Person:Thomas Morrow (5)

Thomas was the son of Capt. Samuel Morrow of the Long Cane area of Abbeville County. He died when Thomas was young. ^[3] Thomas married Janet McCarter likely about 1784, in time to have 3 children by the time of the 1790 census. On Jul 9, 1788, administration of the estate of James Morrow in Abbeville was granted to Thomas Morrow, with a bond to Thomas, Fleming Bates and James Foster (his brothers-in-law).[3]. The inventory was taken by Fleming, Alexander Clark, and George Morrow. James and George are believed to be Thomas's uncles, as descendants of both match DNA to Thomas descendants.

Thomas first appears in Logan County in 1809. There are three deeds recorded (back to back to back on the same days in 1809) where Thomas bought his complete tract of 671 3/4 acres on the Whipperwill Creek in Logan County, KY from James Mitchell. This all conforms to the tax records. Of interest HUGH MORROW (this man) attested all three deeds. Hugh was likely his first cousin, and the father of Thomas's son-in-law Matthew Morrow.

Thomas transferred land to most of his children during his lifetime, and estate records survive identifying his heirs. From those records, his surviving children were:

• John Morrow (dec’d 1847) [Perhaps the John, m. Jane Spence, d. 1832 in Abbeville, leaving heirs Thomas M., James W., and Anna J.]
• Jane (1792-1859, m1 Wm Britt 1813, m. John Rutherford 1822). John received 100 acres from Thomas and Jane in Aug 1826.
• Margaret (1793-1842, married James Glasgow)[4]. Stayed in Abbeville County.
• James McCarter Morrow (b. ~1790, m. Polly Scott abt 1820). Received 250 acres from his parents in July 1815.
• Moses Morrow (b. abt 1794, dec’d 1847). Received 250 acres from his parents in July 1818.
• Ann (b. 1798, m. William Thompson). Thomas and Jane created a trust for their grandchildren, Polly, Lucretia, Thomas, and [unnamed] Thompson, children of William and Ann (Morrow) Thompson, in 1831.
• Thomas Morrow (b. ~1800, m. Mary Millen 1824).
• Polly Morrow (b. ~1802, m. Matthew Morrow 1820, d. 1847 in Jefferson, AL). Received land from Thomas in McCracken Co, KY in 1833.
• Sally (b. ~1802, m. David T. Lee 1822). David received land from Thomas in McCracken Co, KY, in 1833.
• Eliza (1806-1854, m. Isaac Talkington). Isaac 100 acres from Thomas and Janet in July 1826.

The list of children varies widely in different books; most are incomplete. Common errors include (a) including Matthew as a child instead of his wife Mary (but the language in the estate settlement only mentions wives who are Thomas's children); and (b) including John m. Mary Sutton (see below).

Estate

Late in life, Thomas married Cooley Woods. On 23 Nov 1846, the widow Cooley Morrow, for $3200 + household goods and the slaves she owned before marriage, granted all her interest in her husband’s estate to John Rutherford, Isaac Talkington, Thomas Morrow, James Morrow, and David Lee--Thomas's children who were living and local. In January 1847, the estate was petitioned for her dower, with remaining slaves distributed among 1) James Glasgow's heirs 2) John Morrow's heirs 3) Moses Morrow's heirs 4) Matthew Morrow and wife 5) Thomas Morrow 6) Isaac Talkington and wife 7) James Morrow 8) David T. Lee and wife 9) John Rutherford and wife 10) Ann Thompson^[4]

Census

The census records for this family suggest a significant amount of household overlap with others, including Thomas' own children out of household, but the migration and economic station fits.

• 1790 Abbeville Co, SC: 3m u16, 2m 16+, 1f (p. 460)
• 1800 Abbeville Co, SC: 3m u10, 2m 10-15, 1m 26-44, 3f u10, 1f 26-44, 2 slaves, p. 39)
• 1810 Logan Co, KY: 1m 16-26, 1m 26-45, 1f 10-16, 1f 16-26. 1 slave. [other children may be next door with John] (p. 169)
• 1820 Logan Co, KY: 1m u10, 1m 10-16, 1 18-26, 1 45+, 1f u10, 3f 10-16, 2 18-26, 1 45+, 12 slaves (p. 38)
• 1830 Logan Co, KY: 1m 10-15, 1m 60-70, 1f 60-70, 21 slaves (p. 49)
• 1840 Logan Co, KY: 2m u5, 2m 5-10, 1m 40-50, 1m 60-70, 1f u5, 1f 10-15, 1f 15-20, 1 30-40, 1 60-70, 13 slaves (p. 218)

DNA

Thomas was long listed as part of Group 1 in the Morrow DNA project, based on results from a descendant of John m. Mary Sutton in 1805 in Kentucky. But the tie between John and Thomas was always speculative based on proximity, and required both men to be quite young at marriage. However, additional research has established a direct tie between Thomas and George H. Morrow, a line that tests in Group 5. With that in mind, the records referenced above in Abbeville County came to light, showing Thomas acting alongside the men who would be his uncles under a Group 5 theory.

Accordingly, as of March 2025, we have disconnected Thomas from Group 1 and moved him to Group 5. It remains possible that John m. Mary Sutton is his son, with the break occurring further down the line (John moved to Alabama shortly after marriage, and the records are not very good). But for the timing reasons above, along with historical references identifying another candidate (John who m. Jane Spence in 1810 and returned to Abbeville County), it seems more likely John m. Mary Sutton was unrelated.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Find A Grave
   Thomas Morrow.

   No sources, but reflects widely given dates.

2. ↑ Logan Co. Ky Bible and Cemetery Data, Vol. XV 1X, in Kentucky. Family Bible Records, Cemetery Records, Genealogies, Vital Records
   27 (Morrow Cemetery) [1].

   Morrow, Thomas 3-7-1765 ae 81.

3. ↑ 1938 letter of Francis Davis (1880-1959), the great-granddaughter of Jane Morrow Foster, Thomas's sister; found loose in the pension application for Samuel Morrow m. Janet Nelson. [2]
4. ↑ "Logan, Kentucky, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PSR-919D?view=fullText : Mar 6, 2025), image 317 of 621; Kentucky. County Court (Logan County)