Thomas Avery Muscheon (Mustain) (The Immigrant, The Musteen) b. 1730 d. 21 November 1791

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Events

1730 birth: Henrico, Virginia

1745 child birth: Brunswick, Virginia, ♀ Mary Anne Mustain [Mustain] b. 1745 d. 1817

1750 child birth: Pittsylvania, Virginia, United States, ♀ Millicent Mustain [Mustain] b. 1750

26 February 1756 child birth: Camden Parish, Pittsylvania, Virginia, USA, ♂ # Avery Mustain [Mustain] b. 26 February 1756 d. 31 August 1833

1758 child birth: Pittsylvania, Virginia, USA, ♀ Tabitha Mustain [Mustain] b. 1758 d. 1820

21 November 1791 death: Pittsylvania, Virginia

Notes

Parentage

Many Mustain descendants have various theories with regard to possible fathers for the first known Thomas. Various books have been published in which various theories have been advanced. Some descendants of Haly Mustain (Son of Avery Mustain and Mary Burford Shelton have their possession transcripts of turn of the century (19-20th century) interviews with surviving members of the family who were intimately connected with the persons involved with the migration from VA to Ohio in the 1840s. This is where the branch in the family occurs with many of the descendants of Thomas Mustain remaining part of the Confederacy whilst others moved first to West Virginia then Ohio. These interviews clearly state that Haly spoke French and maintained that the Mustain family was of French origin.

Since details beyond this are unclear it is possible that the specific family of Haly (who relocated to Ohio) represented an influx of Jesse Mustain cousins from either Canada (Pierre & Miquelon/Quebec, with Property holdings in the Ohio River Valley), the French Islands (Martinique, St Domingo), France (Marestang), or Vrangea (Genovese Moldavia) who resided with relatives for a time in VA following the Revolution before relocating to Ohio. Haly's relationship to Thomas Avery Musteen (the Immigrant) is demonstrated by the continuation of the names Jesse, Avery, Thomas, Mahally, and Haley (but not Saludy) in the lineage of Haly Mustain of Ohio.

yDNA testing would be required to sort out the various Mustain lineage relationships prior to validating the ancestry of any or all of the various Thomas Mustains. Please see the discussion page of this individual for more information about yDNA testing.

Possible Fathers of This Thomas

It is not entirely clear who exactly Thomas' father was. There are several possibilities that I will mention below. What is clear is that there has been some confusion in the records which have resulted in a historic contract wherein this Thomas has been confused with both his father and his son. This Thomas referred in his will to his son Thomas by his middle name (his mother's maiden name) "Avery" in order to avoid confusion between the various Mustain men named Thomas who resided in the area and who were all related.

The Four Thomases

• Thomas Muscheon (Sea Captain turned colonizer with widespread land holdings in VA, MD, and Carolina, descendant of Ancient Planters..ancestors were primarily from Auvergne, Castille, Provence, and the Piedmont. They include the following names Muscheon/Moncieux, Legare/Ligon, De La Mere, Bannister, Marestang, Auson/Dausson, Boucher/Buckner, Astorg, Fougere and possibly Melancon/Melancton/Ironmonger)

• Thomas Musteen/Mustain (The meztizo [Metis]), This Thomas was a former sea captain who married twice, author of the Thomas Mustain will. He claimed land in VA that was originally deeded to his father. Mother of this Thomas was either a Jones or Legare)

• Thomas Avery Mustain (Father of daughters, commonly referred to as Thomas the Immigrant, Revolutionary Soldier, Father of Saludy I)

• Thomas Mustain (Son of Jesse Mustain and Jenny Bufort, Grandson of Thomas the Meztizo, Father of Saludy II, Revolutionary Soldier)

The Three Ludies

In addition to the confusion over the various Thomases... was the confusion over the three Saludy's (Daughters of Thomas)

• Ludy/Ludie (Sister of Thomas the Meztizo)
• Saludy I (Daughter of Thomas Avery the Immigrant, who married a Shelton (Not Claiborne))
• Saludy II (Daughter of Thomas son of Jesse, who married Claiborne Shelton, her sister in law Martha Shelton married Mr Mansfield the son of a Sea Captain.)

This family was heavily invested in legitimate (and less than legitimate) trade between French holdings in the Caribbean and East Indies and British Markets.

Common Mustain Occupations

• Sea Captains
• Miner/Smithy
• Clerk/Barrister (Esquiem)
• Farmer

Associated Shipping vessels

(Either captained by a member of the Family, or recorded a share ownership):

• Treasure of Mostyn: Thoomas Mostuun
• The Fancy: Thomas Mustain
• The Phoenix: Thomas Musteen

Associated Companies (owned, operated by, or worked at by members of this family)

• Sun/Phoenix Insurance
• Falling Creek Iron Works
• Bannister Plantation

Land Records for this Family

1. 400 acs Lunenburg Co. on both sides of Boplar Br, a Mill Cr,. adj Hugh Henry; 5 Feb 1753

Origin of the name

As a play on his paternal name Muscheon, Thomas was nicknamed "the Musteen" (meaning Quadroon) indicating either a possible mixed race ancestry, or a genetic predisposition to Methemoglobinemia (blue bloodedness), which rendered a person dark complected with a touch of blue pigmentation on the face and hands. Given his ties to the families of Legare, Moncieux, and Fougere (all of which are related families) Methemoglobinemia is the most likely reason for the nickname.

[edit] Sources

1. ↑ First Census of the United States 1790 - Virginia p.100
2. ↑ A History of Halifax County Virginia, Wirt Johnson Carrington. p24 - Name given as Thomas Masten the Magistrate
3. ↑ Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly Vol31, #4, p57 - Thomas Mustain, 400 acs Lunenburg Co. on both sides of Boplar Br, a Mill Cr,. adj Hugh Henry; 5 Feb 1753, p 42. 40 Shill.
4. ↑ Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly Vol23, #1, 9 - Thomas and sons Avery and Jesse Mustain recorded as swearing Oath of Allegiance.

From grandparents to grandchildren