Bohannon-Thiel Genealogy

At age 38, Thomas Gaines enlisted in the Continental Army as a private for three years on August 30, 1776. He was paid 6-2/3 dollars per month.
In a May, 1777, Muster Roll, he was a private in Captain Gabriel Long's Company, 11th Virginia Regiment.
A Muster Roll dated February, 1778, shows him at Valley Forge, still part of the 11th Virginia, but now detached to Lieutenant Philip Slaughter and Captain Charles Porterfield.
Promoted to corporal by March, 1778, with a pay raise to 7-1/3 dollars.
According to pay rolls, he, along with his company, were transfered to the 7th Virginia Regiment in January 1779.
Discharged from Captain Slaughter's Company, Colonel Daniel Morgan's 7th Virginia Regiment, on August 30, 1779, at the camp at [Smith's] Clove, New York.

The 11th Virginia Regiment was authorized on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army and assigned on 27 December 1776 to the Southern Department. It was organized on 3 February 1777 at Williamsburg, Virginia from Daniel Morgan's Independent Rifle Company, four companies of volunteers from Loudoun, Frederick, Prince William and Amelia counties of the commonwealth of Virginia and five companies from the colony's portion in the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiments (this element was re-organized to four companies). On 15 April 1777 Captain George Rice's company (organized on 18 January 1777 in the Virginia State Troops with volunteers from Frederick and Augusta counties in the colony of Virginia) was transferred to the regiment. On 11 May 1777 the regiment was assigned to the 3rd Virginia Brigade in the main Continental Army and was re-organized to eight companies on 1 November 1777. The regiment was re-assigned to the 2nd Virginia Brigade on 22 July 1778. The regiment was re-organized to nine companies and redesignated as the 7th Virginia Regiment in the 2nd Virginia Brigade. The regiment saw action in the New York Campaign, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth.

Thomas was given a grant of 100 acres of land for the three years service as a private in the Continental Line of February 19, 1784 . In the margin a note reads "Original voucher says Corporal Continental Line for three years. The warrant for ----- 200 acres as a corporal."

Thomas Gaines immigrated to North Carolina from Virginia where he and his wife appear in the records of Wilkes, Surry and Stokes Counties for the period 1779 to 1811.

Stokes Co, NC Wills:

Will of Thomas Gaines

In the name of God amen I Thomas Gaines of Stokes County and State of North Carolina being in a low state of health but of sound mind and memory do this day being the Eighth day of January and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Eleven do now[?] ordain and constitute this to be my last will and testament in form and substance as follows to wit
And first I recommend my soul unto God who gave it through Jesus Christ amen, and secondly I do leave my worldy estate in the following manner Viz. I give to my beloved wife Susannah Gaines in case she survives me the whole of my estate both real and personal during her natural life or so much thereof as she shall choose for her support if she shall make choice of the former mode my desire is that my executors immediately after her death proceed to appoint three fit men in order to allott of my estate as I shall hereafter describe otherwise if she shall make Choice of the latter mode that is only a part of my estate my desire is that my executors proceed without delay so soon as such Choice shall be made to make the necessary arrangements agreeable to the mode already ________[?] and for dividing the ballance of my estate in the following manner and first my will and desire is that my son Phillip Gaines has no part of my estate for the following reasons, I wish it understood that I have as much real love and affection for him as any of the rest of my children but having at his first setting out done more for him than the others and as he has since told me that he was satisfied without having any more I have thought myself justifiable in leaving him no part of my estate either real or personal as it has been along time since I have seen my son Richard Gaines and as I know not whether he is dead or alive my will and desire is that he shall have no part of my Estate either real or personal but I give and bequeath to his Daughter Louisa Gaines one horse bridle and saddle worth eighty dollars and two hundred Dollars in money the balance of my estate I desire to be equally divided between my following Children to wit James S. Gaines Elizabeth Bohannon William D. Gaines Henry P. Gaines Fanny Cardwell Susannah Smith George W. Gaines and Francis T. Gaines Except two hundred + fifty Dollars which I wish to be deducted out of Elizabeth Bohannons part on account of a bargain which I gave Philemon Bohannon in a tract of land I sold him on Reedy Creek and except one hundred dollars to be deducted out of Susanna Smiths legacy and further my will and desire is that such of my Children as have been last mentioned which have not been fixed off[?] with a bed + some other necessaries for housekeeping shall be made up equal with the rest whenever my estate be laid off into lotts _[?] which my executors to choose some person to draw in behalf of the legatees My desire is that John Martin + Johnson Clemment be my executors to this my last will + testament to see the same executed according to its true intents + meaning.
[Signed] Thomas Gaines [Seal]
Witness
James Lyon Jur.
Wm Boyles Jur.
Stokes County Court March Term 1811
The executors of the last will + Testament of Thomas Gaines decd of which the foregoing is a true Copy was duly proven in open Court by James Lyon + Wm Boyles and ordered to be recorded is[?] done accordingly.
Robt. Williams C.C.

Marriage record source: Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004.