Isaac Thomas & Elizabeth Massengill

* Note: His birth place is still unknown according to some of the people who have done the most research on him.

A Soldier of the American Revolution, Isaac Thomas guided John Sevier's army to King's Mountain as well as serving with him in many battles against the indians. Believed to be the first permanent white settler in this area, Thomas lived with and traded among the Cherokee Indians. His home at "The forks of the Little Pigeon" served as the setting for the first Sevier County Court, Territory of the United States south of the river Ohio in 1794. Thomas suggested this settlement be named "Sevierville" in 1795 in honor of his friend and companion, General John Sevier. With his wife, Elizabeth Massengill (1759 - 1832), Thomas reared his large family upon their vast land holdings along the west prong of the Little Pigeon River near this site.

Jean Fladger Shanelec in "For His Own Personal Adventure" writes in the words of Mary Cobb Massengill:
"There was a well-known trader living down at the Indian capital Chota. He had been an interpreter when we bought our land from the Cherokee. He wore fringed buckskins and a coonskin cap. His name was Isaac Thomas. The Indians were in awe him, and we all felt safer when Isaac was around. There was a high priestess the Cherokees at Chota who had often befriended the white settlers. Her name was Nancy Ward and people called her the Pocahontas the West. Several times Isaac Thomas brought messages from her, warning us to be prepared because the British had incited the Indian braves to attack. One time he made the 150 mile trip across the wilderness in the unbelievable time three days and saved over two hundred lives."

Issac lived with the Cherokee Indians for 8 years. He along with Patrick Jack and Captain Stuart were spared durring the massacre of Fort Loudoun because of the love borne him by Chief Atta Culla Culla.

During the Revolutionary War, Colonel Sevier asked Isaac to lead his troops directly over a mountain after they discovered two spies had warned the British their plans to take the old trail. And that is how the overmountain men Tennessee completely surprised and defeated the British at King's Mountain in South Carolina on October 7, 1780.

An interesting note is that Isaac Jones (1735-1818) died 30 Oct 1818, the day after Isaac Thomas died, and is buried in the Thomas family cemetery in Sevierville TN, along with Isaac Thomas. Although their families followed different routes to Calif., Jones to KY, TN, Stockton, CA and the Thomas to TN, MO, Sonoma Co. CA, two their respective G G Grandchildren, Susan "Fanny" Gard and Benton Thomas' were married in Lake County CA in 1884.

More Information: Isaac Thomas Page at Terry Mason's web site.
Nancy Ward (Nanye'hi1 the Ghi-ga-u, daughter of Fivekiller and Tame Doe) was a Cherokee leader who knew Isaac Thomas. See information on her at Robert B. Ringo's Nancy Ward Genealogy and Women in American History
Reference to Issac in a page about Caleb Starr "The Mystery Indian Trader" by Linda Sparks Starr.
Referemce to Isaac in a page about Captain William Kennedy who was imprisoned by the indians and Isaac convinced them to release hom.

Return to the Thomas Page.