

Pedigree

  1. Thomas, Laban Gilbert
    1. Maples, Rachel Helen
      1. Thomas, Bertha
      2. Thomas, John Laban
      3. Thomas, Nancy Elizabeth Ann
        1. Mathews, John C.
      4. Thomas, James F.
      5. Thomas, William E.
      6. Thomas, Benjamin K.
      7. Thomas, Emmarille Jane
      8. Thomas, Rachel Francis
      9. Thomas, Sarah Matilda Angeline
      10. Thomas, Laban Henry
      11. Thomas, James Burton
      12. Thomas, Martha Custus

Ancestors