Thomas Dye son of Ezekiel Dye

Thomas Dye, son of Ezekiel Dye was born in, Cranberry, Middlesex County, New Jersey in 1781 and he died on January 29, 1865 in Renrock, Noble County, Ohio.

[The picture of Thomas was taken in 1864 when he was about 83 years old. Thanks to Regina Barry for the image. Quotations from Regina paint a picture of the conditions Thomas faced.]

" Thomas Dye took flour from his father Ezekiel's mill in Pennsylvania down the river on a flatboat to New Orleans. A storm came up and the boat sank.

At the time of their (the family of Ezekiel Dye) coming to Ohio (1805) only Thomas was married. He married (1) Nancy Agnes Davis about 1805 in Pennsylvania. She was born January 19, 1777 in Ireland. Her parents are not known. Nancy died 20 Aug 1820 in Renrock, Morgan Co., Ohio, at the age of 38, and was buried in Old Renrock Cem, Renrock, Ohio.

The first mill in the neighborhood of Renrock was a horse-powered mill, owned by Thomas Dye. There were no early water-mills in this part of the township.

At one point, Thomas was trailing some Indians who had been stealing in the neighborhood, and saw the body of a white man. An Indian Thomas knew told him to leave the area or the same fate would befall him."

Thomas Dye also had to travel to Waterford to get salt for the settlement. [There are two towns named Waterford in Ohio. The closest is in Washington County. On the map to the right Renrock is the X at the top of the map (on the boundary between Morgan and Noble Counties) and Waterford is the X 13 miles south in northern Washington County. Confirmation of this site as the source of the community salt and the general geology of the region is currently being investigated.]

As the oldest of Ezekial Dey's sons to settle in Ohio, much of the responsibility for the earliest settlers needs would have fallen to him."

Thomas lived on what later became known as the John L. Reed farm located south of the church and the newer cemetery. He furnished a plot of land for the Renrock church.

Thomas and Nancy had four children:"

1. Ezekiel Dye - born 6 Oct 1806 in West Newton, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. He married Elizabeth (Betsy) Dye 7 Apr 1827 in Washington County, Ohio. She was born 1807 in Ohio. She was the daughter of Samuel Dye and Susan Hoff. Elizabeth died 2 Feb 1882 in Lawrence, Washington Co., Ohio, at the age of 75, and was buried in Moss Run Cem, Lawrence, Ohio. [Thus, an "inter marriage between the children of the brothers John Dye Sr. and Ezekile Dye Sr. ] Ezekial died 10 May 1867 in Lawrence, Washington Co., Ohio, at the age of 60, and was buried in Moss Run Cemetery, Lawrence, Ohio.]

2. John Dye was born on September 20, 1808 in West Newton, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, died in infancy September 30 1808 in West Newton, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania.

3. Benjamin Davis (mother's maiden name) Dye born on November 20, 1810 in Renrock, Morgan Co., Ohio. Benjamin Dye was the first white child born in Brookfield Township. He married Maria Miranda Ross on January 10, 1833 in Ohio. She was born on June 18, 1814 in Ballymena, Ireland. Her parents are not known. Maria died 5 Mar 1892 in Brookfield, Noble Co., Ohio, at the age of 77. "Uncle Benny" was known as a stern man who did not get along with others. He was accused of being an unbeliever. Some of his sons became shop keepers on McConnelsville. Benjamin died on September 14, 1893 in Renrock, Noble Co., Ohio, at the age of 82.

4. Achsah (Axy) Dye, born on June 10, 1814 in Renrock, Morgan Co., Ohio. She married Luther Stansbury on April 18, 1839 in Morgan County, Ohio. He was born 1804 in Maryland. His parents are not known. They had 14 children.
   1. Nancy Stansbury married George Dickinson and they had 8 children
      1. Ella Dickinson married Silas Thorla the writer of the newspaper articles featured in Glimpses of Old Renrock. In my mind, Silas, a Dye by marriage, is a Dye by spirit!

   Thomas married (2) Isabella Bone on March 22, 1821 in Renrock, Morgan County, Ohio. She was born on August 9, 1801 in Pennsylvania. Her parents are not known. Isabella died on March 11, 1852 in Renrock, Noble Co., Ohio, at the age of 50, and was buried in Old Renrock Cem, Renrock, Ohio.

   Thomas and Isabella had 12 children:

5. Nancy Underwood Dye married Alexander Combs
6. Samuel W. Dye married (unknown) Buskirk
7. Anthony P. Dye (died in infancy)
8. William S. Dye
9. George Washington Dye married Lydia Bardin and they had 8 children (he died in Kansas)

10. Morgan Jones Dye (served in the Civil War, 62nd Ohio, and died in Missouri....Morgan Dye told the story of having dinner with some of the last remaining Indians in Missouri; eating a stew. One of his hosts advised him to 'be sure and dig deep' in the stew pot - 'there's puppy in the bottom'. (Dogs were used as food as well as companions...) He married Martha Jamison and they had 4 children.

11. Joseph Brannon Dye married Margaret Elder and they had a son Elmer N. Dye
    

    Joseph Brannon and Margaret Elder Dye

12. Elizabeth Ann Dye married Andrew Howell
13. Wesley Dye married Nancy McCarty
14. Mary Jane Dye married Charles Parcell.
15. Annie Dye married Paul Hubbard
16. Thomas W. Dye

    Thomas Dye "also reared a young Africian American boy named Allen Guy - Al -", whose descendents settled in or near Zanesville.

Thomas Dye

Nancy Davis Dye (1)

Isabella Bone Dye (2)

You can review the Will of Thomas Dye

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