For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 153
THERON THOMPSON. Among the wide-awake and progressive business men of Muscatine, Theron Thompson occupies an honored place. He was born in York, Jefferson county, Ohio, September 22, 1853, and is a son of Robert T. and Emily A. ( Lewis ) Thompson, both of whom were natives of Ohio. The father was a clerk in a mercantile establishment in Wheeling, West Virginia, and came west to Muscatine county in 1858, engaging in the grain business at Atalissa, and later taking up his residence in Muscatine. He became quite popular in the county and served two years as deputy county treasurer and the same length of time as county treasurer. He was afterward deputy postmaster of Muscatine under Colonel Beach and upon retiring from this position assisted in organizing the Muscatine Savings Bank, of which he was cashier until failing health compelled him to retire. He established a hardware business in 1875 under the title of R. T. Thompson Son & Company. In 1878 he withdrew and the firm became Thompson Brothers, with Theron and William L. Thompson as the proprietors. The latter departed this life in 1906 and the firm was incorporated in 1907 as Thompson Brothers Company with Theron Thompson at its head. William L. Thompson was an energetic, enterprising and public-spirited business man and will long be remembered for his activity in behalf of the interests and permanent welfare of Muscatine. On the 1st day of February, 1890, Robert T. Thompson died at the age of sixty years. He was identified with the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and politically was a supporter of the republican party. His wife survived him fourteen years, being called away at seventy years of age, in 1904.Robert Thompson, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was of Scotch descent and was born in Pennsylvania. He became an early settler of Ohio, keeping a hotel at Cadiz for a number of years. He died at the home of his only daughter in Muscatine county in 1875, having arrived at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife, Barbara Ebbert before her marriage, was called away when comparatively a young woman. There were six children in the family, Theron, William, Robert, John, Salina and Catharine. The maternal grandfather was Ira Lewis, a native of Ohio, who learned the tanning business and also followed the occupation of farming. His wife was Sarah Wilson and they lived in Harrison county, Ohio where he died. He had one child, Emily A., the mother of our subject. Mrs. Lewis was again married, her second union being with Morgan Lewis, the brother of her first husband. Two children were born to them: Catharine, of Muscatine, Iowa, who married Hugh K. Mitchell, of New Philadelphia, Ohio, now deceased; and John W.,who died at the age of twenty-one years in Ohio. Unto Robert T. and Emily A. Thompson eight children were born, four of whom grew to maturity, Theron, Barbara Ella, Robert L., and William L.
Theron Thompson whose name introduces this review, was five years of age when he came to Iowa with his parents and seven years later took up his residence in Muscatine, where he has since lived. He received his preliminary education in the public and high schools and after leaving the latter devoted his attention for three and one half years to the tanner's trade. Feeling the importance of larger educational advantages, he entered the State University at Iowa City. Upon his return to Muscatine he entered the hardware business, in which he has ever since continued, the company with which he is identified being known as one of the leading concerns of the kind in this part of the state. He is also president of the Detthof Hardware Company of Muscatine, a director of the Hershey State Bank and a director of the Puritan Ice Company.
On the 9th of March, 1882, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Moorehouse, a daughter of Captain Le Grand and Julia Moorehouse. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, her parents being natives of Pennsylvania. They came to Muscatine many years ago and lived in this city and vicinity but spent the latter years of their lives with a daughter at Springfield, Missouri. They were the parents of four children: Laura, the wife of John Stephens; Nellie, now Mrs. Thompson; Carrie, the wife of Robert L. Thompson; and Edwin L. Three children have brightened the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson: Maynard L., a graduate of the agricultural department of the Armour Institute at Chicago and since associated with his father in the hardware business; Leila E., and Gail M.
Mr Thompson is not a member of any religious denomination but attends the Episcopal church, with which his wife is affiliated. He has never given much time to politics, as his attention has mainly been devoted to his private business, but he is in sympathy with the republican party and heartily supports its candidates. He is a firm and consistent advocate of honesty and square dealing in public as well as in private affairs. He has the happy faculty of making and retaining friends, and no man in Muscatine is more highly respected then the gentleman whose life record is here presented.
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