Key Facts

Snapshot:	farmer
Parents:	144Melancton Thigpen 145Barbara Ricks
Born:	16 June 1815 Emanuel County, Georgia
Died:	1 April 1897 probably Laurens County, Georgia
Buried:	Thigpen cemetery, Laurens County, Georgia Coordinates: N32.45195 W82.70428

72Richard L. Thigpen* was born 16 June 18151 in Emanuel County, Georgia2,3 to his parents 144Melancton Thigpen4 and 145Barbara Ricks.5

This excerpt from 144Melancton's will proves that he was 72Richard's father. Full page.4

This 1895 newspaper article proves that 145Barbara was 72Richard's mother.5

On 17 March 1840, a newspaper published an announcement that 72Richard's 400 acres along the Ohoopee River would be auctioned off to settle a fine.6 This is the earliest record I've found of 72Richard.

1840: 72Richard's land was sold at auction to settle a fine.

The 1840, 1850, and 1860 censuses show his family grow.7-9 The 1850 census is the first record that identifies his wife 73Mary.8 Judging from their children's ages in the censuses, 72Richard and 73Mary likely married circa 1838.8 You may also be interested in the 185010 and 186011 surveys of 72Richard's farm: 1850: 1, 2. 1860: 1. (The second page of his 1860 entry is illegible, so I didn't copy it.)

1840: 72Richard's family in militia district 395 (map), Emanuel County, Georgia. Full page.7

1850: 72Richard's family in Laurens County, Georgia. Full page.8

1860: 72Richard's family still in Laurens County. Full page.9

Five of 72Richard's sons enlisted for the Civil War. His son George died of pneumonia in November 1862. Two other sons—Malenthen and 36William—also became seriously ill and went home on sick furlough late in the war.12 36William in particular was so sick that he had to live with his parents and was unable to work for several years after the war.13

In 1866 72Richard was living in militia district 52 (map), Laurens County, Georgia but also owned land in Montgomery County, Georgia. Somewhat amusingly, he also owned 30 sheep and 1 dog... and reported that dogs had killed three of his sheep in the past year.14 (You can see the record here: 1, 2.)

In 1867 the U.S. Congress passed several Reconstruction Acts. These Acts divided the former Confederacy into several military occupation zones, which were ruled by Union military commanders. The Acts also directed the commanding officers to register Southerners who wanted to vote in upcoming elections. One registration requirement was to swear an oath of loyalty to the United States; the obvious intent was to disfranchise any lingering Confederate resistance. 72Richard signed on 22 August 1867. The record shows him still in militia district 52.15

72Richard's Reconstruction-era voter registration oath15

72Richard's family's entry in the 1870 census is copied below.16 You may also be interested in his 1870 farm schedule listing: 1, 2.17

1870: 72Richard's family in militia district 344 (map), Laurens County, Georgia. Full page.16

An 1872 tax digest shows that the value of 72Richard's property ($2226) is almost double what it had been in 1866 ($1245).14,18 The 1880 census shows his family still in Laurens County,19 and you may also be interested in his 1880 farm schedule listing (or with built-in templates: 1, 2, 3, 4).20

The 1880 census shows 72Richard's family in militia district 52 (map), Laurens County.19

1880: 72Richard's family in militia district 52 (map), Laurens County, Georgia. Full page.19

In his later years 72Richard probably lived not far west of the stretch of Mercer's Creek that runs through militia district 1388, as suggested by an estate record of his, although the same record also shows he owned a tremendous amount of land (including adjacent land, and land in nearby Montgomery [later Treutlen] County) in this same general vicinity.21

In November 1895 a thief stole a mule off 72Richard's land.22

1895: A thief steals 72Richard's mule.22

At age 83, 72Richard joined the Primitive Baptist church and was baptized on Monday 13 July 1896 in Mercer Creek (the present-day line between Laurens and Treutlen counties). His apparently dramatic coming to faith and baptism were reported in a Savannah newspaper:23

On 22 January 1897 72Richard purchased hames, a back band, and a jar of snuff. On 19 March he purchased a pound of tobacco and a box of cartridges.25

1897: An invoice for 72Richard's purchases25

He must have been in ill health by early 1897, since a receipt proves that he called on a doctor twice.26

1897: 72Richard calls on a doctor twice.26

72Richard died 1 April 18971,27 and is buried in the Thigpen cemetery in Laurens County, Georgia. His grave is at coordinates N32.45195 W82.70428. Photos of his headstone and footstone are below.1

An inventory of 72Richard's estate taken on 27 April 1897 included three rocking chairs, a bookcase, a sewing machine, two clocks, six bee hives, a sugar mill, 50 hogs, around 40 cows, and around 160 sheep. You can read the full inventory here: original;28 county record copy.29 A nine-page sales record lists many of his possessions, who bought each, and the prices; purchasers include 18Willie Thigpen, 36William Thigpen, 37Serena Thigpen (née Williams), and 78Jordan Norris.30

72Richard isn't listed in the index of Laurens County's wills book C (1887-1926). The Georgia Newspaper Project has no copies of Dublin newspapers from 1897, the year 72Richard died.

Footnote:

*	His middle initial (L.) is attested only in the 1860 agriculture schedule. You can see that entry here.11

Sources Cited:

1: Tombstone of Richard Thigpen, Thigpen Cemetery, Laurens County, Georgia at coordinates N32.45195 W82.70428. Photographs taken by 1Bryant Knight, 26 April 2012.

2: Laurens County, Georgia death certificate 26592 for William Thigpen. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-567-11221-2432-69?cc=1320969>, accessed 18 December 2014.

3: Laurens County, Georgia death certificate 22126 for Malenton Thigpen. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-12345-11183-1217-24?cc=1320969>, accessed 28 January 2015.

4: Emanual County, Georgia. Court of Ordinary. Wills book B (1857-1907), pages 89-93. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-30438-23591-35?cc=1999178&wc=9SBM-RMW:267654801,267762701>, etc., accessed 28 January 2015. 72Richard is named as one of 144Melancton's sons on page 91.

5: The Savannah Morning News (Savannah, Georgia), Monday 11 November 1895, page 6, column 4, about two-thirds of the way down the page. <https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-savannah-morning-news-death-of-barba/121106785/>, accessed 20 April 2024.

6: Federal Union (Milledgeville, Georgia), 17 March 1840, page 4, column 3, just slightly above the bottom of the page. Georgia Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn86053071/1840-03-17/ed-1/seq-4/>, accessed 23 October 2021.

7: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. District 395, Emanuel County, Georgia. Page 202, family 13, Richard Thigpin household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 41. Ancestry.com, accessed 6 March 2012. The same record is also available on the Internet Archive: <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18400041unit#page/n32/mode/1up>.

8: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). District 49, Laurens County, Georgia. Page 234A, dwelling 75, family 75, Richard Thigpen household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 75. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11929-126937-47?cc=1401638>, accessed 18 December 2014.

9: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Laurens County, Georgia. Page 583, dwelling 37, family 36, Richard Thigpen household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 129. Internet Archive, <https://archive.org/stream/populationschedu129unit#page/n89/mode/1up>, accessed 18 December 2014.

10: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Laurens County, Georgia. Pages 3 and 4, entry 28, Richard Thigpen farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 3. Copied 6 April 2012 from microfilm 2654, Genealogical & Historical Room, Washington Memorial Library, Macon, Georgia. You can see the relevant entry here: 1, 2.

11: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Laurens County, Georgia. Page 1, entry 34, Richard L. Thigpen farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 5. You can see the relevant entry here.

12: Lillian Henderson, compiler, Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, 1861-1865 (Longino & Porter, Inc., Hapeville, Georgia, 1960), pages 941-942.

13: Georgia Archives RG 58-1-1, Confederate pension application for William Thigpen, Sr. of Laurens County. Image 4 ("Questions for Applicants to Answer," dated 10 May 1915). Georgia Archives Virtual Vault, <https://vault.georgiaarchives.org/digital/collection/TestApps/id/451262/rec/2>, accessed 23 October 2021.

14: Laurens County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1866, militia district 52, page 6, entry for Richard Thigpin. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1893" / Laurens County / 1866 / images 101 and 102 of 110), accessed 27 February 2013.

15: Georgia's 1867-1868 Voter Registration Oath Books. Volume 93 (Laurens County Book 2), page 19, entry 37, Richard Thigpen. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Returns of Qualified Voters and Reconstruction Oath Books, 1867-1869" / Oath Book / Laurens / 16 / image 519 of 663), accessed 23 October 2021. The corresponding microfilm at the Georgia Archives is microfilm 296/36.

16: 1870 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Militia District 344, Laurens County, Georgia. Page 366B, dwelling 916, family 916, Richard Thigpen household. NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 161. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12445-22250-48?cc=1438024>, accessed 18 December 2014.

17: 1870 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Laurens County, Georgia. Pages 17 and 18, entry 29, Richd Thigpen farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 8. Copied 6 April 2012 from microfilm 2659, Genealogical & Historical Room, Washington Memorial Library, Macon, Georgia. You can see the relevant entry here: 1, 2.

18: Laurens County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1872, militia district 52, page 6, entry for Richard Thigpin. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1893" / Laurens County / 1872 / images 88 and 89 of 113), accessed 27 February 2013.

19: 1880 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Smith's militia district 52, Laurens County, Georgia. Page 573C, dwelling 281, family 281, Richard Thigpen household. NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 155. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8G8-7GZ> accessed 3 February 2015. I used Familysearch.org, but the census image is also available on Archive.org: <https://archive.org/stream/10thcensus0155unit#page/n109/mode/1up>.

20: 1870 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Militia district 52, Laurens County, Georgia. Page 22, entry 5, Richard Thigpen farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 15. Ancestry.com, accessed 12 February 2015; see their image here. Although I used Ancestry.com, this census is also on microfilm 2666, Genealogical & Historical Room, Washington Memorial Library, Macon, Georgia.

21: Heritage Center, Laurens County Library, Dublin, Georgia. Mr. Allen Thomas' collection of original Laurens County, Georgia 19th-century documents / folders for Richard Thigpen Sr. / file #27. The library's index entry for this record reads, "Petition to sell real estate of the deceased. Extensive list of holdings and adjoining property owners. Approved. Signatures of law firm Griner & Adams and Ordinary Joe M. Fordham."

22: "Horse Thieves at Work," The Savannah Morning News (Savannah, Georgia), Saturday 23 November 1895, page 3, column 4, about four-fifths of the way down the page. Newspapers,com, <https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-savannah-morning-news-horse-stolen/121106675/>, accessed 20 April 2024.

23: The Savannah Morning News (Savannah, Georgia), Friday 17 July 1896, page 6, column 1, about two-thirds of the way down the page. Newspapers.com, <https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-savannah-morning-news/121106499/>, accessed 20 April 2024.

24: Photograph of Mercer Creek as seen from a bridge at N32.4495 W82.6941, looking south; taken by 1Bryant Knight on 26 April 2024.

25: Heritage Center, Laurens County Library, Dublin, Georgia. Mr. Allen Thomas' collection of original Laurens County, Georgia 19th-century documents / folders for Richard Thigpen Sr. / file #57. The library's index entry for this record reads, "Firm of S. F. Mosely of Lothair $5.50 bill and receipt to the Thigpen estate for hames, back band, traces, snuff, tobacco, merchandise, and box of cartridges sold Thigpen in Jan. 1897. Signed G. S. Mosley & Justice J. H., Montgomery."

26: Heritage Center, Laurens County Library, Dublin, Georgia. Mr. Allen Thomas' collection of original Laurens County, Georgia 19th-century documents / folders for Richard Thigpen Sr. / file #62. The library's index entry for this record reads, "R. V. Wilkes $2.50 bill and receipt to the Thigpen estate for going after the doctor 2 times in 1897. Signed R. V. Wilkes and Justice of Peace N. Wilkes."

27: Heritage Center, Laurens County Library, Dublin, Georgia. Mr. Allen Thomas' collection of original Laurens County, Georgia 19th-century documents / folders for Richard Thigpen Sr. / file #19. The library's index entry for this record reads, "L. B. Lightfoot, attorney for widow Mattie M. Thigpen, petition against M. and R. Thigpen concerning 12 months support: however, action dismissed in 1899 for want of prosecution. Signed L. B. Lightfoot and Joe M. Fordham."

28: Heritage Center, Laurens County Library, Dublin, Georgia. Mr. Allen Thomas' collection of original Laurens County, Georgia 19th-century documents / folders for Richard Thigpen Sr. / file #23. The library's index entry for this record reads, "Inventory and appraisement of the Thigpen estate. Items valued but whole estate not summed. Included lands, livestock, household goods, etc. Signed by T. A. smith, W. H. H. McLendon, S. P. Wilkes, D. J. Smith and Joe M. Fordham."

29: 72Richard Thigpen's estate inventory. Laurens County, Georgia. Inventories & appraisements book F (1873-1908), pages 311 and 312. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-30540-3775-19?cc=1999178&wc=9SB8-16X:267653401,267718001> et seq., accessed 3 February 2015.

30: Heritage Center, Laurens County Library, Dublin, Georgia. Mr. Allen Thomas' collection of original Laurens County, Georgia 19th-century documents / folders for Richard Thigpen Sr. / file #24. The library's index entry for this record reads, "Sale of perishables of Thigpen estate. List shows items sold, to whom, and prices paid. Items priced but not summed. Included livestock, etc. Signed by T. A. Smith, W. H. H. McLendon, S. P. Wilkes, D. J. Smith and Joe M. Fordham."