Thomas Devericks Junior
Thomas Devericks Junior was born about 1771 on Shaws Fork in Augusta (future Highland) County, Virginia on the plantation of his father. He was the second son and fourth child of Thomas Devericks Senior and his wife, Sarah. Unlike his elder brother he did not marry until late in life, and never left the family farm. He was not able to sign his name on his father’s or his own Will suggesting lack of formal education.
When his father, Thomas Devericks Senior, died, he left to Thomas Junior all his remaining lands with the exception of 100 acres. Along with the land went the farming equipment, cattle, and horses to run it. He also inherited the care of his unmarried sister, Sarah. Within a few years after his father’s death, though, Thomas Junior’s life took an unexpected turn. A young woman, Jane Wilson, had come to live at his brother, John Devericks’ home. She was the niece of John’s wife, Mary Peebles, whose sister, Frances Peebles, had married Thomas Wilson. Frances Peebles had died and when Thomas Wilson remarried, Jane Wilson was forced to seek refuge with John Devericks just before 1817. Over the next 3 years a relationship developed between the young, ~20 year old, Jane Wilson and the older, Thomas Junior, now in his 40’s.
Shortly after Jane came of age, they were married by the Minister, James Watts, on October 16, 1820 in Shaws Fork, Virginia. Although reported dates vary, the most reliable sources place the birth of their eldest son, John A. Devericks, two months later on December 31, 1820. A second son, Thomas III, followed in 1823, but the aging Thomas Junior’s health began to fail.
Thomas Devericks Junior entered his will into the court records of Pendleton County on Oct. 17, 1825. He indicated that he was weak in body, but still strong in mind. He identified his wife, Jane Wilson, as executrix along with Thomas Jones and Harmon Hiner.
He bequeathed the upper part of his lands as low down as Pretty's Run to be held for his eldest son, John, and rented to the highest bidder for his support and education until he reached the age of twenty-one years. The remainder of his lands was placed under the control of his wife for the support of her and his two sons, John and Thomas III. Once, Thomas III reached the age of twenty-one years, though, two-third parts of the land was his, and one third his wife’s until she died at which time it would revert to Thomas III.
Jane was to receive their 5 slaves until the boys reached adulthood, and then she would retain Stephen, Amy and Susan during her lifetime, and these slaves and any increase in their number were to be divided between the sons on her death. His slave Anthony was to go to John, and Crawford to Thomas III. All other money, bonds and property were his wife’s to use as she saw fit.
Thomas Devericks Junior died probably in the first week of January 1826, and his will was proved in Court on the 4th of January in 1826. Later that year his widow, Jane Wilson, would deliver a daughter, Louisa, posthumously. Her paternity is uncertain, but Jane Wilson’s position of executrix and guardian was not challenged until she gave birth out of wedlock to Hudson Devericks in 1830.
