Thomas Thompson.--Among the
noble men who have spent their time and energies in
bringing Clayton County to its present prosperous
condition, none deserve more honorable mention than he, a
brief sketch of whose life we give below. He was born in
England on March 19, 1823, and was a son of Joseph and
Elizabeth Thompson, nee Aram, natives of Yorkshire,
England. He came with his parents to the United States in
1845, and in February, 1847, entered land in Clayton
County, near Garnavillo, which he disposed of soon
afterward and bought a farm in Farmersburg Township. He
also sold that and located on section 6, Read Township,
where he died May 6, 1881. He married Sissa Gambers,
daughter of Huly and Jane (Lucas) McDonald, natives of
Virginia. Her father died in Kentucky, her mother in
Elkader, Ia. Mrs. Thompson was born in Mason County, Ky.
Their union was blessed with twelve children-- Elizabeth
Jane, born July 18, 1847, married Osander Mayhew, of
Benton County, Ia.; Charles born Aug. 22, 1850; is
married and lives in Elkader; Robert T., born Jan. 29,
1855; Ambrose S., Jan. 23, 1860; Stella M., and Maud L.,
April. 26, 1876, are living. Harriet A. Russell, born
Jan. 18, 1849, died Mar. 14, 1873; Clara E. Burnham, born
Nov. 5, 1857, died Mar. 17, 1876, and Pearl, born Mar.
23, 1875, died Apr. 25, 1878. Mrs. Thompson is a member
of the Congregational church. source: History of Clayton County, Iowa, 1882, p. 1078-1079 |