Sonoma-Butte County CA Archives Biographies.....Thompson, James Davis 1818 - 
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Thompson, James Davis. A native of Washington county, Virginia, born February
22, 1818; attended school at Rogersville, Tennessee. In 1837 he came West and
settled in Quincy, Illinois. December 1, 1844, was married at Carthage, Hancock
county, Illinois, to Miss Mary E. Barnes, a native of Burke county, North
Carolina, born May 21, 1824. Here he was engaged at the business of baker and
confectioner. After a residence of five years at Keokuk, Iowa, moved to Warsaw,
Illinois. In the Spring of 1852 decided to remove to California. Upon reaching
the Missouri river, was joined by Mr. William Conley, a brother-in-law, and his
family. Mr. C. having crossed the plains previously, the train was placed under
his guideance. [sic]  The whole distance was made with ox-teams; the journey
although of much interest, and leaving many pleasant recollections, was a very
trying and tiresome trip. The cholera, that dread scourge of mankind, was
prevailing all along the route overland, and swept off great numbers of the
large emigration of that season; but fortunately, this party came through
without loss of life from any cause, and arrived safely at Wyandotte, a mining
town of Butte county, California, August 1, 1852. Remaining here a short time,
the subject of our sketch located at Petaluma the latter part of August, 1852.
The city of the present time was then a small village of a few houses, but
believing in the future importance of the place, Mr. Thompson invested in
property, and commenced improvements. The next season he put up a two story
frame building on the corner of Main and English streets (now Whitney's); the
upper story he used as a residence, below he opened a bakery and confectionery,
and rented a portion for the express office. He did business at this corner for
eleven years. Mr. Thompson was one of Petaluma's enterprising men in times past,
doing much to advance the interests of the town. The old cemetery on the hill
was donated to the city by him. Names and births of their children. Arthur P.,
born in Illinois, February, 1849; killed by the explosion of a locomotive in
Petaluma August 27, 1866; M. Barnes, born in Illinois, September 17 1851, now
residing in San Francisco; Josephine, now Mrs. C. E. Polk, born August 25, 1853
(the second white girl born in Petaluma); Mary E., now Mrs. Gibbs, residing in
Oakland, born December 3, 1855; and Mattie B., born November 1, 1860.

Additional Comments:
Petaluma Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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