Thomas Ayers, Nathaniels’ oldest son was born in Baltimore County, MD in 1734. Growing up, he and his brothers worked alongside their farmer father and eventually moved with him to Pittsylvania County, VA about 1755. However, Thomas initially ventured even further south into Surry County, North Carolina for a time before returning to Pittsylvania County. There, like his father, Thomas also became a landholder, obtaining a land grant of 400 acres on Double Creek in 1758 and another 200 acres on Wolf’s Hill Creek in 1763.
Thomas married first Ellender (or Eleanor), last name unknown, and later Barbary (Barbara) Murphy. He had four sons, Nathaniel, Elihu, Thomas Jr, and Joseph, along with three daughters, Elizabeth, Jane and Phoebe. In 1780, Thomas sent his son Elihu back down to Surry County to buy land, which he did, but then got caught up in the Revolutionary War (more in the next post). He did not return home until he had served his tour, believing his father would not move on account of the Tories (British sympathizers) raging in that country so violently. After receiving a letter from his father, Elihu returned home in 1780, and his father perhaps erroneously thinking the fighting had ended, immediately moved to the new land.
When Thomas moved to Surry County, his brother Moses also moved there with his family. In the very first U.S. census in 1790, we find a total of six Ayers households located near each other: Thomas Ayers along with two sons, Nathaniel and Elihu; and Moses Ayers along with two sons John and Samuel.
Of special note is that a tract of land belonging to Moses and Thomas Ayers on the Yadkin River was used to establish the town of Rockford, the original Surry County, NC, seat.
It seems that Thomas Ayers was always on the move. In 1791 he again moved, this time to Patrick County, Virginia which was a newly formed county just across the VA border from Surry County. There he purchased 100 acres on Johnson’s Creek. He died in Patrick County in November 1814. The inventory of his estate included household furniture, side-saddle, cotton, wheel, tomahawk, corn, sheep, cattle, horse, loom, books and hay for a total of $185.80.
