The Upper Country of South Carolina [pp. 688-696]

THE UPPER COUNTRY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
chivalric spirits whose worth and deeds of valor have been suffered
to rest with him in the grave; yet, he aided in a great degree in
turning the fortunes of war in favor of the side he espoused.
Although he was not the leading spirit at the battle of Cowpens, his
noble and gallant conduct in that engagement alone, entitles his name
to a high place on the record of his country's history.
On one of the fairest hill-tops of Greenville District the remains
of this hero sleep with but an humble stone, without an inscription
of any kind to mark "his last resting-place."
The place upon which he settled and was interred, and known as
"Prospect Hill," is now the property of Judge John Belton O'Neall.
Col. John Thomas, Jr., built a mill on Clear creek, not far from
the residence of Wesley Gilreath, Esq., and the creek was crossed
below at a ford, which gave the place the name of Milford. The
neighborhood and post-office have ever since borne that name.
Col. John Thomas, Jr., fought at Musgroves, Cedar Springs, and
King's Mountain. He was the 2d ordinary of Greenville District,
and filled that office with credit to himself and with satisfaction to the
public.
Of the services rendered by Col. John Thomas, Sr., during the
Revolutionary war, but little can be said. He was somewhat advanced in life, and resigned his commission before there was much
active service in the upper portion of South Carolina.
In 1784 he was appointed Commissioner of Locations, for the sale
of land in Greenville, and established the office in his own house.
The first day the office was opened the crowd was so great, and
such an eagerness manifested, that the commissioner would not issue
but a few warrants until the next day following; hence the exact
date, when the land office was opened, is the 20th day of May, 1784,
notwithstanding that most of the oldest land-warrants bear date 21st
Jlay, 1784.
The first plot of land entered on the old location book was surveyed by William Benson, Esq., on the 22d day of May, 1784. The
order for the survey was made the day previous.
The plot of land contained 200 acres, situated and lying in the
fork of the Middle and South Saludas (an Indian name for corn)
and was granted to John Earle, Esq. This place is now owned by
Dr - Mays.
The last will and testament of Col. John Thomas, Sr., bears date
May, 1811, and was proven in solemn form the 2d day of November,
1815. He had three sons and five daughters.
His son, William D. Thomas, settled a place in the neighborhood
of Milford, and was buried near his relatives in a graveyard on the
plantation of Judge John Belton O'Neill.
His son, Capt. Robert Thomas, was killed at the battle of Mud
Lick, in Newberry District, and numbered among the slain as an
officer very much beloved and lamented.
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