History of Trigg County, Historical and Biographical, ed. W.H. Perrin,
F.A. Battey Pub. Co., Chicago, 1884. p. 291-20.  [Canton Precinct]

PEYTON THOMAS was born in this precinct April 6, 1820, and is a son of
Cullen and Elizabeth (Feutrell) Thomas.  The father was born in Bertie
County, N. C., in 1790, and came to this county with his father, James
Thomas, in 1805. The grandfather settled on the farm now occupied by Peyton
Thomas, where he died in September, 1832.  The father grew to manhood here,
and settled on a farm to the south of his father.  He first inherited
seventy-five acres, and by his own exertions finally increased to 1,000
acres, he was Magistrate of the county for a number of years under the old
Constitution, and held the office of Sheriff for two more years by
seniority.  His death occurred June 8, 1862, the mother's in 1844.  Subject
was the second of six children, and is the only one now living; he worked
on the home farm until twenty-one, and then came to his present farm; he
now owns about 400 acres, of which 100 acres are in cultivation.  At the
age of eighteen he began blacksmithing, and worked at the trade himself
for a number of years.  Afterward hired hands and the business carried on.
In 1855 he sold goods for one year, and in 1858 he commenced merchandising
again, engaging in it until 1862.  In April, 1883, he opened his present
store, and now carries a stock of about $1,500.  In 1865 he began to keep
the county poor, and with the exception of seven years he had charge of
them up until December, 1883.  Mr. Thomas was married December 2, 1841, to
Miss Sallie Ethridge, a daughter of David T. Ethridge, of Davidson County,
Tenn.  Mrs. Thomas was born in the same county, and is the mother of ten
children.  Of this number nine are now living--four sons and five
daughters.  Subject and family are members of the Baptist Church, and he
has held the office of Church Clerk for many years; he was Magistrate of
the county for twelve years.  From 1858 to 1860 he was Postmaster at
Donelson Postoffice; he is a member of Canton Loge, No. 242, A. F. & A. M.
Peyton Thomas had one married sister, who gave birth to two children and
then died of consumption; his mother died in 1844, and about a year later
his father married Drusilla Carter, who bore him two children, who died
within four years.  James Thomas, brother of our subject, served through
the Mexican war.  He was subsequently elected Major of the Kentucky State
Militia, and then ranked as Colonel of Trigg County.  He once ran for the
Legislature on the Whig ticket, but was defeated through the machinations
of the Sons of Temperance.  An incident rather unusual occurred in the
deaths of James Thomas (brother of subject) and his father, Cullen Thomas,
which occurred respectively at ten minutes past 12 o'clock P.M., June 8,
1881, and June 8, 1882.

Thomas Feutrell Ethridge Carter
=
Bertie-NC Davidson-TN

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/trigg/thomas.p.txt