Family History

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Thompson Family History pg. 2

In 1875 he came to Lowell and became connected with the Lowell Felting Mills, which he purchased in 1881, in which he built up a large and prosperous business. He recently retired from the active life of manufacturing, and is at present living quietly in his handsome residence in Lowell. He is an independent Republican in politics, but has declined to become a candidate for public office or accept public positions, preferring to remain a private citizen. He has an excellent library, and spends much time in reading and study. He married, in 1872, Ellen Straw, daughter of Ex-Governor Ezekiel A. and Charlotte (Webster) Straw, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Mrs. Thompson is a leader of Lowell society; regent of Molly Varnum Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and one of the incorporators of the New Hampshire Society of Colonial Dames. She is active also in church and charitable work. Children : 1. Albert W., born February 16, 1874, married Hildreth Nesmith and they have one child, Nesmith, born December 23, 1899. 2. Herman E., born April 25, 1881, married Mabel A. Tracy and they have one child, Herman E., Jr., born September, 1906. (For early generations see preceding sketch and William Thompson 1.)

(IV) Phinehas Thompson, THOMPSON son (according to the best evidence at hand) of John Thompson (3), who lived in York and Sanford, Maine, was born about 1745 at York. The history of Sanford, Maine, says: "The ancestors of Deacon Thompson lived in York." He married Martha Willard, April 13, 1762. She was the daughter of Samuel Willard, of York. Thompson removed to Gorham (then Gorhamtown) before his marriage, and in 1765 settled in Sanford. He was a farmer and blacksmith, and lived near Thompson's (now Butler's) Bridge. He was a soldier in the Revolution, a private in Captain Morgan Lewis's company, on the Lexington Alarm, April 19, 1775, (page 53, "Mass. Soldiers," etc). He was one of the original members of the Baptist church and for many years one of its deacons. He died March 6, 1815, aged about seventy years. Children: 1. Ezra, mentioned below; 2. Samuel. 3. Isaac. 4. John. 5. Martha. 6. Hannah. 7. Mary. 8. Phinehas.

(V) Ezra Thompson, son of Deacon Phinehas Thompson (4), was born in Gorham, Maine, March 29, 1763. He was a soldier in the Revolution in 1781, under Captain John Evans, of Sanford, on the Androscoggin River at what is now Bethel, Maine. He came to- Sanford, Maine, with his parents when a young child and was educated there in the district schools and lived there the remainder of his days. The Sanford history states that his ancestors were of Scotch origin. On his father's farm at Thompson's bridge, Ezra grew up, learning the trade of blacksmith. In 1781 his younger brother, Samuel, enlisted in the Revolutionary war, and so great were the anxiety and grief of his mother that Ezra resolved to take his place. While at Bethel in the service he came near losing his life through a severe cut, accidentally received from an ax. He was taken down the river in a boat, but came to some rapids around which the party felt unable to carry the wounded soldier and had decided to leave him when "Kit" Chiffener, a Scotchman, stepped forward, saying: "Thompson is too guid bluid to be left here!" placed him on his back, and carefully carried him three-quarters of a mile to the landing below the portage. When he was about twenty years old, he attended Master Clark's school a short term, in which he learned, as he used to say, more than he learned in all his other schooling. For many years he was a public school teacher and was popular with his pupils. At the age of fifty-two, then the father of ten children, farmer, blacksmith, teacher and surveyor, he took up the study of Latin and Greek under Parson Sweat and mastered the rudiments of those languages. He was universally known as "Master" Thompson. For thirty-six consecutive years, 1794-1829, or more, Master Thompson held some public office. He was selectman fourteen years; on the school committee eleven years; the town treasurer three years; coroner seventeen years; and justice of the peace seventeen years, besides serving on many committees appointed by the town. He was on the board of selectmen in 1808 when the town authorized them to petition President Jefferson for the removal of the embargo, and in 1816 he was one of the delegates to the state convention in Brunswick. In politics he was later in life a Whig. He united with the Baptist church in 1798, and continued a strong pillar in church and society until his death.

His farm was about two miles from Sanford Four Corners to the northeast. He died November 8, 1835. Elder Cook preached his funeral sermon from the text "He was a Good Man." "From all that has come down to us," says the town historian, "we can assert with all confidence that a truer word was never spoken." He married (first), in 1784, Abigail Wilson, daughter of Moses Wilson. He married (second), July, 1820, Joanna Clark, daughter of David Clark, of Sanford, Maine. Children of Ezra and Abigail Thompson: 1. Caleb, born 1785. 2. Betsey, born 1788, married John Bachellor of Sanford. 3. Martha, born 1790, married Joshua Batchelder. 4. Lucy, born 1793. 5. Ezra, born 1795, mentioned below. 6. John, born 1797, married Shackford, of Acton, Massachusetts. 7. Isaac, born 1799. 8. Otis, born 1800, died unmarried. 9. Hannah, born 1802. 10. Abigail, born 1806, married Timothy Garey. Children of Ezra and Joanna: 11. Samuel, born 1821. 12. Mary, born 1823, married George D. Palmer. 13. Clark, born 1825. 14. Joanna, born 1828, died in Sanford.

(VI) Ezra Thompson, son of Ezra Thompson (5), was born at Sanford, Maine, in 1795. He had a common school education, remaining at home until nearly manhood, assisting his father with the farm work.