The TWO Thomas Sullivans
family trees confuse as ONE man!
Facts that prove
Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House / Barren Co, Kentucky
is a DIFFERENT man than
Thomas Sullivan, husband of Sarah Wood, of Anne Arundel, Maryland.
Is your family tree up to speed?
Photo courtesy of https://www.explorekywildlands.com/listing/old-mulkey-meetinghouse-state-historic-site/927/
Over 200 family trees on Ancestry.com have Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House history merged into another man by the same name, who was living in Anne Arundel, Maryland. What I believe began as a simple mix up, now seems to be irreparable on Ancestry's website. Users also going as far as attaching a birth place of Ireland but we'll get to that part later.
In this blog we are going to sort out facts that separate Thomas Sullivan, who was a member of the Big Pigeon Baptist Church in Cocke county, TN starting in 1793, then was a member of Mill Creek Baptist church a.k.a Mulkey Meeting House of Barren Co, KY, current day Thompkinsville, Monroe Co, KY, from the other Thomas Sullivan who lived in Anne Arundel, Maryland and married Sarah Wood.
WHAT"S THE BIG MIX UP?
Many people, even I at one time, thought that Thomas Sullivan of the Old Mulkey Meeting House was the same Thomas Sullivan who had married Sarah Wood in Anne Arundel, MD. However, as a direct descendant and a serious researcher, I began to question this when I was failing to find Wood DNA connections. It led me to take a good hard look at documents surrounding Thomas Sullivan as well. I soon realized things weren't adding up. I found an estate record from 1817 having to do with the death of Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD. You better believe I ordered a copy of this document. Once I had the 25 pages of court papers in hand, it was obvious that Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD was NOT our Thomas Sullivan that was still alive in the Mulkey Meeting House.
The fact you can't ignore:
1. Thomas Sullivan of the Anne Arundel, MD, died in 1810 and he owed money on the deceased William Wood's land. William Wood was Sarah Wood's father. Thomas's 6 children are listed in the court document, NONE of which are Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House's known children.
2. Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House is still alive in 1820. He is found in the Wayne Co, Indiana U.S. Census, living a few houses from his two daughters and their husbands, James Compton / Cumpton and Charles Vinson / Vincent. Both men were in Mulkey Meeting House records as they were married to Thomas's daughters by preacher John Mulkey.
So, if Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House history is still alive in 1820 and the Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD died 1810, then it is obvious they are two different men.
Below:
An Image of the 1820 Wayne Co, Indiana census shows Thomas Sullivan once of Mulkey Meeting house, living by his son in laws.
Source: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7734/images/4433414_00106?pId=1372917
Below is a summary
of the 25 page court document discussing the
death of Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, Maryland:
Date: 1817/09/09 1718: Rezin Estep vs. Francis Whittington, Sarah Whittington, William Sullivan, Joseph Sullivan, Eleanor Sullivan, Henrietta Sullivan, and Janet Sullivan. AA. Estate of Thomas Sullivan - Hunts Chance. Recorded (Chancery Record) 107, p. 8. Accession No.: 17,898-1718 MSA S512-2-1789 Location: 1/36/1/
In March of 1806 Charles D Hodges was Trustee of William Wood's estate. (William Wood was Sarah Wood's father). When William Wood passed away he was owner of land called "Hunt's Chance". Approximately 100 acres.
At that time Charles D Hodges sells "Hunt's Chance" to Thomas Sullivan.
Charles D Hodges died and Rezin Estep was made Trustee of William Wood's land "Hunt's Chance."
In 1817 Rezin Estep goes to court against Francis Whittington and his wife Sarah Whittington, William Sullivan, Joseph Sullivan, Henrietta Sullivan, Eleanor Sullivan and Janett Sullivan.
Rezin Estep tells the court that Thomas Sullivan had agreed to purchase William Wood's 'Hunt's Chance" land but that Thomas Sullivan had died before he paid for it. Thomas Sullivan had agreed to pay 3 Hundred Dollars, 7 Shillings and 6 pence and put bond up. Rezin Estep wants Francis Whittington, wife Sarah Whittington, Thomas Sullivan's other children: Joseph Sullivan, William Sullivan, Henrietta Sullivan, Eleanor Sullivan and Janett Sullivan to pay for the land or he would like the ability to sell it.
It is stated in the court document that William Sullivan was the administrator of Thomas Sullivan's estate. That Thomas Sullivan left behind 6 children. It states the children were: (Adult children): Sarah who married Francis Whittington, William Sullivan and Joseph Sullivan. Children under the age of 20 the court called "infants" were: Henrietta, Eleanor and Janett. A guardian is appointed for Henrietta, Eleanor and Janett. That guardian is named Samuel Gover, appointed 23rd Jan 1818.
Copy of page of Court Document of Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD
Transcription of this page:
A certain Thomas Sullivan became the purchaser of one hundred acres of land called Hunt's Chance for the sum of three hundred pounds, seven shillings and six pence current money and gave bond for the payment of the purchase money as well appear on reference to the said proceedings. Your order further states that the said Thomas Sullivan never paid any part of the said purchase money but hath departed this life and his personal estate been wanted by his administrator, who have never paid the said purchase money and the ___ for the purchase money, have become insolvent.
Your orator further states that the said Thomas Sullivan left six children to wit Sarah intermarried with Francis Whittington and William and Joseph Sullivan who are above the age of twenty one years and Eleanor, Henrietta & Janett Sullivan who are under the age of twenty one years to whom the equitable rule aforesaid hath descended. Your Orator further states that inasmuch as no conveyance was ever made the said land is equitably bound for the payment of the purchase money. to the end therefore that the said Francis Whittington & Sarah his wife and William , Joseph, Eleanor, Henrietta & Janett Sullivan may answer the ____ may I please your honor to grant to your orator the states wish of subpena to them to be directed commanding them personally to appear and answer and that a decree may be ___ for a sale of the said land for the purpose of paying the said purchase money with interest and that your orator may have such further & other relief in the premises as the nature of the case and equity & good ____ require them.
Another page below discusses Guardianship of Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD's children
Transcription of page:
The answer of Eleanor Sullivan, Henrietta Sullivan and Janett Sullivan by their Guardian Samuel Gover, specially assigned in this cause, to the bill of complaint of Rezin Estep Trustee for the sale of the Real Estate of William Wood. These Defendants by their Guardian a foresaid for answer to the said Bill, or so much thereof as he is advised is material or necessary for him to answer unto, Answereth and saith; he admits that Thomas Sullivan purchased the land in the Bill mentioned, which has not been fully paid for, or conveyed to him and that he as Guardian for the infant defendants has no objection to a sale, for the payment in such manner as the court shall think just and reasonable. Signed by Samuel Gover.
Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel Maryland Died 1810
Below is his Estate document from Nov 1810 in which Henry Wood has signed.
Below is the Newspaper ad for William Wood's estate that names the Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD and wife. William Wood died May of 1804.
William Wood - Chancery Case - 11 Jul 1805
More FACTS that separate the TWO THOMAS SULLIVANS
In 1800, we find Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD listed as a SR and a Thomas Sullivan JR is living next door to him. William Wood's family is also on this census page.
1. Neither of these Thomas Sullivans in Maryland can be our Thomas Sullivan of Barren Co, KY, as he is recorded during that same time in the Mill Creek Baptist Church Minutes located in Kentucky.
2. Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, MD, as stated, is listed as a SR with Thomas JR living right next door. Our Thomas also had a Thomas JR but his Thomas was born 1795 (he would only be 5 years old at the time of this census, not old enough to own land next to his father). So this Thomas JR in the census, is also obviously a different person as well.
Photo Below: Mill Creek Baptist Church Minutes from year 1800 (Barren Co, KY current day Monroe Co, KY) Note: there is a Wood family also in this church and I think this added to the mix up for people. As you follow along below I touch upon this Wood family.
Source:
file:///home/chronos/u-040ccba4b2bf4c8a9e5314fcaa3c1e08b395699a/MyFiles/Downloads/SC%202188%20Mill%20Creek%20Baptist%20Church%20Record%20Book.pdf
Photo Below: Census from 1800 Anne Arundel, MD Thomas Sullivan Sr & Jr.
Source:
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/85155:7590?ssrc=pt&tid=199128384&pid=162594129169
Facts around the Wood family seen in Mill Creek Baptist Church:
I have NOT proven a link between this Wood family of Mill Creek Church and William Wood's family of Anne Arundel, MD. I can clearly see how people are getting the William Wood's themselves mixed up as everyone has the same names as one another.
Photo Below: This shows the membership of a William Wood & his wife Sarah Wood. This is NOT the William Wood of Anne Arundel. This William Wood was a member until 1806, where as the William Wood of Anne Arundel, MD was already deceased by May of 1804. Also, as you see, he had a wife named Sarah Wood. So this could not be our Thomas Sullivan's wife.
Source:
file:///home/chronos/u-040ccba4b2bf4c8a9e5314fcaa3c1e08b395699a/MyFiles/Downloads/SC%202188%20Mill%20Creek%20Baptist%20Church%20Record%20Book.pdf
Below: 1801 Membership of a William Wood who was in Barren Co, KY that is a different man than the William Wood of Anne Arundel, MD.
Below: Another set of meeting minutes from Mill Creek Baptist Church in Barren Co, KY 1805. Showing this William Wood is still alive as the William Wood of Anne Arundel, MD died May 1804.
There is a Wood family out of Shenandoah Virginia who married into Bolling, This Wood line was in Barren Co, KY and Green Co, KY. I have not done work on this family. My focus for this blog is providing evidence about the two Thomas Sullivan's and not so much proving the Wood family. However, to show the differentiation between the Wood family of Anne Arundel, MD and the Barren County Wood family, is further supporting evidence regarding the the two Thomas Sullivan's being different men.
Since Thomas Sullivan of Anne Arundel, Maryland is not the right Thomas, what facts do we have about the actual Thomas Sullivan of the Mulkey Meeting House?
Where was Thomas Sullivan born? DNA suggests he was born in Virginia. I'll go into DNA in the next blog. He would not be born in Ireland as some have him, although the Sullivan line would have originated in Ireland. Virginia also makes sense as many of the church members he is with were also from Virginia.
When was he born? I believe at least 1765 due to the birth date of his first child. It would make him 18 at that time. He may have been born before 1765 however.
Who are his parents? At this point they are unknown. We require a second direct male Sullivan descendant of Thomas Sullivan to do a Y-DNA test. The first male Sullivan descendant of Thomas that did his Y-DNA test, showed he was carrying Skaggs Y-DNA and not Sullivan. See my blog on Thomas Sullivan's connection to the Skaggs and his families possible DNA connection. Right now we are stuck utilizing Autosomal DNA which has a major obstacle. That is the fact that Thomas Sullivan is a 5th Great Grandparent for most descendants who have done a DNA test. At this generational range Autosomal DNA can becomes a bit unreliable. One other obstacle is that many Sullivan lines descend from the same single Progenitor out of Virginia. This means when running Autosomal DNA most lines should match the Thomas Sullivan descendants making it difficult to determine which one belongs. There is some DNA shared between Thomas's descendants and the Darby Sullivan III and Ann Fugate descendants and some triangulation of DNA as well. Again this doesn't prove Darby III is Thomas's father but he's simply on a list of possible parents. Darby III and Anne had a son Thomas who was in King George co, VA and was last seen 1792 in land tax records. When he was in Virginia he stayed close with a brother named Martin. In 1793, our Thomas becomes member of Big Pigeon church in Cock Co, TN. He is with people whose lines came from those who were married into Darby Sullivan's family and he is in church with Thomas Manthooth and family. Thomas Manthooth is said to have double kinship to Anne Fugate. Thomas's daughter, Kiziah, names her first son Martin. So the question is: Could our Thomas be the Thomas, son of Darby Sullivan and Ann Fugate, who went missing after 1792? I mean... maybe. I did send my research to Bill Deyo, who was once the tribal historian of the Patawomeck tribe of Virginia, as he has done extensive research on Darby Sullivan and Anne Fugates' family and their DNA. He looked over my DNA data, looked into the Big Pigeon Baptist Church members and said he believes our Thomas is Darby Sullivan and Ann Fugates' son. Again only time will tell. He could be anyone's son at this point.
When do we first have record of our Thomas? Thomas Sullivan was a member of the Big Pigeon Baptist Church in Cocke County, Tennessee. Thomas Sullivan's name spelled "Thomas Sulevent" when it is entered for the first time into church meeting minutes in 1793. To note we are finding DNA to families that were in the church with Thomas such as Thomas Mantooth who was son in law of Samuel Phares (Pharris) listed below.
--- February of 1793 Mill Creek Church Minutes ---
"THOMAS SULEVENT Receiv.d by letter of recomendation whearas theare is some Deficualty Amongst some Members in the Church and upon consideration of the same its thought Most prudent that a comitee bee chosen to settle the same in order for which we have Appointed the following breathren, JOSHUA KELLEY, SAM'L PHARES, JN'O NETHERTON, WIL'M LILLARD, GE'O MCCOWN, PETER FINE and ABRAM MCKAY as a Comitee to settle"Source: https://www.tngenweb.org/cocke/bpminutes1.htm
--- 1796 Mill Creek Church Minutes---
Source: https://www.tngenweb.org/cocke/bpminutes1.htm
I do not know what the circumstances that surrounded the need for a committee to be formed to discuss his membership.
Throughout meeting minutes Thomas's surname is spelled: SYLLIVEN, SULEVENT, SWILLIVEN.
"SAMUEL LUSK Made Application for a letter Dismission for himself and Wife the same being granted unto them The Breathren THOMAS SWILLIVEN ABRAM HEASTON and JNO MULKEY appointed Labour with JOSEPH GRAHAM and JOEL MOORE and make report next Meeting of the same - ABRAM MCKAY appointed to write a letter to Mill Crick Church in Shanandoah County virginia Respecting EBEN LEETH.S satesfaction Made to that church for his transgration- the Breathren ABRAM MCKAY and PETER FINE Appointed to site the Breathren JN.O KEENEY and JAMES WISEHEART to attend Next Meeting and Make satesfaction for thar non attendance and make report theareof - Adjornd till Meeting in corse- ABRAM MCKAY."
--- 2nd of September, 1796 - Mill Creek Church Minutes ---
"2nd of September 1797 Met according to ajornment and after prayer proseaded to buisness the Association Minits red and approved of - the Church being inform.d that thear was Disorderly Conduct Carried on in BR.O BRICKES house"
"-thearefore thought proper to Appoint the Breathren JONAS JINKINS and TH.O SYLLIVEN to talk with him conserning the same and Make report Next Meeting in Corse - the Church appoint the BR.O SAML PHARES PETER FINE JAMES NICKELS & WIL.M WHITSON to attend at Mill pond Meeting house the 3rd Saturday in this instant Ajornd till Meeting in Corse Ab.r McKay"
--- 1797 Mill Creek Church Minutes ---
"Met according to ajornment and after prayer proseaded to buisness - the Matter respecting BR.O BRICKEY being lade before the Church and he being present said he would try to avoid such evil doings in his house again -the Church Expresed hir satesfaction with him Dismised; JN.O MCQUEARY and wife ENOCH JOB & wife PHILIP MULKEY and wife JANE ODELL MARK MITCHEL and wife TH.O SYLLIVEN and JOHN MULKEY and s.d MULKEY Ordered to write letters of Dismition for the above named Members - ajornd till Meeting in Corse ABR. MCKAY"
You will notice the Odell name above. I am the direct descendant of Nancy Sullivan daughter of Thomas Sullivan. Nancy married Gabriel Odell.
Right around 1797 to 1798 Thomas is a Member of the newly formed Mill Creek Baptist Church in Barren county, Kentucky. John Mulkey preacher.
WHO IS THOMAS SULLIVAN'S WIFE?
Since we now know Sarah Wood of Anne Arundel, MD is not Thomas's wife, who was his wife? Well, that is a darn fine question. In the Big Pigeon Baptist Church Cocke Co, TN member list is a "Rachel Swillivan". Thomas's surname had been spelled several different ways in church minutes. This is the only other member with a similar surname. Is this his wife? Possible, but not proven. I did take notice that not one time in the church minutes does it say "and wife" following his name, or does it even mention a wife. 3 of Thomas's children were born prior to joining this church. All of whom were most likely born in Virginia. One these daughter's, Mary, I found later in life, in an 1850 census claiming she was born in Virginia. The last of those three children was born in 1789, then there is a pause in births. 1793 Thomas joins the Big Pigeon church. In 1795 his son Thomas Jr is born. So all we know at this point is there is one women who could be Thomas's wife named Rachel in Big Pigeon Church. Once Thomas moves in 1797-98 to the Mill Creek Church in Barren Co, KY, Rachel Swillivan is not registered as a member there. Instead, we see a "Sarrah Sulevent" as a member. We do not know if she is his wife either. However, Thomas's last child was named Sarah.
Below: Part of the member list for Big Pigeon Baptist Church found on Wikitree.
Source: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Big_Pigeon_Primitive_Baptist_Church
Below: Membership information from Mill Creek Church showing Sarah Sullivan, I believe her name was written "Sarrah Sullivant" in another source. Note: Thomas was a member 3 years prior to Sarah joining. Did he "set up camp" so to speak and then she came later or is she just a relative of his? Again, no wife is mentioned in church minutes. I honestly can't say who Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House's wife or wives were. DNA is pointing to certain church families, that to me indicates whomever Thomas married must have been part of one of those families. I have 7 descendants of Thomas Sullivan in Gedmatch. These descendants would also carry Thomas's wife's DNA. I have found DNA to the following families within the two churches: Gist, Harlan, Harrison, Breed, Springer, Compton, Mulkey, Mantooth/Monteith (also dna to the Bryant, Gallop, Jett lines that is part of Mantooth), Denton (as we have that line), Odell (again we have that line). Many of these families left Mill Creek Church, went to Ohio then later ending up in the Bethel Chrisitan Church of Wayne County Indiana. That church was located close to the border of Butler County, Ohio and is in what is now Fountain City, Wayne, Indiana.
Thomas is seen several times throughout the years in the Mill Creek / Mulkey Meeting House minutes. I will not post all those here but they can be found online.
file:///home/chronos/u-040ccba4b2bf4c8a9e5314fcaa3c1e08b395699a/MyFiles/Downloads/SC%202188%20Mill%20Creek%20Baptist%20Church%20Record%20Book.pdf
--- 1800 ---
Found in Mill Creek Baptist Church Minutes. Kentucky.
--- 1810 ---
Thomas is in the 1810 Barren County, Kentucky U.S. Census. He is the last name of the page then the next page has John Mulkey.
Source:
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/453197:7613?ssrc=pt&tid=176777069&pid=292309544107
--- 1814 ---
In 1814, Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House agrees to sell the land he is currently living on in Barren county, Kentucky to Roden Thompson of Cumberland County, Kentucky.
Roden Thompson's 2 Aunts, Thompson sisters, married Skaggs brothers. Of course this caught my eye as there has been a rumor on the internet that Thomas Sullivan was the father of a Skaggs boy named Piner Skaggs. Descendants of Thomas Sullivan were showing DNA matches to Skaggs descendants thus further fueling this rumor. So, I ran the Skaggs / Thompson couple's descendants to the 7 descendants of Thomas Sullivan in Gedmatch. There is indeed shared DNA, those matches land on the same chromosome segments with one another showing a pattern, indicating a shared family line to our Thomas Sullivan descendants. See my blog page on the DNA of Sullivan family and the Skaggs. If the matches hadn't landed together and instead randomly matched on different chromosomes than one another, then I probably wouldn't chase it. Since they did land together it could be valid that we, either have part of that Thompson line or part of that Skaggs line. Again, we do not know for sure who Thomas Sullivan's wife was, so any DNA we are finding could be candidates for part her family branch. Having connection to this Thompson / Skaggs line would definitely give us Skaggs cousins, as the children of these couples would carry the Skaggs name.
In Roden Thompson's father's (Archibarld Thompson's) diary he has several notes on the Skaggs family and a Cumpton family. We know that Thomas Sullivan of Mulkey Meeting House had a daughter that married a James Compton / Cumpton. My guess would be he might be related to those from the diary.
Source: Archibald Thompson's Diary:
https://web.archive.org/web/20150925000729/http://www.public.asu.edu:80/~moore/archibald/archibald.html
Below: is portion of Thomas Sullivan's land document in 1814.
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4X-53LK-C?cat=431355&i=253
After the sale of his land is when I theorize Thomas Sullivan left Kentucky and went to Ohio with his family.
--- 1817 ---
This next part is my theory based on a marriage in Butler county, Ohio in 1817.
In 1817 There is a Thomas Sullivan who marries Mary Goble. Everyone thinks this is Thomas Sullivan Jr that marries Mary. It makes more sense that it was Thomas Sullivan SR (once of Barren co, KY) as he would have been Mary's age and his son was only half her age. Some of the families, such as Valentine Harlan, who left Kentucky in 1815 also went to Ohio before going into Indiana. Thomas Sullivan is the administrator of Mary's late husband's estate. Thomas Sullivan Sr's granddaughter, Sarah Odell, married Mary's son, Samuel James Goble. One relative I spoke with believed it was Thomas Jr who married Mary Goble, this relative stated she thought they were neighbors to Mary, she had small children and it was a marriage of convenience. I personally believe Thomas Jr was living with his father in Ohio as he is still living with his father in 1820 Wayne Co, Indiana unmarried. Thomas Sullivan Sr could have easily been the neighbor to Mary Goble. Thomas Sullivan Jr later married Mary Goble's 14 year old daughter, Rebecca Goble, in 1823. None of the documents I have seen differentiate which Thomas Sullivan is being talked about so at this point it could be either one.
Below: Copy of portion of Jonathan Goble's estate (Mary Goble's late husband) Administrator of estate was Thomas Sullivan. I ordered this record from Butler Co, Ohio archives records office.
--- 1820 ---
Thomas Sullivan Sr has now appeared in the Wayne County, Indiana census. Using my hypothesis on a marriage of Thomas Sullivan Sr and Mary Goble, the children fit.
--- 1821 ---
I found a Newspaper article date Friday, July 29, 1921 in the Richmond Palladium Newspaper of Indiana page 10.
Article title: "Communion Services every Sunday for 100 years at Bethel Church."
Part of the article reads:
On July 27, 1921 (Type error date was supposed to read July 27, 1821, as they are talking about the first members 100 years ago.
On July 27, 1821 the Christians of they settlement met at the school house, which was made of hewn logs. They organized a church and appointed Elder Foster Chairman and Joseph Harrison Clerk. Mr. Harrison recorded the following names of persons who desired to belong to the Bethel Christian church: Valentine Harlan Sr, Desire Harlan, Thomas Sullivan, Mary Sullivan, Mary Gott, Mary Harrison, James Spencer, Isiah Tilson, James Harlan, Joseph Harrison, Sarah Gott, Gideon Harrison, Valentine Harlan Jr, Elisha Harlan, Anna Harlan, Gabriel Odle (Gabriel Odell), Nancy Odle (Nancy Sullivan Odell), Charles Vincent, Mary Vincent (Mary Sullivan Vincent), Thomas Pemberton, Rebecca Pemberton, Sullivan Vincent, Levi Lee, Sillas Hubbard, Elizabeth Hubbard, William Gott, James Compton, Ada Thompson, Mary Harlan, Sarah Harlan.
Today the church's location is in Fountain City, Wayne County, Indiana. Many of the Harlan family and other's from the church are laid to rest in the Bethel Cemetery in Fountain City.
--- AFTER 1821 ---
We don't have much data on Thomas Sullivan past 1821. However, I looked through each of his children's locations after 1821 to see if any had elders living with them, with the exception of his son Daniel, as there is no real proof of him. I did not find Thomas living with any of the other children. I did find one online source claiming Thomas's son, "Daniel Sullivan", had been living in Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana in 1815. I have only found two Daniel Sullivans there and neither are Thomas's son.
I did find a Newspaper from Indiana called the:
Western Sun & General Advertiser, Volume 17, Number 40, Vincennes, Knox County,
dated 11 November 1826
In it there is an ad dated Oct 21, 1826 for Thomas Sullivan's estate by administrator William Phillips.
If Daniel Sullivan is real and really did live in Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, could this be Thomas Sullivan Sr's estate being discussed? At this time, I don't have proof it is but it looks like something that needs investigating.
UPDATE on Estate Ad below - March 17, 2026: This is NOT our Thomas Sullivan. The Thomas , who was the subject of the estate below, looks to have been born in Ireland and came to Gibson County, Indiana in 1803. It looks like his sons or brothers married the Phillips family. William Phillips has a land patent associated with this Thomas. There was family in Vincennes.
No burial location has been found.
No burial location for Thomas Sullivan Sr has been found. I did see on Ancestry.com people are mistakenly adding a Findagrave for a Thomas Sullivan who couldn't possibly be our Thomas as it would make him 100 years old when enlisting into the military. That incorrect Thomas was in the Civil War.
Photo of the grave people are taking as our Thomas's - that is incorrect.
Thank you for reading my blog. I know trying to find your ancestor and weeding through all the online resources can be a real chore. I hope that this blog has been a valuable resource for you if you have one of these Thomas Sullivans. If you are related to Thomas Sullivan of Barren County, Kentucky, I'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
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