Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 519
JOHN THOMPSON

John THOMPSON, one of the pioneer band of 1853, is now residing on section 13, of Taylor Township. It was in the month of February, above named year, that he bought a claim in Magnolia Township, upon which there had been ten acres of breaking done. He built a hewed log house sixteen feet square, and remained on that place until the spring of 1855, when he sold and went to Nebraska, taking up a claim eight miles south of Omaha, on the old Indian farm. It was all improved, and had been farmed two or three years. One year later he sold this place, which consisted on one hundred and sixty acres, for $800, and bought another claim a mile and a half from that, giving $3000 for the same. After six months he disposed of this claim, receiving $2,850 for it.

During the time he had located there, Omaha sprang into existence. In 1857 our subject located in the village of Calhoun, Harrison County, where he bought a lot and built a house and lived there one year; then sold and went to Shelby County. He bought forty town lots in Shelbyville, which at that time was the county seat. He erected a house and bought a new saw-mill, which he located in Galland's Grove, about two miles from Shelbyville. This enterprise did not prove a financial success, and resulted in "swamping" our subject. He disposed of what property he had left, and in the autumn of 1859 went to Colorado by ox-team. He took one hundred and sixty acres of land, on half mile from where the city of Denver then stood, but now is in the heart of that great city. He had a partner in this land, who owned one half interest, and while THOMPSON was back to Council Bluffs after a load of flour, his partner sold the claim and left for parts unknown. Consequently Mr. THOMPSON never realized one cent on his investment. He visited Denver in 1880 and viewed the land he had thus early claimed, which is now covered with beautiful buildings. In 1861 he returned to Harrison County, and bought the farm he now occupies. It was one hundred and twenty acres of wild land, upon which he built a small frame house, and broke out twelve acres the first year. This was at the commencement of the Civil War, and he made one of the three hundred and forty-seven soldiers who enlisted from Harrison County. The date of his enlistment was August 18, 1862, becoming a member of Company C, Twenty-Ninth Iowa Infantry; went South, and July 4, 1863, was in the battle of Helena, Ark., and also participated in the Saline fight, battle of Little Rock, when they captured the city; battle of Shell Mound, Miss., with smaller engagements. He was discharged at New Orleans, August 18, 1865, and was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, September 3 of the same year, and returned to this county.

Mr. THOMPSON was born in Edgar County, Ill., October 26, 1827. His father died when our subject was four years of age, and his mother three years later, after which he lived at different places among relatives until he was nineteen years old, when he came to Mahaska County, Iowa. This was in 1845; one year before Iowa was admitted into the Union. He worked on a farm a short time in that locality and then came to Polk County and operated a blacksmith's shop, fourteen miles from the old fort, and know as the "Half-way House," now Mitchellville. He remained there eighteen months, went up to what was known as Four-mile Creek and took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres. He improved this place and remained two years, and then went to California, remained one year, came back to Polk County and sold out his land, which is situated one-half mile east of the Fair grounds. He then started back to California, with his family. This was in the spring of 1850, but upon arriving at Council Bluffs he concluded to remain there, which he did until February, 1853, and then came to Harrison County, as above related.

Our subject was married in Polk County, to Miss Jane Earnest, and by this marriage union six children were born�Harvey, Martha, Margaret (deceased), Mary, William, and John.

His wife died in 1867, and he was again married in March 1881, to Miss Agnes THOMPSON, in Grinnell, Iowa. By this marriage one child was born�Agnes.

Mrs. THOMPSON IS A MEMBER OF THE United Presbyterian Church.

He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic at Missouri Valley. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican Party. In 1853 he was elected to the office of School Fund Commissioner, holding the same two terms. At the time he was elected he had to go to Judge KING'S, where Logan is now situated, on the east side of the Boyer River, in company with two or three other, that they might be sworn into office. The stream was out of its banks, so they tied their horses on the west bank of the stream, threw a part of their wearing apparel off, and swam the Boyer.

Mr. THOMPSON built the first school house in the county. It was near where W. E. CUTLER now lives, in Magnolia Township. He had to go to Pottawattamie County for the lumber, swimming his trusty oxen across the Boyer, as there was not a bridge in the county at the time. This schoolhouse was built in the spring of 1853.

Return to 1891 Biographical T Surnames Index

Back to 1891 Biographies Index