Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 282
ROBERT T. THOMPSON, proprietor of the Island Seed Store, was born in Cadiz, Harrison Co., Ohio, Feb. 17, 1830, and is a son of Robert T. and Barbara ( Eberts ) Thompson. His father was born in Pennsylvania of Scotch parentage, and his mother, who was descended from German ancestry, was born in West Virginia. Our subject was reared and educated in his native State, and entered upon his business career in the capacity of merchant's clerk. In the spring of 1852 he engaged in mercantile pursuits at York, Jefferson Co., Ohio, and continued in that line until overtaken by the commercial crash of 1857, when he, with thousands of others, was obliged to suspend business. In 1858 he came to Iowa, and located on a farm in Goshen Township, Muscatine County, but two years of farm life proved sufficient to gratify his taste in that direction, and he came to Muscatine and accepted the position of Deputy County Treasurer. He was employed in that capacity for three years, and in 1868 was elected County Treasurer, was re-elected in 1870, serving four years. In 1872 he bought into the hardware business in Muscatine, which he carried on until 1878, when he retired, and was succeeded by his sons, Theron and William, who still carry on the business under the firm name of Thompson Bros. In 1878 Mr. Thompson became an employee of the post-office under Col. Beach, having charge of the money-order and register letter department, and continued to fill that position for three years. He next engaged as cashier in the Savings Bank, but after serving one year in that capacity, he was forced to resign on account of failing health. In the fall of 1883 he engaged in the wholesale and retail seed business, under the title of the Island Seed Company. He deals in field, garden and flower seed, bulbous roots, plants, and florests' supplies in their season; also in seed potatoes and seed corn, sweet potatoes and sweet potato plants in their season. The Island Seed Company has steadily extended its business from the start, and is now one of the best known and most reliable seed houses in the country.

In Harrison County, Ohio, on the 12th of April, 1851, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage with Miss Emily A. Lewis, who was born in Harrisville, Harrison Co., Ohio, and is a daughter of Ira Lewis. Eight children have been born of their union, six sons and two daughters, of whom only four are now living; Ira died at the age of eleven years; Isaac died when only one year old; Theron married Miss Nellie Morehouse, and is a senior partner in the firm of Thompson Bros., hardware merchants of Muscatine; Salina died at the age of seven years; Ella resides with her parents; John died at the age of two years; William is the junior partner of Thompson Bros.; and Robert L., the youngest, is employed in the Muscatine Gas Company's office.

In his political sentiments Mr. Thompson is a Republican, and has voted with that party since its organization. He is a non-affilliated Mason, and belongs to Muscatine Lodge No. 5, I. O. O. F., and also to Muscatine Lodge No. 99, A. O. U. W. For over thirty years he has been a resident of Muscatine, during which time he has been actively engaged in business, either public or private, and has consequently formed an extensive acquaintance throughout Muscatine and adjoining counties. In all these years he has kept a clean record, and has won the highest respect of all and the warm regard of many.

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