J. Fortis Thompson, b. 15 Apr 1850

THOMPSON, MCKNIGHT, MCDOWELL, FETTERMAN, HILLMAN, WALLING, FORT, HOWARD, WRIGHT

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/20/2004 at 12:09:28

J Fortis Thompson is a wide-awake, successful man of business, connected with various interests in Maquoketa, his place of residence. He has been Superintendent of the Telephone, in Jackson County, for some years; has a half interest in the city dray line, and represents the American Express Company as its local agent. He comes of a good old Pennsylvania family, and is of Scotch-Irish antecedents. He was born in Crawford County, Pa., April 15, 1850. His father, John P. Thompson, was a native of the same State, born in Indiana County, which is also supposed to have been the birthplace of his father, John G. Thompson. Moses Thompson, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born either in Scotland, or in the Northern part of Ireland, of Scotch parentage. From the best information at hand he is said to have been one of three brothers who came to America in Colonial times, he locating in Pennsylvania, one of his brothers in Ohio, and the other in Maryland. He was one of the first settlers of Indiana County, where he took up a large tract of timber land, and cleared a farm. He built one of the first grist-mills in that section of the country, and also established a tannery. The old homestead is still owned by his descendants, he having resided on it until his death. The grandfather of our subject succeeded his father in the ownership of the tannery, and managed it successfully, manufacturing all the leather into harness, doing an extensive business; and he also engaged extensively in shipping tan-bark. He was a resident of Pennsylvania until his death, which occurred in 1884, at the advanced age of eighty-four. The maiden name of his wife was McKnight, and she was likewise a native of the Keystone State.

The father of our subject was young when his mother died, and he went to live with an aunt in Indiana County. He learned to make harness, but followed the trade only a few years, when he abandoned it to engage in the lumber business in Crawford County. After marriage he became interested in farming, and also the mercantile business in Dixonburg, continuing there five years. He then took a contract to grade ten miles of railway, in Ashtabula and Trumbull Counties, Ohio. He failed to get his pay when the work was completed, and was financially ruined. He returned to Dixonburg, in 1860, and was employed in boat-building one year, and, in 1862 and 1863, engaged in boating on the Pittsburg and Erie canal. The latter venture was very successful, and he retrieved much of the money that he had formerly lost. In 1864 he came to Iowa, and locating in Nashville, engaged in farming three years. At the expiration of that time he came to Maquoketa, and has ever since been an honored resident of this city. The maiden name of his wife was Barbara J. McDowell. She was born in Crawford County, Pa.; and her father, Alexander McDowell, was a native of that State. His father, James McDowell, was a native of Scotland, and was reared and married in that country. About a year after marriage he started for America, and after his arrival here settled in Pennsylvania. He bore an honorable part in the Revolution, and assisted the Colonists to gain their independence, and after the declaration of peace he located in Crawford County, and was one of its early settlers. He had penetrated the forest primeval of that part of the country by an Indian trail, and he took up a large tract of wild land, which he improved into a farm, and there made his residence until death. The grandfather of our subject was reared and married there; Julia Fetterman, a native of the county, of German parentage, becoming his wife. He inherited a part of the old homestead, carried on agricultural pursuits extensively, and in connection operated a saw-mill and manufactured lumber. He died, in 1874, at the venerable age of eighty-four years. His wife departed this life in 1882, at the same age. Nine children, six sons and three daughters, were born to the parents of our subject, as follows: Julia A., the wife of Dr. H. W. Hillman, of Trumball County, Ohio; Clara J., wife of H. A. Walling, of Jefferson, Ashtabula Co., Ohio; Carrie M., wife of Prof. W. H. Fort, formerly a teacher in Maquoketa; William A., a resident of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.; our subject; James H.; Edwin S., deceased; Charles J., living in Maquoketa; Jesse E., living in Kansas City.

The subject of this biography resided with his maternal grandparents from the age of three years until he was twelve years old, attending school in the winter seasons, and gleaning a good education, and at other time assisting in the labors of the farm. When he was twelve years old his father took him with him on the canal, to help him about his business, and, in 1854, he accompanied him to Iowa. He resided with his parents until 1867, and in 1868 he engaged to drive a peddler's wagon and sell woolen goods, and he also bought wool two summers. In the winter of 1869-70 he taught school, and March 1, 1870, he was appointed Deputy Postmaster of Maquoketa. He held that position five years, and the following two years was clerk in a dry-goods store. But failing health obliged him to give up that sedentary occupation, and seek out-of-door employment. He was advised to try a change of climate, and in 1878 he started for Nebraska, with a pair of horses and a wagon, and drove to Clay County. He bought eighty acres of school land, four miles south of the present site of Clay Centre, and thirteen miles from the nearest railway station. He had but a small part of the purchase money in cash. He broke twenty-five acres of the land that year, and built a small frame house and a sod stable, doing the work himself. The next June he sold his interest in the land at quite an advance, and then invested in another tract, one-half mile north of Clay Centre. Forty acres of the land were broken, and a small frame house stood on the place. Our subject resided there, farming in the summer and teaching in the winter, until 1882, when he returned to Maquoketa. He engaged in the drug business with Dr. Martin for a year and a half, and then sold out. In the meantime he had been appointed Agent for the American Express Company, in this city, and still looks after the interests of the company. In 1883 he was appointed Superintendent of the Telephone, in Jackson County, and has managed its affairs since, and in 1888 he bought a half interest in the city dray line.

Mr. Thompson was married, June 22, 1875, to Miss Clara Howard, and of their pleasant wedding life one child has been born - Olive M. Mrs. Thompson is a native of this State, born in Lamotte. Her parents, John and Clara (Wright) Howard, were natives of the State of New York. Her father served in the Mexican War. Both he and his wife died when Mrs. Thompson was very young, and she was reared by Dr. and Mrs. Martin.

Our subject is a gentleman of culture, and of wide and varied information, whose judgment is keen and far-seeing in business matters. He stands well in social circles, and is connected with the following organizations: Helion Lodge No. 36, A. F. & A. M., Bathkol Chapter No. 94; Tancred Commandery No. 40; Wood Encampment No. 161, M. W. A.; Timber City Lodge No. 8, A. O. U. W.; D. F. C.; V. A. S., No. 59.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)