Blasingame Genealogy

Francis Elizabeth Blasingame was the wife of Emil Holst. She is the duaghter of Thomas Jefferson Blassingame. It appears that the children of Thomas Blassingame began using the spelling of their surname as "Blasingame".

THOMAS BLASSINGAME (origin untraced) is first mentioned in Goochland County Virginia, in the Index to Deeds of this county as having bought "1 lot of corcery ware2.50; 1coffee mill; 1 tea conister, 4.25; 1 cotton wheel 1.50". These records are dated between 1728 and 1739. Assuming him to be at least 20 or older, he must have been born 1708-1719 or before. Records in Caroline County, Virginia, between 1732 and 1755 show he was first married to Frances; this is from the Caroline County Order Book. T.E. Campbell in "Colonial Caroline, a History of Caroline County, Virginia" states that he served on the Grand Jury, apparently as many as eleven times, an indication he was a free holder in whom the Magistrates had confidence. From the same sources we learn that in 1736 he presented evidence in a rape case in Caroline County, Virginia the next year, 1737, he was named constable for a precinct by the Court to serve the Magistrates in residence as bailiff to enforce law and order. In 1738 he was probably a tobacco planter as he paid a debt with 386 pounds of the leaf. In 1740 he got into trouble for "misbehaving in Court" and was placed in stocks for one hour. In 1742 his temper, we can assume, got away with him and he was again punished in the pillory for disrespect for the Court, but this time he broke the stocks and ran away! He must have been a muscular chap. By 1743 something must have happened to Frances as his wife in now Katherine as they lease and release land to Augustine Muse. In 1748 Thomas Blassingame filed claim for taking up a runaway servant to the House of Burgesses in Virginia according to the Journal of the General Assembly, 1776 by Salley. Directly adjacent to Caroline County, Virginia, is located Spotsylvania county and between 1749-1750 he was there, being appointed guardian for two minors according to Spotsylvania County records. He is also there between 1754 and 1765 as he is mentioned during this period several times in the Spotsylvania County Order Book. In 1755 Thomas Blassingame is named in the tax list of Granville County, North Carolina. In 1760 he bought land on Cartledge's Creek in Anson County along the southern North Carolina border adjacent to Chesterfield county, South Carolina. He was a tax payer in Anson county, North Carolina, in 1763, but in 1766 transfers his land and describes himself as "of the Province of South Carolina". This is recorded in Anson County Deeds and Tax List. His will, dated 1767, probated in 1772 in Craven County, south Carolina, mentioning his wife as being Catherine. His name is spelled "Blassingham" and "Blasingame" in the will although he signs it with his "X". Craven County, South Carolina, was the section of this province between the Peedee River and Santee River bordering on the seacoast and reaching as far inland as the North Carolina line. this area contained a large proportion of French, including Huguenots, who occupied the banks of the Santee. The first forty-five Huguenots arrived from England early in 1680 with increasing immigration later, as many as six hundred in 1687, according to David Wallace's "South Carolina, A Short History, 1520-1948." The strongest family tradition says the Blassingame family were of Huguenot origin, but no definite evidence of this has been found, although Thomas settled in an area where many Huguenots were located. Thomas Blasingham served in the Cherokee War of 1760 under Colonel George Garbiel Powell whose men were mainly from Cheraw and Georgetown District of old Craven County, South Carolina, according to Leonardo Andrea in "South Carolina Colonial Soldiers and Patriots." Thomas Blassingame's children, according to his will, were as follows:
1. Phebe, born bvetween 1750 and 1767 judging from her mention in the will.
2. W. James, born 1747 or before judging from Thomas' reference to him in his will as he apparently was married as will refers to "grandson James Blassingham".
3. William, not mentioned in will by Wynn in "Southern Lineages" believes that "the three men enumerated--namely William, John, and James--are doubtless brothers and sons of Thomas".
4. Thomas, not mentioned in will, but from location thought to be son or brother of Thomas.
5. John,
not mentioned in will, but from location thought to be son or brother of Thomas

WILLIAM BLASSINGAME may be the father of the following children although this is only deduced from some of the following circumstances. the father of these children came from South Carolina to Kentucky between 1797, the date of birth of Benjamin in South Carolina, and 1805, the date of birth of Thomas Jefferson in Kentucky. The only Blassingames found early in Kentucky were listed in the 1799 Bracken County tax roll, namely James and William. The will of the former, James lists his children, but the will of the latter, William, has not been found. In 1810 census of Warren County, Kentucky, is listed Polly Blasingam (sic) who could be the widow of William. with her are listed seven males, two females and five slaves. In the Warren County, Kentucky, deed book No. 2, page 341, is a deed of gift dated 6 May 1807 to seven male and two female children by James McIlroy, probably their grandfather, most likely these same children of Polly and William Blassingame above. The following Children were all born before 1807:
1. John
2. Turner; married Rhoda Fisher in Warren County, Kentucky, 6 June 1815
3. Betsy
4. Robert, born South Carolina, 1796.
5. Jesse Augustus, born Carolina 1797/1800.
6. Sally R., married Stokely D Massengale.
7. Woodson
8. Thomas (Jefferson), born Kentucky in 1805.

According to Warren County, Kentucky, Marriages, Polly Blassinger (sic) married John McCormack in 1807. These records also show that on 25 November 1811 Molly Blassingame married Larkin Venable. On 11 February 1837 Molly Blassengame by deed of gift gave her daughter, Elizabeth, some slaves.

THOMAS JEFFERSON BLASSINGAME was born in Kentucky in 1805 according to the 1850 census of Chambers County, Alabama, and was a farmer. His wife was Jane Emily Musick, born in North Carolina in 1810. In 1830 he was in the census of Carroll County, Georgia, his wife being 15 to 20 years of age with two daughters under age five. His age was between 20 and 30 years. In the same county the same year is located Jonathan Musick, father of Emily and Elizabeth who married the Blassingame brothers, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin. Between 1838 and 1852 he lived in Chambers County, Alabama from deed records there. In the 1860 Census he is listed in Chambers County, Alabama , at Kendale Roads, His children:
1. Mary Jane, born in Madison County, Alabama, in 1827; married David Garrison on 2 February 1844 in Chambers County, Alabama
2. Margaret A., born Carroll County, Georgia 1830.
3. Elvira, born Alabama 1832.
4. Elmira M., born Alabama 1835; married William C. Stapp on 2 January 1857 in Chambers County, Alabama, and died there.
5. Noah T., born Alabama 1838.
6. Angelina E., born Alabama, and died there.
7. George Washington, born Gadsden, Alabama, 1844
8. Elizabeth, born Alabama 1849; called Frances in 1860 census.
9. Thomas, born Alabama in 1854. 10. Dollie, youngest child; married Jim Holt, lived in Mississippi and had two children