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- Also spelled Tems, Thomes, Toms, etc.
First in Virginia in 1649 where he was an indentured servant to one Francis Grey in Martin's Brandon, Charles City County. Removed to Ware Neck, Surry County, Virginia around 1658; there he served in a militia force that brought the Weyanoke Indians to the English settlements for protection against the Nansemond Indians, who had killed the Weyanoke king. He also served with the detachment that returned the Weyanokes to their town when danger had passed. He then removed to Albemarle, where in 1672 he was a justice of the peace. In February 1684 he was a justice of the county court. By November 1684, probably earlier, he was a member of the Council.
"Tomes was one of the earliest and most influential Quakers in Albemarle. He and his wife, Priscilla, were converted in 1672 by William Edmundson, who made his first visit to the colony that year. Tomes and his wife were so moved by Edmundson's first sermon in Albemarle that they invited him to hold his next service in their home, which he did. For many years the Perquimans Monthly Meeting was held regularly in Tomes's home, which frequently was also the site of quarterly and yearly meetings. When Edmundson again visited Albemarle in 1676, he was entertained in Tomes's home, where he again preached. Other missionaries, including George Fox and Thomas Story, also were entertained and preached there. In 1706 Tomes donated to the Perquimans meeting an acre of land on which by that time a meetinghouse had been built. In 1707 Tomes, like many other Quakers, suffered distraint of property, apparently for refusing to pay the recently imposed tithe to support the Anglican church. No doubt his religion was the primary factor in ending Tomes's public career, which came to a close when discriminatory restrictions on Quakers and other dissenters replaced the religious toleration earlier characterizing the colony." [Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, citation details below]
"In 1709 the only business before the yearly meeting (North Carolina) was the settlement of a difficulty between Francis Tomes and his son-in-law, Gabriel Newby. Francis Tomes accused 'Gabriel as being wholly dead to his ministry to him, and he received no benefit by his ministry, and says he sways the whole meating how he pleases, whether it be right or wrong.' On the contrary 'Further ye said Francis Tomes, contrary to good order used amongst us, set with his hat on when Gabriel was at prayer and when he was preaching turned his back to him as a dislike to hie testimony.' The meeting secured from each a promise to 'live in peace and love and pass by all offenses that are past, and not to tear up anything that is past whereby controversey may arise.'" [Ruth Kline Ladd, citation details below]
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Nielsen Hayden genealogy
Abt 1633 - 1712 (~ 79 years)