William Henry Franklin Thomas
1844 - unknown
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William Henry Franklin Thomas was born into slavery in Georgia. The Census of 1900 indicates that, like several other former slaves in Oxford, Thomas owned his own farm, however it was mortgaged. He married Annie Bates in 1876 when she was only 12 years old. The Census of 1900 lists his wife’s occupation as laundress. Her race was listed as black, but then later it was erased and changed to white. It also indicates that they had four children, all listed as black and born in Georgia; all were living at home at the time: William Wells Thomas (b. 1879), Robert (b. 1880 - which means that his was a premature birth, coming only six months after William), Henry (b. 1882), and Julia (b. 1884).
The 1900 Census also shows that Thomas’s unmarried nephew, John Bass (b. 1872) lived on the farm and worked the farm with his uncle. Bass was the former slave of a prominent white politician and slave owner, also called John Bass. Sometime before the Census of 1910, a granddaughter of William and Annie, came to live in the Thomas household. The Census of 1910 reports that she was a two-year-old mulatto girl named Julia whose parents were both in Georgia, however she was listed as born in Arkansas.
Supporting documents indicate that the Aright Family was truly exceptional in that every member of the family from 1844 to the turn of the century could read and write.
William and Annie’s great-granddaughter, Callie Larain (“Pat”) Brown Smith became a graduate of Oxford College in 1969.
The 1900 Census also shows that Thomas’s unmarried nephew, John Bass (b. 1872) lived on the farm and worked the farm with his uncle. Bass was the former slave of a prominent white politician and slave owner, also called John Bass. Sometime before the Census of 1910, a granddaughter of William and Annie, came to live in the Thomas household. The Census of 1910 reports that she was a two-year-old mulatto girl named Julia whose parents were both in Georgia, however she was listed as born in Arkansas.
Supporting documents indicate that the Aright Family was truly exceptional in that every member of the family from 1844 to the turn of the century could read and write.
William and Annie’s great-granddaughter, Callie Larain (“Pat”) Brown Smith became a graduate of Oxford College in 1969.