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."
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:"
Thomas and Isabella had 12 children:
Joseph Brannon and Margaret Elder Dye
Thomas Dye "also reared a young Africian American boy named Allen Guy - Al -", whose descendents settled in or near Zanesville.
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.]
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 Dye
Nancy Davis Dye (1)
Isabella Bone Dye (2)
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