Thompson, Thomas "Tommy" 1824 - 1881

THOMPSON, DAWSON, MAYHEW, RUSSELL

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson
Date: 6/29/2016 at 14:08:48

Elkader Register, Fri., 13 May 1881.

Died- At the home of Edward Russell, Elkader, on Friday May 6th, 1881, of consumption, Thomas Thompson, aged 67 years, 1 month and 17 days.

In the above short paragraph may be found the last record to be made of one of the very first settlers of Clayton county, of a man who was widely known, and as widely reverenced, but who, being mortal, has bowed to the will of the Ruler of All, and has passed across the great river, there in peace to await the coming of those whom he loved and left to mourn.

The subject of this sketch was born in Yorkshire, England, March 19th, 1824, where he resided until 1842, when he came to the United States, first locating in Eau Claire county, Illinois, where he remained a short time, and then removed to Jo Davies county (Illinois), locating in the mines, where he first showed that indomitable energy that made him so successful in after life, and was soon at the front. Being of a restless character however, he soon crossed over the river and entered Iowa, locating near Garnavillo in 1847 or 1848, the old log cabin in which he spent his first years still standing; thence he moved to Farmersburg township, and from there to Read township, where his family still reside.

Just where Mr. Thompson was married, we have been unable to learn, but his wife was a sister of Mr. Dawson, now residing at Garnavillo, and we believe he married her at Galena, Ill. By her he had 12 children, 7 girls and 5 boys, of these 9 children are living, those being dead were girls; of those living, 4 boys are on the farm and one, Joseph, resides in Elkader, and three girls are on the farm, and one, Mrs. E. J. Mayhew, lives at Watkins, Benton county, Iowa.

Of Mr. Thompson's life in Clayton county for the past 34 years, much might be written, but our space forbids our going into details. He was a kind-hearted, whole-souled man, who could not bear to see a person in trouble, if it lay in his power to aid him.

For over twenty-five years Mr. Thompson was agent for the famous McCormick machines, and he brought the first thresher to Clayton county, hauling it from Chicago by team, taking some six weeks to make the trip. As a machine agent he was very successful, and it became to be a standing joke that "Tommy", as he was familiarly called, never left a man until he secured his order, if he had to take up his bed and board with him.

At one time in his life Mr. T., was worth considerable money, but he met with financial reverses, which swept nearly all his property away.

The funeral occurred in Elkader on Saturday, and was largely attended by relatives and friends, Rev. T. E. Fleming officiating, after which his remains were laid away in the cemetery on the East side. In accordance with his last request, his remains were taken to the graveyard by his sorrel team, which he had owned for the past fifteen years. May he rest in peace.