In spite of what the title might indicate, I'm not going to discuss the long life of any one Thomas Pearson. Instead, I thought it might be interesting to look at the longevity of the name, not the specific person. Starting with Thomas Pearson, born in England some time in the late 1600s/early 1700s, the name Thomas Pearson appeared in eight successive generations.
I have not been able to track back any farther than 7th great grandfather Thomas (we shall call him Thomas #1), so there may be (and I suspect there were) Thomas Pearsons who came before him. This particular Thomas married Esther Jackson. I do not yet have an entire roster of their children, but in Yorkshire, England, in 1722, they had a son whom they named Thomas Pearson (Thomas #2).
According to a Sons of the American Revolution membership application, Thomas #2 married Effie Hutchinson in 1752. The Pearson family was still residing in England, so Thomas #3 was born in 1755 in Yorkshire, England, like his father Thomas (#2) before him.
Thomas #3 moved to the United States in 1774. In 1782, he married Elizabeth Palmer in Virginia. They resided in Virginia for the rest of their lives. On March 21st, 1783, in Franklin County, Virginia, they welcomed Thomas Pearson #4 into the world.
In 1806, Thomas #4 married Elizabeth Hickman in Bedford County, Virginia. They went on to have at least 10 sons and daughters between 1807 and 1829. Their eldest son, born in 1807, was named Peyton, but a Thomas inevitably came along. Thomas Pearson #5 was born February 20th, 1819, in Franklin County, Virginia. Unfortunately, this is where the direct line of Thomas Pearsons ends. Thomas #5 died when he was 8 years old, in July 1827.
Older brother, Peyton, named his first son Thomas. Peyton's brother, Joseph (my direct ancestor), also named one of his sons Thomas, as did the youngest brother, Benjamin (Cuzzin Heather's direct ancestor). So, a Thomas #6 was born in 1831 (Peyton's son), 1849 (Benjamin's son), and 1862 (Joseph's son) respectively.
It does not appear that Peyton's Thomas #6 passed on the family moniker. Joseph's Thomas #6 married, but we have only ever been able to confirm that he had a single daughter. Benjamin's son, though, married Nancy Cecil in 1877, and their Thomas #7 was born September 7th, 1890, in Virginia.
Thomas #7 married Eulalia Merchant some time before 1920. On August 10th, 1920, Eulalia gave birth to twins in Roswell, New Mexico: Claiborne John Pearson and Thomas Pearson #8. Thomas #8 married Ruth Yadon in 1945. Since their children are still living (according to various trees on Ancestry), I am unable to confirm if Thomas Pearson #9 exists. Whether or not the name was passed to a 9th generation, it is an impressive longevity. I fully expect there were Thomases before Thomas #1. I just have yet to find them.
#1: Thomas Pearson (~1700 - ?)
#2: Thomas Pearson (1722 - ?)
#3: Thomas Pearson (1753 - 1835)
#4: Thomas Pearson (1783-1870)
#5: Thomas Pearson (1819 - 1827)
#6: Thomas Pearson (1831 - 1909), Thomas Pearson (1849 - 1917), and Thomas Pearson (1862 - ?)
#7: Thomas Pearson (1890 - 1967)
#8: Thomas Pearson (1920 - 1996)
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