Thomas J. WINDER

1814 - 1862  (47 years)

• Name	Thomas J. WINDER  [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Birth	30 Oct 1814	, , Ohio, USA   [5]
  Gender	Male
  Alt Birth	Abt 1816	, , Ohio, USA   [6]
  Alt Birth	Abt 1818	, , Ohio, USA   [7]
  Census	1840	Pike, Coshocton, Ohio, USA   [8]
  	Federal
  	1 male < 5 Francis Nelson 1 male 20-29 Thomas 1 female 15-19 Eliza
  Census	1847	, Wapello, Iowa, USA   [9]
  Census	1850	Pleasant, Wapello, Iowa, USA   [10]
  	Federal
  Census	1856	, Wapello, Iowa, USA   [6]
  	Iowa State
  Census	1860	Kelsey, El Dorado, California, USA   [11]
  	federal
  	Household of Nick Garbald
  _UID	781836D60C924A67A83AE91A9E13F281F4F7
  Death	1 Jan 1862	, El Dorado, California, USA   [12]
  	Thomas was last seen in El Dorado Co, CA. Legend says he died either going to or coming from (to Iowa) the goldfields.
  Person ID	I113	WinderWonderland
  Last Modified	5 Mar 2016

  
  

  Father	James WINDERS,   b. Abt 1785, , , Pennsylvania, USA d. 1840, , , Ohio, USA (Age 55 years)
  Mother	UNKNOWN   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F9574	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Eliza HARMAN,   b. 9 Mar 1821, , , Ohio, USA d. 26 Feb 1889, Bladensburg, Wapello, Iowa, USA (Age 67 years)
  Marriage	1 Apr 1838	, Coshocton, Ohio, USA   [13, 14]
  Children	1. Francis Nelson WINDER,   b. 29 Nov 1839, , Coshocton, Ohio, USA d. 16 Apr 1907, Dayton, Columbia, Washington, USA (Age 67 years)   2. Rheubin WINDER,   b. 15 Sep 1841   d. 22 Jul 1842 (Age 0 years)   3. Levi Thomas WINDER,   b. 30 Nov 1842, , Jefferson, Iowa, USA d. 27 Apr 1928, Stillwater, Churchill, Nevada, USA (Age 85 years)   4. Phebe Catherine WINDER,   b. 12 Mar 1845, , Wapello, Iowa, USA d. 1930, Arispy, Pottawatomie, Kansas, USA (Age 84 years)   5. John Henry WINDER,   b. 5 Mar 1847, , , Iowa, USA d. 7 Mar 1930, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, USA (Age 83 years)   6. Elizabeth Ellen WINDER,   b. 10 Feb 1849, , Wapello, Iowa, USA d. Apr 1922, Greenfield, Adair, Iowa, USA (Age 73 years)   7. Marcellus Dwayne WINDER,   b. 28 Dec 1850, Ottumwa, Wapello, Iowa, USA d. 19 May 1921, , , Washington, USA (Age 70 years)
  Family ID	F51	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Feb 2011

  
  

• Event Map

  Census - 1847 - , Wapello, Iowa, USA Census - Iowa State - 1856 - , Wapello, Iowa, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  In summary, this is what I think I know about Thomas: Thomas was born in Ohio sometime between 1814 and 1816. We know this almost for certain, since this is what he consistently told census takers, in Ohio, in Iowa, and in California. Thomas was apparently a Dunkard. I don't know if he was that because of his upbringing, or because he married into a Dunkard family. We know for sure that his wife's grandfather, Jacob Whitmore, was a Dunkard, as was his wife's father, George Harman. According to family legend, Thomas and Eliza spoke German in the home, and their children learned English only when they went to school. The earliest record I have found for Thomas is the 1840 Federal Census, which shows him living with his wife, Eliza, and his son Nelson, in Coshocton County, Ohio. Thomas lived on his father-in-law George Harman's land in Pike County, Coshocton County, Ohio, living near his wife's grandfather, Jacob Whitmore. The next thing we know about Thomas is that he migrated to Bladensburg, Wapello County, Iowa. He appears in the 1847 Iowa census in Bladensburg, living next door to his father-in-law George Harman and a Michael Harman of unknown relationship. Also in Iowa, in neighboring Jefferson County, are Samuel and Benjamin Whitmore. Today, Bladensburg, Iowa is a very small farm community, consisting of a church, an antique store, and a community center. A couple of miles down the road is the Bladensburg Cemetery. In Iowa, Thomas and Eliza produced six more children, for a total of seven: Nelson, Rheubin, Levi Thomas, Phebe Catherine, John Henry, Elizabeth Ellen, and Marcus Duane. Like their father, these children wandered far from their parents as they became adults. Now we see that Thomas had, indeed, a restless foot. The next record of him shows him in El Dorado County, California in 1860, at the age of 47. He is there without his family, who are still in Wapello County, Iowa. His youngest child was then 10 years old. There is no record of Thomas' death. Unfortunately, there was a fire in El Dorado County that destroyed the records in the courthouse. We do not know if he died while still in the gold fields, or on the way home. Family legend suggests he died in 1862. Thomas appeared from nowhere and disappeared into nowhere. And such is the nature of this particular brick wall. After Thomas' death, Eliza married Martin Miller. She is buried in the Bladensburg Cemetery as the wife of Martin Miller. There is no mention of Thomas or his children. Martin is buried in nearby Agency Cemetery next to his first wife. At the time of Thomas' death, his male children headed west. Nelson, now calling himself Frank (as in Francis N. Winder) and Marcellus ended up in Washington Territory, Levi settled in Nevada, and John Henry settled in Des Moines. (Research):Although we have found no paper documentation that Thomas is the son of James, the exact DNA match to another descendant of James and Lucinda and the fact that Thomas was found in the same location as Henderson in early Coshocton history, leads me to attach him to this family until disproven. According to Sharon Martini: There was/is a Dunkard community just outside of Warrensville, Eldred Twp., Lycoming Co., PA around this time, the mid 1800s. (Some of the descendants are still there). The Dunkard Church still exists and is a museum of sorts. There is a cemetery surrounding the church. There is also another cemetery about a mile due east of the church in a place known as Quaker Hill on the Northway Road extension. According to Mary Launder (Jan 1991): A cousin in Des Moines seems to have been told there were Winder relatives in Pennsylvania. Great grandfather Winder lived near Steubenville, OH. Thomas? or his father? I don't have down who said it. A sister remembers Grandma Elizabeth Ellen saying the family came from Alsace-Lorraine - that area that was shuttled back and forth between France and Germany several times. Gma E.E. told us she knew only German until she started to school. Perhaps Thomas himself was the immigrant? Have copy of a letter from Cousin Hugh to his d. which says M.D., "Uncle Doc" we called him, was born at Ottumwa, Iowa the last of 13 children. Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 19:24:17 EST From: MDavis2765@aol.com [snip] [Melanie is a descendant of Elizabeth Ellen Winder] My grandmother's family history notes don't say too much about the Winders. She showed Thomas J. Winder. I noticed you show him as Thomas P. Winder. I've seen Eliza's name spelled as both Harman and Harmon. Grandma's notes say that Thomas was born or lived in the Steubenville, Ohio area. But that is just about all I know. I think our ancestor David Garber, Elizabeth Ellen Winder's husband, was a lay minister in the United Brethren (Dunkard) church. So the Winder family may have also been in the same church. [snip] Molly From Phyllis transcribing Jefferson Co, IA Tax List 1843: IGSW bK. #2291: Thomas Winder, personal property 700, tax 2.98 Having found that Francis Nelson Winder, Thomas' eldest son, named his first son Thomas J. Winder, I am assuming that the "J" is correct. Note: in 1852, wife Eliza is head of family, living next to father George Harman. Where was Thomas? He has reappeared by 1856.

  
  

• Sources

  [S30] Iowa Genealogical Society Surname Index, (1972), Vol 2, Pg. 440 (Reliability: 0). Thomas P. Winder, b. 1814 d. 1862 m. 1838 Eliza Harman [S17] Mary Launder, Family Group Sheet for Thomas J. Winder, (Repository: Wapello County Genealogical Society) (Reliability: 0). Thomas P/J Winder, b. 30 Oct 1814, m. 1 Apr 1838, d. Jan 1859/60. [S31] Patricia Brownlee Vaughan, Pedigree Chart for Patricia Brownlee Vaughan, (21 Aug 1990 , , Repository: Copy in possession of Ann Winder) (Reliability: 0). Thomas P or J Winder, b. 30 Oct 1814 in OH, m. 1 Apr 1838, d. Jan 1859 in IA. [S32] Mary Launder, Pedigree Chart for Mary Luella Rigg, (1986 , , Repository: Wapello County Genealogical Society, Ottumwa, IA) (Reliability: 0). Thomas J. Winder, b. 30 Oct 1814, d. Jan 1859 [S764] California, El Dorado, California, El Dorado, Kelsey - 1860- U.S.Census, (www:/ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2009), M653 (Reliability: 3). [S765] Iowa, Wapello, Iowa, Wapello, Pleasant -1856- Iowa State Census, (Digital images. ancestry. \i Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925\i0 . http://www.ancestry.com : 2007), Pleasant, dwelling 42, family 42; (http://www.ancestry.com) (Reliability: 3). 1) Thomas Winder, age 40, b. OH; farmer; 2) Eliza Winder, age 35, b. OH 3) Nelson Winder, age 16, b. OH 4) Levi Winder, age 13, b. IA 5) Phebe Winder, age 12, b. IA 6) John H. Winder, age 10, b. IA 7) Elizabeth E. Winder, age 8, b. IA 8) Mesellis D Winder, age 6, b. IA [S766] Iowa, Wapello, Iowa, Wapello, District 13 -1850 - U.S. Census, (National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), M432, roll M432, District 13, p. 419B, dwelling 265, family 265 (Reliability: 3). 1) George Harman, age 52, b. PA, farmer 2) Judy Harman, age 50, b. OH 3) Martha Harman, age 17, b. OH 4) Sarah Harman, age 15, b. OH 5) Terrisa Harman, age 13, b. OH 6) Susannah Harman, age 10, b. OH 7) William A. Harman, age 7, b. OH 8) John Bachus, age 14, b. Me? 9) Michael Harman, age 64, b. PA, waggon maker 10) Eliza Winder, age 29, b. OH Eliza's husband and children are next door. [S34] 1840 Federal Census, Coshocton Co, OH, Page 343, Pike Twp (Reliability: 0). Thomas Winder. In household, 1 male 0-5 years (Nelson), 1 male 20-30 years (Thomas), 1 female 15-20 years (Eliza). Next door to Frederick Zollers (Eliza's Uncle married to Ann Whitmore), and Peter S hrake [S767] Iowa, Wapello, Iowa, Wapello -1847- Iowa State Census, (Digital images. Ancestry. http://ancestry.com : 2007), (http://ancestry.com) (Reliability: 3). Thomas Winder 3 males < 10 years (Nelson, Levi, John H.) 1 male 30-40 (Thomas) 1 female < 10 (Phebe) 1 female 20-30 (Eliza) [S766] Iowa, Wapello, Iowa, Wapello, District 13 -1850 - U.S. Census, (National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), M432, roll M432, District 13, p. 419B, dwelling 266, family 266 (Reliability: 3). 1) Thomas Winder, age 32, b. OH, farmer 2) Nelson Winder, age 11, b. OH 3) Levi Winder, age 8, b. IA 4) Phebe C , age 5, b. IA 5) John H., age 3, b. IA 6) Elizabth E., age 1, b. IA Wife Eliza is next door with her father George Harman and father's family. [S764] California, El Dorado, California, El Dorado, Kelsey - 1860- U.S.Census, (www:/ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2009), M653, roll M653_58, Kelsey, p. 1193, dwelling 4046, family 4046, Thomas Winder (Reliability: 3). 1) Nick Garbald, age 35, grocer, b, Italy 2) Jacom Garbold, age 16, b. Italy 3) «b»Thomas Winder«/b», age 46, b. OH, farmer, married [S33] Patricia Brownlee Vaughan, (Feb 1999) (Reliability: 0). Gives date as 1 Jan 1862, no place given [S401] Ohio, Choshocton County, 1811-1930 Marriages, Coshocton County, OH 1811-1930, Page 404 (Reliability: 0). Winters, Thomas, 1 Apr 1838, Eliza Harmon [S786] Marriages, Coshocton County, OH 1811-1930, Page 404 (Reliability: 0). Winters, Thomas, 1 Apr 1838, Eliza Harmon