Harshbarger line: Thomas Wyatt of Virginia, died 1772

Thomas Wyatt leads us on a merry chase, although it's entirely possible that he never moved from his original location, or from where he first chose to live as an adult.  The records I've found are almost nil, and I'm afraid that much of what is "out there" is speculation and not proven.  There's a reason for that.

Thomas is believed to have been born sometime between 1695 and 1710.  His birth location is variously given as Westmoreland, Stafford, Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudoun County.  This is due to one county being formed from another, pretty much in the order I've given them here.  My best guess, lacking land records at the present time, is that he was born, or lived pretty much on the county line between Fairfax and Loudoun County.  This is the general area of what is now Washington, D.C, although he was born many years before that location was developed.

 Thomas's parents are often given as John Wyatt and Anna Keen Jones, but don't go filling in your family tree just yet.  I have no idea where those names came from, and I can't find death dates for either so I don't know if that's even plausible.  At this point, those names should be followed up, but the problem is that the church records for the early parishes have all vanished.  I have seen Thomas's birth location given specifically as Cameron Parish, Loudoun County.  However, Cameron Parish wasn't founded until about 25 years after Thomas was born, so I'm doubtful that this is correct.  Before Cameron Parish, there was Truro Parish, and before that, Hamilton Parish, and before that, Overwharton Parish.  

We can surmise that the Wyatt's attended whatever local church there was, or at least, they supported it with their tax dollars.  Churches in Virginia during the colonial period were almost exclusively Church of England, and residents were required by law to pay tithes or tax to the church.  We can't rule out the possibility that they were Presbyterians but we don't have records to check.  

Thomas married Susannah "Sukey" Edmondson, daughter of John and Mary Boughan Edmondson, before 1739, probably in Stafford County because Fairfax and Loudoun counties were not yet created.  The probability is that he was a tobacco farmer, but I've not found tax or property records to support that.  It's just what the people of that area in that time period did; tobacco was used as money in the local economy.  The couple is believed to have had at least ten children, but it is probable that there is a second wife, as his widow is called Margaret.  Some have identifie3d Margaret as Margaret Hanks, and their proposed marriage date is about 1752. 

In fact, Thomas's will, which was produced in the November Court of 1772, lists wife Margaret, Sons John and Edward Wyatt, daughters Mary Lynn, Elizabeth Hanks, and Sarah Cooper.  Then almost in a separate category are "young children" Thomas, Ruth, Abner, Margaret and Reuben.  These last five seem to be children he had with Margaret.  I have not seen the actual will, only an abstract, and although we know an inventory was taken I have not been able to locate it, either.  

Given where we think Thomas was living, it is more than possible that he knew, or had at least seen, a young George Washington.  Perhaps he was part of the group who watched him march off with General Braddock to the Battle of the Monongahela near Pittsburgh, in 1755, or the smaller expedition of 1754.  Thomas was likely too old to have been part of these battles, and his sons were too young, but the stories would have become part of their lives.  

Although we don't know much about Thomas, we do know that he was one of the relatively few non-German/Swiss ancestors in the Harshbarger line.  It's important to remember him, if only for that reason. 

The line of descent is:

Thomas Wyatt-Susannah Edmondson

John Wyatt-Alice Gordon

Jean Wyatt-William Farmer

Margaret Farmer-Solomon Bennett

Mary Bennett-John Harter

Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger

Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers

Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks

Their descendants