Rhoda Thompson 1832-1882

THOMPSON, CARR

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 3/6/2012 at 20:11:42

The Angry Flames!
Mrs. Robert Thomas Consumed in the Flames
And Every Particle of Clothing Burned From Her Body, Leaving the Body Almost Past Recognition by Her Relatives and Friends
The alarming intelligence reached town yesterday about three o’clock that Mrs. Robert Thompson (colored) who resides about two miles south-west of town, had fallen a victim to the angry flames of fire. The particulars, as near as we are able to learn at this later hour, are as follows: Her husband left her sitting by the stove about one o’clock, and when he returned, some fifteen minutes later, her lifeless body was lying on the floor,

Burned to a Crisp
And every thread of clothing burned therefrom. How her clothing caught fire is not known, as no one witnessed the horrifying scene. The funeral took place to-day at the M.E. Church, this city, and the house was filled with sympathizing friends. Mrs. Thompson was a lady who was esteemed by all who knew her, and her sad and untimely death is regretted by the entire community. “A Christian woman gone to meet her God.” (National Broad-Axe, Estherville, IA, September, 22, 1882)

Per 1880 census, Rhoda Thompson, born in VA, about 1832

The Vindicator gives an account of a sad occurrence in that county last week which resulted in the death of Mrs. Robt. Thompson, the only colored woman in Emmet county. It says: “Some weeks ago we recorded the fact that Mrs. Thompsonhad undergone the amputation of her hand for reasons then set forth, and since then she has been a great sufferer and quite helpless most of the time. Yesterday the family had taken dinner and had just left the house leaving the invalid seated by the stove, which contained a hot fire and evidently she dropped to sleep when her clothing took fire and she perished before discovered. The first to reach the room being her nephew, Quin [Quin Carr], who noticed smoke issuing from the house ran in to discover her lying dead upon the floor with the clothing entirely burned from her body. Mrs. Thompson was the only colored woman in the county and a person who was universally respected by all who knew her. She was 50 years of age and born in West Virginia, where she served as a slave in early life. (Palo Alto Pilot, Emmetsburg, IA, September 29, 1882)