History of William Thompson and wives and children

History of William Thompson and wives and children

EXCERPTS FROM "VIRGINIA CONNECTIONS"

(Notes from her book sent to me by Judy B. Anderson)

1. William Thompson. B. 1722, County Down, Ireland. D. July 9, 1797 at 76 years of age. Married twice, first to Jane Buchanan, born about 1732 in County Down, Ireland; died in Bath County, Virginia. Married second, Lydia Graham, born about 1743; died Oct. 12, 1830 at 87 years of age.

There were twelve known children from the two marriages. The Thompson Family Record, kept by George Peery Thompson and Elizabeth Virginia Ward, indicated that all but two, John and Archibald, were from the second marriage. Records submitted to the Family History Library in Salt Lake by Letitia Peery of California show there were three children from the first marriage: John, Archibald and Jane.

George B. Gose, in his book Pioneers of the Virginia Bluegrass, says there were six or seven children from the first marriage. However, he only gives the names of five; the rest are listed as children of the second marriage. Information from the files of Mr. John A. Blakemore shows five children from the first marriage. Since birthdates for all the children are not known at the present time, any one of these claims could be possible, but those dates which are known would seem to confirm that there were three children from the first marriage: 1) John; 2) Archibald; and 3) Jane. The remainder of the children would have been from the second marriage: 4) Nancy, 5) Andrew, 6) James, 7) Rachel, 8) Annis, 9) Lydia, 10) William, 11) Alexander and 12) Mary (Polly).

There has been some confusion concerning the names of William Thompson's wives, but a letter sent by James Haston Thompson, a brother to George Peery Thompson, dated March 12, 1886, and giving birth and death dates of family members, definitely states that a Buchanan was the first wife of William Thompson, and that Lydia Graham was the second wife. Adding to, and supporting this information, was a microfilm of the Endowment House Records found in the Family History Library, Salt lake City, Utah.

Within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it is believed that a family can become an eternal unit through the performance of religious ordinances done by the living for the dead. Those who are not familiar with the tenants of this faith sometimes become upset over these ordinances, thinking a religion is being foisted on their loved ones that they neither knew nor would be likely to embrace. But, just as man has the free agency to choose right and wrong here on this earth, it is believed that those who have passed on before have the right to accept or reject the work done in their behalf.

Because of this belief in the eternal family unit, Temples have been constructed in which this work in accomplished. It took 40 years to complete the Salt Lake Temple, and during this time these ordinances were done in a building known as the Endowment House.

There were several early Virginia relatives who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Among them were William Elliott Higginbotham and his wife, Louisa Ward, daughter of William Ward and Nancy Thompson, an Aunt to George Peery Thompson. Nancy Thompson Ward was a daughter of William Thompson and his second wife, Lydia Graham.

Louisa and her husband lived in Nauvoo, Illinois for several years until persecutions drove the settlers from their homes. In the meantime, Louisa's parents died and they decided to return to Burke's Garden to claim their share of her parent's estate. They hoped for enough capital to join the rest of the Mormons in their trek west. After arriving home Louisa found there was nothing left of her parents estate, so they resettled in Virginia, where they remained until the death of William from typhoid. Louisa and the children determined to continue with plans and came west, settling in Weber County, Utah.

In 1871 Louisa and her son, Simon, did the sealing work in the Endowment House for their deceased ancestors, with Louisa acting as proxy for the females and Simon for the males. I checked microfilm # 1149520, page 56, showing the original entries for work done in the Endowment House on June 21, 1871. While dates are only given for the immediate parent, relationships for all individuals are shown. Louisa states she is a granddaughter of entry #2670, Lydia Graham Thompson, and a step granddaughter of entry #2669, Jane Buchanan Thompson. The relationship is close enough that Louisa should have been well aware of who her grandparents were.

Among their children was:

2 Archibald Thompson (Major) (1 Wm.). B. July 10, 1764 in what is now Bath County, Virginia. D. Aug. 4, 1846. Md. Rebecca Peery, daughter of Capt. George Peery and Martha Davidson. She was born July 2, 1778, Abbs Valley, Tazewell County, Virginia; died Nov. 12, 1836. [Deaths noted in the Bible of Archibald Thompson -- see Appendix I] Biographical material: [James Oscar Corell history of the family sent to me by Mrs. W.W. Billington.] and [History of Pottawattamie County Iowa, Chicago: O.P. Baskin & Co., 1883, pg. 206.]

Thompson Valley was named after Archibald's father, William, whose second family, along with the first, accompanied him to this new area. Archibald went to the upper end of the valley and bought up a large boundary of land which he and a negro boy worked and lived on for a number of years. He had four to five thousand acres, along with two farms in Burke's Garden. During these early years, the Indians, as well as bears, were plentiful.

Major Archie was a member of the Provincial militia. A loosened tie on one of his moccasins undoubtedly saved his life while on a hunting expedition during his younger years. The party he was with continued on as he stopped to tighten the string. The men ahead of him were ambushed by Indians who killed three of the men and took the remaining five prisoner. Had Archibald been with them, he too would have been killed or captured.

It would appear that Archibald was also involved in protecting the settlers of the area at a tender age, for as early as 1776, when he was only 12 years of age, he is listed as being at the Blue Stone Creek Station under Capt. Robert Crockett [Summers, pg. 1481]. Thereafter, he was at various forts or stations.

The men at these stations were to hold themselves in readiness as circumstances might direct. To improve the efficiency of the stations, spies were employed to watch the trails leading to the settlements of Ohio and to report any sign of Indian activity so that the settlers could be warned and evacuate to the stations for protection.

In 1777 Archibald was in Capt. McCorkle's Company and is listed by Stephen Trigg as among those who took the oath of allegiance. By March 31, 1781, he is noted as a Sergeant in Daniel Trigg's Company.

By 1789 he had acquired 200 acres of land on the Maiden Spring Fork in what was then Montgomery County, where he was listed on the Tax list in 1791 and 1792. By 1793 he is on tax list B for Wythe County. If this is our Archibald, he would have been 27 years of age at the time, and it would appear that he had extensive holdings in Wythe County, located in the area of Little River, Meadow and Mill Creeks and Dunkard Bottoms. He also had property by Reed Creek and Back Creek [Schreiner-Yantis, Montgomery County Circa 1790, pg. 104].

Rebecca Peery was born in a block-house in what became Tazewell County, Virginia. Archibald was in his later years before he married Rebecca. After Rebecca's marriage to Archibald they settled in the upper section of Thompson Valley. On September 13 1800, Archibald was recommended for the position of Captain in the 1st Battalion of the 112th Regiment. He was also foreman of the Grand Jury for the Quarter Session held March 3rd of that same year [Annals I, pg. 173]. In 1806 he became the commander of the 2nd Battalion in place of Hezekiah Harman, who was advanced to the 1st Battalion; and in 1810, he achieved the rank of Major. By 1812 he had resigned his position as Major and had been recommended for the position of Commissioner of the Peace.

In April of 1813 he purchased, from Capt. James Patton Thompson, and Margaret, his wife, a tract of 300 acres in Burke's Garden, which he gave to his son John Thompson. This tract embraced most of the land upon which James Burke built his cabin in 1753 or 1754. He continued to acquire land along the Maiden Spring Fork, and by 1814 owned some 1,820 acres.

Archibald and Rebecca had nine children: William Thompson; George Thompson; Jane C. Thompson; Martha D. Thompson; Mary Thompson; Nancy Thompson; John Thompson; James Buchanan Thompson; and, Lydia Thompson.

Archibald died August 4, 1846 in Tazewell County, Virginia; and Rebecca died November 12, 1836, ten years prior to his demise, also in Tazewell County.

Personal Facts & Info. From Will-Taken from Virginia Connections by Judy Anderson

Posted 1800's by Sheila Kline

JAMES THOMPSON

This is the James Thompson most likely refered to earlier as the one who owned Burke's Garden. James was known as "Lawyer James". Being a well-educated man and with no family to support he was able to acquire a large estate. His appraisal included some 50 persons owing the estate and listed over 100 persons in his "unsettled book accounts."

Will of James Thompson proved 28 August, 1821.

Weak & sick. To James Doak Thompson (being the illegitimate child had by Jean Doak) my plantation in the county of Tazewell called Maccaddmses * with all the land I have adjoining same, also my negro boy named Issum. (To be delivered to him when he arrives at 21 years of age). To George Washington Thompson (being the illegitimate child I had by Sally Justice) my plantation called Kinges with all the adjoining lands and a negro called John who is the child of Sophiea. (To be delivered to him when he is 21 years of age). To mother..negro called Seas. At her death to go to my brother, William Thompson. To Rachel Doak, my sister, a negro girl called Judey which is at James Tiffaney. Also the work of my negro boy, Nelson, for fifteen years at which time he is to go to my brother, William Thompson. To Lydia Doak, my sister, a negro girl called Rachel. To brother, William Thompson..slaves, Joseph, negro boy called Absalom. To brother, Alexander Thompson..negro called Sophia. To William Mitchel..mare and colt. To Thomas Mitchel .. mare. ("Those two devises being the sons of Annas Mitchell). To James B. Thompson, the son of Archibald Thompson..a negro girl, the child of Cease, called Phillas. Executor: Half-brother, Archibald Thompson & brother, William Thompson. Witnesses: Thomas O'Neill, Rees B. Thompson, John Thompson.

* This was land originally willed to his brother Andrew known as McAdam's Place.

27 May, 1806. Chancery. Tazewell County.

James Thompson vs. Thomas Ingles

"This day came the pltf. by his attorney and it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that the order of publication has been duly published congruans with the statute authorizing the said procedure the defendant having altogether failed to appear whereupon the court do proceed to hear such testimony as the compainant exhibited and being satisfied of the justness of the prayer of the complainants bill, whereupon they do proceed to take the Bill as confessed by the defendant, and this court conceiving the holder of an equitable claim may relinquish the same to the legal proprietor before the same is adjudged to such equitable claimant by adjudication whereupon the court doth order and decree that in case the Heirs, Executors or other persons representing William Ingles, dec'd., should by adjudication or otherwise obtain any lands within the place called Burkes Garden in the bill mentioned that the defendant do at his own costs by deed of conveyance convey one third part thereof to the said plaintiff with a general warrantee against himself and all other persons and in case the heirs, executors, administrators, assigns, or any person or persons claiming under William Ingles, dec'd., should by adjudication or otherwise obtain four hundred acres of land in right of James Burke, then the court doth order and decree that the said defendant do at his own costs convey unto the plaintiff one third part thereof in one entire square so as to include the improvements made by the defendant and his father, William Ingles, and also to include the house where Burke and after him said defendant resided, with a general warantee and it is ordered by the court that when a proper time arrives for the plaintiff to carry his said decree into effect that he have execution against the defendant for that purpose and that he do recover his costs in this behalf expended.

minutemen

1850 United States Federal Census

Children 's Names & History.From Virginia Connections by Judy B. Anderson

1800's

Tazewell County, VA

Gives service of Archibald in military, history of land, and names of all children

Sheila Kline originally shared this on 2011-06-01t02:57:37z

LINKED TO

MARTHA DAVIDSON THOMPSONARCHIBALD THOMPSON

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