Tom McCabes Genealogy 2022

Copied from Surry Co publication.

Thomas Gordon, Sr., Ancestor of Many People of this Section fought in American Revolution and was later buried near Mount Airy. A page from Surry County's past comes to light with the annoumcement of the discovery near Mount Airy of the unmarked grave of one of Surry's gallant Revolutionary Soldiers, ancestor of several thousand present-day residents of Surry and the surrounding counties. The grave is that of Thomas Gordon, Sr., who fought with George Washington's ragged army of American Patriots for three years from 1777 through 1779 in their battle to guarantee the independence of the United States and the American ideal of freedom that same ideal for which millions of American boys are fighting today. Thomas Gordon's Grave, discovered and located definitely after painstaking research by certain of his descendants, is located approimatley three miles south of Mt. Airy near the banks of Stewart's Creek. It is between a half and three-quarters of a mile up Stewarts Creek from the Mount Airy White Plains highway; and perhaps two hundred yards away from the banks of the stream, being located on a farm that is now owned by Romney C. Simmons, well known Mount Airy business man. Old family records and the recollections of older residents established the location of the tiny family cemetery where the Revolutionary hero lies, along with his wife and other members of his family, and hopes have been expressed by a number of the descendants that they may secure title to the small cemetery plot in order that they may put a suitable marker to Thomas Gordon's grave, a belated tribute to his efforts toward American independence. Contributions are already being taken to pay for the marker. The story of Thomas Gordon's life and the tragic manner of his death is hightly interesting, more especially in this section, where so many present day residents are lineal descendants. He was born near Newry, County Down, Ulster, North Ireland, about 1745 and came to America with his widowed mother when about five years of age, settling with her near the town of Gordonsville in Albemarle County Va. He married there his wife Sarah, (her last name being unknown), about 1770 and had at least one son before entering the American army during the American Revolution. His Revolutionary service was with Colonel Grayson's 16th Virginia Regiment, and much of his service was under the direct command of George Washinton himself, since Thomas Gordon and his comrades took part in gallant manner in the important battles of Brandywine on September 11, 1775, Germantown on October 4, 1777 and Monmouth on June 28, 1778. Thomas Gordon's regiment suffered heavily in each of these battles and also during the bitter winter of 1775-1778, which was spent with Washington at Valley Forge. Colonel Grayson, his first commander, was replaced after being wounded, by Colonel Nathaniel Gist, who assumed command of two combined regiments, and that may have influenced Thomas Gordon in his later settling in Surry county, for Colonel Gist was a son of Christopher Gist, one of the earliest explorers of the section that is now Surry County. Especially interesting is Thomas Gordon's experience in being captured by the British, who bound his wrists with green hickory withes. He was later rescued by American cavalry, but in the meantime the green hickory withes had dried and hardened, cutting so deeply into his wrist as to leave scars that stayed with him until his death. Thomas Gordon and his wife, Sarah Gordon, settled on the farm on Stewart's Creek about 1780 and there reared a family of six children, two others dying in childhood. They resided there until a double tragedy about 1800 ended both their lives at the same time. Both he and his wife were struck dead at the same moment by lightning. The lethal bolt struck during a storm in the twilight of a summer evening, the family story being that Thomas Gordon was resting on an old fashioned trundle-bed and that his wife was standing beside him 'spooling thread" on a spinning wheel in the 'big house", while the children were in the kitchen, the thread passing around a pair of scissors in her hand to avoid friction to her hand. Both were buried in the same grave. Thomas and Sarah Gordon were survived by five sons and one daughter, all named in his will, which was recorded for probate in Surry county records under date of May 7 1803. The surviving children were John Gordon, who married Barzilla Martin; William Gordon, who married Elizabeth Herring; Thomas Gordon, Jr., who married Sarah Creed; Samuel Gordon, who married Nancy Herring; David Gordon, who married Nancy Creed and Elizabeth Gordon, who married a Hill, thought to have been Robert Hill. Direct descendants of this Revolutionary soldier include many well known Surry families of the present day. among them are the Ashburn, Boyles, Carsons, Chandler, Creed;, Cook, Collins, Denn, Dodson, Gentry, Golden, Gordon, Hesabeck, Herring, HIll, Hunter, Jackson, Jessup, Jones, Key;, Kreeger, Lawrence, Martin, Matthews, McKinney, Moore, Moser, Owen, Shelton, Simpson, Stone, Taylor, Tuttle, Vest, West and Wood families. written by I. M. Gordon, Great, Great Grandson Pilot Mountain, N. C. August 25, 1943 transcribed by: Norma Rae Vogler Koontz ( 5th great granddaughter)

In April 1803 a bolt of lightning struck the family home of Thomas and Sarah. Both were killed but the rest of the family, in another room, were spared. A memorial has been placed on their farm where they lived.