Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcribed by Sharon Elijah November 1, 2020

James Thompson, one of the substantial and highly respected citizens of Carroll, has for the past twenty years acted as manager of the W. T. Joyce Lumber Company. His birth occurred in Wayne county, Ohio, on the 9th of April, 1847, his parents being James and Margaret (Macomson) Thompson, both of whom were of Scotch descent and were born in Ireland. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Thompson, was a farmer by occupation and passed away in Ireland at the age of eighty-five years. Unto him and his wife were born five sons, namely: John, Thomas, James, Robert and Hugh. The maternal grandfather of our subject and also his wife and daughter all died in Ireland in the same week.

James Thompson, the father of Mr. Thompson of this review, was educated in Ireland and crossed the Atlantic to the United States when sixteen years of age, locating in Philadelphia, where he remained for several years. Subsequently he spent a short time in Wooster, Ohio, and then began farming near that town, being there engaged in general agricultural pursuits for some years. In 1851 he came to Iowa, settling first in Lee county, a mile and a half from Keokuk. In 1855 he removed to Scott county, there residing for many years. His wife passed away in Scott county, in 1863, when fifty-five years of age. Subsequently he took up his abode in Tama, where his demise occurred when he had attained the age of sixty-five years. Both he and his wife belong to the old Seceder Presbyterian denomination. They were the parents of four sons, as follows: Thomas, who is a resident of Davenport, Iowa; Benjamin, living in Tama, Iowa; James, of this review; and William, who makes his home near Iowa City, Iowa.

James Thompson was reared on farms in Scott and Lee counties and attended the district schools in the acquirement of an education, also pursuing a course of study in the commercial college at Davenport. Removing to Tama, he was there engaged in the drug business for four years, while in 1876 he came to Carroll, having resided here continuously since. He was first identified with the grocery business for a number of years and was afterward on the road as a traveling salesman for two years. On the expiration of that period he became the manager of the W. T. Joyce Lumber Company, having ably discharged the duties devolving upon him in this connection for the past twenty years. He is a man of keen discrimination and sound judgment, and his executive ability and excellent management have brought to the concern with which he is connected a large degree of success.

On the 31st of May, 1873, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Julia E. Day, a native of New York and a daughter of Horace and Rebecca (Beaman) Day, who were likewise natives of the Empire state. From New York they made their way to Wisconsin and thence came to Iowa about 1870, both passing away in Tama, this state. Their children were three in number, namely: Julia, Emma and Cassius. Horace Day was twice married, his second wife being a sister of his first wife. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are the parents of four children, as follows: Ada, living in Oklahoma, Oklahoma, who wedded O. W. Gibson, by whom she has one son, Otis James; May, who is employed as a stenographer in Carroll; Eva, who is the wife of Dr. E. L. Vernon and makes her home in Chadron, Nebraska; and Ward, likewise a resident of Oklahoma, who is the secretary of the Texas Cement and Plaster Company.

Mr. Thompson is a democrat in politics and is now serving as alderman of the first ward, while for one term he held the office of supervisor. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Signet Lodge, No. 264, A.F. & A.M. and Copestone Chapter, No. 78, R.A.M. He is also a member of Carroll Lodge No. 279, I.O.O.F. Both Mr. and Mrs. Thompson belong to the Methodist church and take an active and helpful interest in its work. Living here for thirty-five years, he is very widely known and his many good qualities have at all times gained for him the confidence, trust and unqualified friendship of those with whom he has been brought in contact.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~