Thomas Ashcraft was born 1740 in New Kent County, Virginia; he lived for awhile in Brunswick County, Virginia, sold land there in 1770, then migrated to North Carolina about 1770. He died December 28, 1825 in Anson County, North Carolina (now Union County).

Thomas Ashcraft, intestate the eldest son of James and Mary, did not have a will. He deeded all of his sons land at an early age, except for John. It is suspected that he helped John to purchase an over 600 acres plat of land when he first married since he didn't deed him land as he did the others.   Thomas Ashcraft died December 28, 1825. The day before he died Thomas Ashcraft of Anson Co. N.C. deeded everything that he had to his youngest son, Thomas Ashcraft, Jr. Almost immediately, Thomas, Jr. sold the land to his eldest brother, William, and immigrated to Tennessee. From that time forward, the two brothers in North Carolina, William and Benjamin were estranged from Thomas, Jr. and there is no evidence that the breach was ever healed.