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Richard "Dick" Thompson (1906)

GARRETSON, MOTT, THOMPSON

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 12/15/2009 at 19:29:55

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, December 27, 1906
Page 1, column 1

DEATH OF RICHARD THOMPSON
Well Known Printer and Newspaper Writer Falls a Victim to Pneumonia

Richard Thompson passed away on Monday morning at the home of his mother, Mrs. Lou Garrettson, of East Washington street, after an illness of only a few days with pneumonia. Funeral services were held today, Thursday, at 2:30 p.m. Rev. E. W ReQua, of the M.E. church conducting the services. "Dick" as he was familiarly called was born at Colesburg, Iowa, October 16, 1860.

The greater part of his life was spent in the newspaper and printing business. His first newspaper ownership was at Crissman, Illinois. Then at Danville, Illinois, where he published a a paper for two years. In 1889 he in partnership with another gentleman, purchased the Hastings Nebraska Tribune. Two years later he purchased his partner's interest and continued as sole publisher for six years.

In 1897 he came to Winterset to accept the position of local editor of the Winterset Review, owned by A.W.C. Weeks. Later, he worked with the Winterset Reporter and afterward owned and managed the job printing establishment now owned by E.V.B. Alexander.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Lou Garretson and one sister, Mrs. Chester Mott, of Lisbon, North Dakota.
_____________________

Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, December 28, 1906
Page 1

RICHARD THOMPSON Dies

Richard Thompson, the printer, died at the home of his mother Mrs. Garretson, December 24, in the east part of the city after an illness of only three days.

“Col” Dick Thompson was fifty years old. He came to Winterset with his mother and brother in 1870 from Illinois. He commenced work in the News office for J. W. Morgan, and after working at the trade two or three years, went to Pontiac, Ill, with Austin Jacobs, another Winterset printer, and bought out a paper. A few years later he founded the Hastings (Nebraska) Democrat, and later the McCook Tribune. He was prominent in the affairs of the democratic party in Nebraska for several years, and was once its candidate for state treasurer. Financial reverses lost him control of the papers, and all the money he had accumulated.

During the past twelve years he has worked on Winterset papers, owned a job office and worked in job offices. He filled the position of local editor on this paper from June until November, and since then he has been working most of the time in a job office.

In many ways he was a fine newspaper man, and had quick appreciation of the value of a bit of news. He was a man of frugal habits and unflinching honesty, and his business failure was due more to the old time printer habit of not knowing the cost of work rather than anything else. He was a man of unflagging industry, and his work was methodical and good. He had many friends in this city. While he was in the News office the past summer the whole office learned to appreciate him and like him.

Thompson belonged to the order of Elks. The funeral occurred Thursday from the residence. He is survived by his mother, and his sister, Mrs. Zetta Mott.

Gravesite
 

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