Thomas Blanton was born in Virginia in 1758 in Cumberland County about 8 miles north of Farmersville. His parents were John Blanton and Hannah Anderson. Much of this information comes from an article in the Bedford County Quarterly, Vol. 10 #3 Page 74-79 entitled Blanton Family records by Frank Blanton of Unionville, Tennessee.

Thomas was a Revolutionary War Veteran. He was a private of the VA PNSR served under General Greene and fought in the Battle of Guilford Court House, Camden, Eutaw Springs and several other battles. This information was recorded on his tombstone and was listed in Some Rutherford County Tennessee Cemetery Records by Jill K. Garrett and Iris H. McClain. He is also listed in the DAR Patriot Index

Thomas married Druscilla Anglea or Anglia about 1786 in Cumberland County or Prince Edward County. The two counties are side by side and Prince Edward was probably formed from Cumberland County. They had at least 10 children
1. Daughter born about 1788
2. Daughter born about 1790
3. Daughter born about 1792
4. Daughter born about 1795
5. Daughter born about 1798 – maybe Sallie who wed Thomas Burgess
6. Benjamin Blanton born 1802 wed Martha
7. Susan Blanton born 1804 wed John Wheeler
8. William Henry Blanton born 1805
9. Mary Blanton born 1810 wed Edward William Burgess
10. Son born about 1812

There is some indication that the family was in Caroline County before 1810. Did they move or the county lines?

The child and dates are pieced together from the 1810 Prince Edward VA census and the 1820 Rutherford TN census. No names are given just age ranges.

By 1819 Thomas and his family were in Rutherford County, Tennessee buying and selling land near Murfreesboro.

A piece in the Bedford County Quarterly vol. 10 #3, pages 74-77 entitled Blanton Family records by Frank Blanton – Unionville, TN relates how a large family group came to Tennessee in an oxcart train from "near the Carolina line" Mecklenburg County, Virginia. They arrived in Rutherford County December 1817. The group included Thomas and Druscilla Blanton, his nephew, Meredith and Nancy Blanton, John Chrisp, Nancy’s father and her two brothers William and John Chrisp, Jr. and Sally Blanton, maybe Thomas’ sister. They settled near Nelson Blanton, probably Meredith’s brother.

Thomas died at the age of 88 without a will. His son, Benjamin was appointed executor of the estate and carried out the inventory and auction. It is found in Rutherford County Wills Rb13-606 on reel #261 found near the end of the reel. Those names that were prominent in the buying of Blanton estate goods were:
Nancy Peck William Blanton
Lucy Arnold Samuel Hadden
David Carson John Wheeler
Edward Burgess Michael Golehas
Reuban Lawhorn James Tompkins
George Banks Sheryl Davis
It is highly probably that most of these named were the children of Thomas or their husbands.

Thomas was buried on the Steelman farm on Mansion pike near Murfreesboro. Some Rutherford County, TN Cemetery Records by Jill K. Garrett and Iris H. McClain record what was written on his tombstone. It said, "Thomas Blanton born 1758, died May 27, 1846. He was a soldier in the Revolution under General Greene and fought in the Battle of Guilford court House, Camden, Eutaw Springs and several others."

His wife Druscilla went to live with her daughter Susan Wheeler. She is there on the 1850 Census. She died in 1854 when she was 90 years of age. Her inventory can be found on Rb 17-245 as listed in the Index to Rutherford Ct. Wills 1804-1861.

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