She was called Edna.

Living Parent(s) - Details withheld

Living Individual - Details withheld

Living Individual - Details withheld

The marriage between Wilford Fields and Gladys Thomas had a shaky beginning. The Fields and the Hill families owned land and had a certain amount of money. The Hill family had more money than the Fields family but both families were land owners.

The Thomas family by contrast owned no land. They were itinerant farmers. They had never owned anything, living in shacks that were rented whoever they might be at the time. Most of the children had to go to work very young. Census records indicate that some of "Bear" Thomas' daughters were working before the age of 9.

Johnson Fields referred to the Thomas family as "Poor, white trash." The truth is that both Wilford Fields and Gladys Thomas grew up working hard. Wilford helped out on his dad's farm from a young age, Gladys Thomas had to work all her life to help out the family.

Living Parent(s) - Details withheld

Living Parent(s) - Details withheld

She was known as Mattie.

Living Individual - Details withheld

Living Parent(s) - Details withheld

Living Parent(s) - Details withheld

He was Billy's twin.

He was known as Billy.

He died at around the age of 3.

[Broderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 1, Ed. 4, Social Security Death Index: U.S., Social Security Death Index, Surnames from A through L, Date of Import: 27 Sep 1998, Internal Ref. #1.111.4.140280.76]

Individual: Lloyd, Veda Birth date: 22 Jan 1906 Death date: Jan 1987 Social Security #: 410-32-5016 Last residence: TN 38111 State of issue: TN

Living Parent(s) - Details withheld

Family lore says William Russell Thomas had a brother named Will in Georgia. It has also been said that William was an only child. Apparently both of William's parents were married more than once. This Will Thomas may have been a step brother.

One of the daughters of William Russell Thomas, Veda is said to have written several letters to a daughter of Will Thomas. This information came from Ruby [Thomas] Williams.

In the 1900 census William R. Thomas was listed as living in Alabama City (precinct 29), Etowah County, Alabama. His birth date was given as Dec., 1864. He was born in Georgia and his parents were both listed as born in Tennessee. He had 4 daughters: Margaret A. born April 1885 in Georgia, Martha L. born April 1887 in Georgia, Jennie V. born March 1889 in Georgia and Lottie born November, 1890 in Georgia. All 4 of his daughters at the ages of 16, 13, 11, and 9 were listed as Spinners in a Cotton Mill. He also had one son, Clyde O. listed as born in March 1899, barely over one year old. Apparently his first wife had died in childbirth or shortly afterward. His marriage to Sarah Holder must have occurred shortly after this census was taken.

In the 1910 census for Calhoun County, Alabama he is listed with wife Sarah F. His daughters are Mattie (23), John L. (9), Abbie E. (7), and Oliver S. (2).

Margaret, 16 in 1900 would be 26 years old and married. Jennie, 11 in 1900 and Lottie, 9 in 1900 would be ages 21 and 19 and were no longer at home. Martha, 13 in 1900 was the same as Mattie, 23 in 1910. Clyde O., 1 in 1900 possibly had died before the 1910 census.

It is said that "Grandpa Thomas" worked in a cotton mill in Siluria, Alabama for 50cents per day. He had to walk across a mountain at 2 AM with a lantern to get to work. He drank out of a dipper from a well and lived with no inside plumbing. They used a wood stove and made brooms from dogwood limbs and sage.

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!Died of Whooping Cough.

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!Buried at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery, Hwy 231 North, St. Clair, Co. Alabama.