Posted By:	Wanda Wilson
	Email:
	Subject:	Re: Caroline Phillips/William Riley Thomas
	Post Date:	November 06, 2001 at 19:37:30
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/nc/yancey/messages/337.html
	Forum:	Yancey County, NC Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/nc/yancey/

In Heritage of Toe River Valley Book 2 articles listed in "Connections to Swain County" William Riley Thomas Family A native of Shell Creek, Tenn. he had resided near Cranberry in Yancey (present Avery) prior to the move to Swain in 1896. Born 7/15/1863 he was the son of "Straub" (Strawbridge?) and Sallie Phillips Thomas. She was the dau. of John Phillips, who sometimes lived in Tenn. and sometimes in W.N.C. Riley m. his 1st cousin, Mary Caroline Phillips b. 3/24/1861, dau. of Bennett and Catherine Bowman Phillips, in 1882. (She already had a son, William Hayes, whom Riley adopted.) They then had 10 children (named) *I'm assuming the children are named in the Heritage of Swain County Book* The move from Yancey to Swain was precipitated by an encounter between Hayes and a law officer. Riley divorced Caroline and m. (2nd) Minnie Emma Baker on 3/12/1916. He died 9/20/1935 and she on 3/16/1957. Ashley S. Johnson Thomas & Birdie Birchfield Thomas. Ashley (son of Riley and Caroline Phillips Thomas) was born in Yancey Co. on 4/16/1895. The family moved to Almond Community in Swain County when Ashley was about 1 year old. He md. Julia Birdie Caroline Birchfield (Burchfield; dau. of William A. and Nancy Jenkins Birchfield and the granddaughter of Ezekiel and Polly Hill Birchfield) Also short article on Ezekiel Birchfield. Wanda