Biography of M J Thomas, Sebastian Co, AR

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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Mrs. M. J. (Byrd) Thomas, an enterprising and successful lady farmer of
Sebastian County, Ark., was born in  Hardin County, Tenn., October 17, 1840,
and is one of ten children, seven living, born to the marriage of  Thomas Byrd
and Maria Smith, and is a granddaughter of William Byrd, who was born in the
“Palmetto State,”  and who removed with his family to Tennessee at an early
day. His wife's maiden name was Lovey Cherry.  John Smith, the maternal
grandfather, was a farmer, a soldier in the War of 1812, and died in Tennessee
in  1854. His father was a Revolutionary soldier. Mrs. Thomas' parents were
born in South Carolina in 1812, and  Tennessee in 1814, and died in the latter
State in 1884 and 1864, respectively. The names of their children who are
living are as follows: William R., Emeline (Bryson), Susan (Counts), Calvin C.,
Thomas J., Elizabeth and  M. J. (Thomas). The last named was reared in
Tennessee, and was there married in 1856 to James Thomas, a  native of the
State, born in 1837, and a son of James and Adaline (Young) Thomas, who were
early immigrants  to Tennessee. James, the son, was a farmer by occupation, and
in 1863 enlisted in the Confederate States army,  and served until the close of
the war, when he returned home and resumed the peaceful pursuit of farming. In
1875 he came to Sebastian County, Ark., where his death occurred in 1881. He
was a Mason, a Democrat, and  cast his first presidential vote for John C.
Breckinridge. He and wife became the parents of seven children:  Newton S.,
Walter E., Mattie M., James A., Maude, Claude and Nellie.