Talk:Thomas Kilgore

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DOB of Thomas Kilgore[edit]

The idea that Thomas Kilgore lived to the age of 108 is a very well entrenched bit of folklore. On its surface, its a very unlikely bit of folklore.

The likely source of the information that Thomas died at the age of 108 is probably Goodspeeds history of Davidson county, which gives his age as 105. In anycase, he does not provide a source of information for this age. While Goodspeed is a useful source, the lack of a useful reference for both the YOB and the YOD is concerning. The mid to late 1800's and on into the early 20th century local historians relied heavily on oral family history. Goodspeed is no execption.

Though Thomas' DOB is frequently given as 1715, I've found no useful source to verify or validate that date. (Ditto his age). Given that dying at the age of 105 (or 108 as some have it) is extremely exceptional, it's likely that there's a confusion of some sort in the folklore. A likely source of that confusion is that there were two Thomas Kilgore's in this time period, father and son. One married Lydia Yates, and lived (and died) in the Caswell County area from about 1750 to sometime in the 1770's. Tax records after that date show a Lyda Kilgore (antique spelling) along with a Thomas Jr. Usually when a woman appears on the tax list its because her husband (Thomas Sr.) has died.

Thomas Jr. in some records married Pheby Lea in Caswell in January of 1786. In April of 1786 Thomas Kilgore secures his land at Kilgore's Station, dying there in 1822.

Given the improbability that Thomas Kilgore of Kilgore's station lived to 108, it seems likely that the folklore arose by conflating the father's DOB and the son's DOD.

TwelveGreat (talk) 21:01, 20 February 2018 (UTC)[reply]