Clymer Weir Cox Genealogy » REV. WILLIAM ELIAS (PA 1712) THOMAS (1678-1757)

Personal data REV. WILLIAM ELIAS (PA 1712) THOMAS 

• He was born in the year 1678 in Wales.
• Religion: Baptist.
• He died on October 6, 1757, he was 79 years old.
• He is buried in Hilltown Baptist Churchyard, Chalford, Bucks, Pennsylvania.
• This information was last updated on February 19, 2023.

Household of REV. WILLIAM ELIAS (PA 1712) THOMAS

He is married to ANNE MARY THOMAS GRIFFITH.

They got married on December 26, 1700 at Sithney, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, he was 22 years old.

Child(ren):

1. THOMAS GRIFFITH (PA 1713) THOMAS  1701-1780 
2. John Griffith Thomas  1713-1790 
3. Gwentley Griffith Thomas  1716-1767 
4. Ephraim Griffith Thomas  1719-1776 
5. David Griffith Thomas  1732-1796
6. Manassah Griffith Thomas   
7. William Griffith Thomas  
8. Anna Griffith Thomas   

Notes about REV. WILLIAM ELIAS (PA 1712) THOMAS

Rev William Thomas
Birth: 1678 Llanwenarth, Monmouthshire, Wales
Death: 6 Oct 1757 (aged 78œ79) Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial: Hilltown Baptist Churchyard, Chalfont, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Memorial #: 39834120
Bio: William Thomas was born in Llanwarnath, Monmouthshire, Wales, in 1678. His family were freeholders, while so many of his countrymen were landless tenants. Their condition in life, as well as his native aptitudes favored his obtaining an education superior to the average of the peasant class. He also obtained a knowledge of a handicraft, or that of a cooper.
His parents had passed from earth before 1710, and he remained in Wales until after his marriage and early manhood. He came to America during the winter of 1712.
Coming to Hilltown in 1718, his first purchase of land, comprising 440 acres, bordered the county line, near where is now the village of Hockertown. Here he built his house. The house he erected stood till 1812. His purchases of other tracts continued down till 1728, it was his aim to have a farm for each of his children. These purchases were six in number, comprising 1248 acres in one township. All was of wilderness land, upon which hard labor was necessary to clear, and then make fruitful and valuable.
From the time of his coming, William Thomas had belonged to the mother church of Montgomery, established in 1719. He was a preacher before his emigration to America. Besides manifold secular labors, he was ever busy in promoting the religious life of his countrymen in Hilltown, in prayer, and preaching at their various homes. For a time they were too poor and scattered to build a house of worship. Thomas soon had the prefix of Elder to his name, as was customary in those days as a term for the preachers. His thrift, industry and capital had enabled him to acquire more land and money than most of his neighbors. So when the time became ripe he devoted a portion of these for their benefit. He gave the land, furnished the greater portion of the cost, and also the labors of his own hands to build a place of worship, which was completed in 1737. Within this he preached for the twenty years, or until his death in 1757, and wherein his own son, John Thomas, followed him in the ministry.
That early church structure stood until near the close of the Colonial period. It was succeeded in 1771 by a larger and more commodious building of stone, and the present modern building is the successor upon the site that has such a wealth of scenic prospects far and wide over the vale of the Neshaminy and the hills and dales of central Bucks county."
Inscription: A large flat marble slab marks his last resting place in the shadow of the church his earnest labors had helped to establish, on which is inscribed the date of his death and age, and the following singularly appropriate and unique epitaph, composed by himself:
"In yonder Meeting House I spent my breath;
Now silent mouldering here I lie in death.
These silent lips shall wake and yet declare,
A dread Amen to truths they published there."

Family Members
Spouse
Ann Thomas 1680-1752
Children
Thomas Thomas 1711-1780
John Thomas 1713-1790
Ephraim Thomas 1715-1776
Gwentley Thomas Morris 1716-1767
Anna Rowland 1719-1759
Manasseh Thomas 1721-1802
William Thomas 1723-1764
Created by: Ann Gilmore (47044639)
Added: 24 Jul 2009
URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39834120/william-thomas?_gl=1*1h5miyc*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2NzU5OTkzNTguQ2p3S0NBaUFpb2lmQmhBWEVpd0FwekN6dHJtTUJfTk9ULUtENFllVk1jMWNfbHdpZkZmb3ppUzVSUUxvRG9rWTRtaDZzTGcxSm1HelF4b0M4LXdRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_dc*R0NMLjE2NzU5OTkzNTguQ2p3S0NBaUFpb2lmQmhBWEVpd0FwekN6dHJtTUJfTk9ULUtENFllVk1jMWNfbHdpZkZmb3ppUzVSUUxvRG9rWTRtaDZzTGcxSm1HelF4b0M4LXdRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_ga*NDA0OTI1ODYuMTY3NjQ0ODg3Ng..*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY3Njg3NDkyMC4yNC4xLjE2NzY4NzYyMTMuNjAuMC4w*_ga_B2YGR3SSMB*ZjY1MTk0MzYtMWNmZS00YWEyLTlkYWUtMjM4ZWI5YzE4YjEyLjY4OC4xLjE2NzY4NzYyMTQuNTkuMC4w
Citation: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39834120/william-thomas: accessed 19 February 2023), memorial page for Rev William Thomas (1678œ6 Oct 1757), Find a Grave Memorial ID 39834120, citing Hilltown Baptist Churchyard, Chalfont, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Ann Gilmore (contributor 47044639).

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