Reverend John Thomas1 
b. 9 December 1713, d. 31 October 1790
Reverend John Thomas|b. 9 Dec 1713\nd. 31 Oct 1790|p2407.htm|Reverend William Thomas|b. 1678\nd. 6 Oct 1757|p2402.htm|Ann Griffith|b. 1680\nd. 5 Nov 1752|p2403.htm|||||||||||||
3rd great-granduncle of Louise Underwood.
5th great-granduncle of Laura Jane Munson.
- Family Background:
- Underwood and Allied Families
Reverend John Thomas was born on 9 December 1713 in Radnor township, Chester County (now Delaware County), Pennsylvania.1,2 He was the son of Reverend William Thomas and Ann Griffith.1 He married Sarah James of Radnor, on 18 February 1736/37 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County.3,4,5 He died on 31 October 1790 in Hilltown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, at age 76.2,4,6 He was buried in Lower Hilltown Baptist Church Cemetery.2 
Reverend John Thomas was called to the ministry in 1749 and was ordained in 1751. Upon the death of Reverend Benjamin Griffith in 1768, he was installed as sole pastor of the Montgomery Baptist Church in Philadelphia County. He continued at the Montgomery Church until 1781 when Hilltown Baptist was constituted as a separate church from Montgomery.7,8,9 This occurred at a regular meeting of business of the Montgomery Baptist Church, 10 November 1781, when John, his wife, and fifty-two other Hilltown residents were dismissed to the Hilltown Baptist Church because of their "distant situation." He was the first pastor of Hilltown after it became a separate church.
Reverend John Thomas was called to the ministry in 1749 and was ordained in 1751. Upon the death of Reverend Benjamin Griffith in 1768, he was installed as sole pastor of the Montgomery Baptist Church in Philadelphia County. He continued at the Montgomery Church until 1781 when Hilltown Baptist was constituted as a separate church from Montgomery.7,8,9 This occurred at a regular meeting of business of the Montgomery Baptist Church, 10 November 1781, when John, his wife, and fifty-two other Hilltown residents were dismissed to the Hilltown Baptist Church because of their "distant situation." He was the first pastor of Hilltown after it became a separate church.
Additional Data
John Thomas was mentioned in his father William Thomas's will dated 11 December 1753 in Hilltown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.10 
Reverend John Thomas was mentioned in his brother Thomas Thomas' will dated 27 May 1778 in Hilltown Bucks County, Pennsylvania.11
Reverend John Thomas left a will dated 31 May 1788 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, leaving the 383 acres he held to his four daughters Anna Brittain, Rebecca Pugh, Leah Jones and Sarah Blackwell, and a life estate to his wife Sarah.5
Reverend John Thomas resigned the pastorate of Hilltown church on 26 March 1789.4
Reverend John Thomas was mentioned in his brother Thomas Thomas' will dated 27 May 1778 in Hilltown Bucks County, Pennsylvania.11
Reverend John Thomas left a will dated 31 May 1788 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, leaving the 383 acres he held to his four daughters Anna Brittain, Rebecca Pugh, Leah Jones and Sarah Blackwell, and a life estate to his wife Sarah.5
Reverend John Thomas resigned the pastorate of Hilltown church on 26 March 1789.4
Children of Reverend John Thomas and Sarah James
- Anna Thomas+5 b. 28 Dec 1737, d. 30 Jan 1819
- Rebecca Thomas5 b. 27 Nov 1740, d. 29 Jun 1819
- Leah Thomas5 b. 8 Mar 1743/44, d. c 1793
- Sarah Thomas5 b. 7 Dec 1746, d. a 1790
Citations
- [S329] "A Memorandum Containing some account of the birth, life and Ministry of Joseph Mathias. With a diary of his Exercises and various events which came under his notice. Together with an account of his Progenitors and Connexions. Likewise a short notice of the First settlement of the part of the Country, which gave him birth, and where he still resides," (MS, 1831-1851; Bucks County, Pennsylvania), 13, The Bucks County Historical Society; Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
- [S348] Reverend John Thomas tombstone, Lower Hilltown Baptist Church Cemetery, Hilltown, Pennsylvania; photographed by Roland Morris October 1999.
- [S372] Edward Mathews, The Thomas Family of Hilltown, Bucks Co., Penn'a (Lansdale, Pennsylvania: Arthur K. Thomas, 1884), 28.
- [S371] Mildred L Lewis, comp., A Walk Through Historic Hilltown with Edward Mathews (n.p.: Adams Apple Press, 1994), 5.
- [S391] John Thomas, online <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~akagln/…>.
- [S372] Edward Mathews, The Thomas Family of Hilltown, Bucks Co., Penn'a, 31.
- [S371] Mildred L Lewis, A Walk Through Historic Hilltown with Edward Mathews, 6.
- [S329] "Mathias Journal", 10.
- [S372] Edward Mathews, The Thomas Family of Hilltown, Bucks Co., Penn'a, 29.
- [S373] William Thomas will (1753), Bucks County Will Book B: 315 #919, The Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
- [S390] Thomas Thomas and Wives Margaret Bates and Mary Williams, online <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~akagln/…>, citing Bucks County Will Book 5: 72.
