Sutter County CA Archives Biographies.....Thompson, George 1839 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 8, 2012, 7:46 pm

Source: See below
Author: Peter J. Delay

    GEORGE THOMPSON. — Among the most influential and well-known public-spirited
citizens of Sutter City is George Thompson, a native of Yorkshire, England. He
was born September 4, 1839, a son of William and Ann (Whitley) Thompson. The
family emigrated to the United States and settled in Macoupin County, Ill.,
where William Thompson engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were the
parents of seven sons: George, the subject of this sketch, William, Thomas,
Robert, and three sons that died in infancy. In 1863, they crossed the plains
with seven horses and two wagons, coming via the Salt Lake route. They arrived
in Marysville on August 25, 1863, where they stopped for several weeks. On
October 25, of the same year, William Thompson purchased a quarter-section of
railroad land ten miles west of Yuba City. He then bought eighty acres adjoining
this ranch on the west, and later purchased 240 acres, which he farmed to grain
for a few years. At that time there were only three familes settled on the flat
country between Mr. Thompson's ranch and Yuba City. He passed away at the age of
eighty-two; his wife died when she was seventy-five years old. 

    George Thompson attended the schools of England. After coming to the Golden
State he was always associated with his father in the developing of their
extensive farm land. On May 24, 1874, at Meridian, he was united in marriage
with Miss Sarah Burgett. She was born four miles east of Meridian, a daughter of
Milberry and Eucinda (Rockbolt) Burgett, natives of Iowa and Missouri,
respectively. Mr. Burgett, who was a farmer, crossed the plains by ox team in
1857, and the mother also came the same year. They were married in California
and settled in District No. 70, four miles east of Meridian, Sutter County. Mr.
and Mrs. Burgett were blessed with nine children: Sarah (our subject's wife),
Eliza, Harriett, Agnes, Lena, Rhoda, Elizabeth, Eva, and William. Sarah Burgett
attended the Slough school. Her father passed away when he was seventy-seven
years of age; Mrs. Burgett is still living, at the age of eighty-one years. 

    After his marriage to Miss Burgett, George Thompson lived on the Mathew Nail
place, making this his home for twenty-six years. In 1903, he moved back to the
old home place. He has sold off parcels of land at different times and at
present has but 204 acres of the old home place, which he has set out to grapes.
In 1872 he and his father received three grape cuttings from Almira & Barry, of
Rochester, N. Y., and grafted them on the roots of one of their grapevines. That
spring the vineyard was flooded and only one of the three sprouts grew. From
this sprout the seedless raisin grape was developed, and in 1875 Mr. Thompson
and his father exhibited at the Marysville Fair several branches with the
luscious seedless fruit on them. In order to have an entry name, this grape was
given the name Thompson Seedless Grape. From this first vine all the seedless
grapes of California were propagated. One of the first vineyards devoted to this
grape was grown by Mr. Onstott of Sutter City. He secured his cuttings from
William Thompson and in turn grafted them on his vines. In 1915, Mr. and Mrs.
George Thompson were sent to the Worlds Fair as representatives of Sutter
County, to educate the people at the fair as to the origin and history of the
Thompson Seedless grape. They remained at the exposition as the guests of Sutter
County. At the present time, the ranch is developed and the work is being
carried on by Mr. Thompson's sons. At one time Mr. Thompson was also greatly
interested in the stock business. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were blessed with nine
children: William, George, Lulu (Mrs. La Monthene, at Sutter), Charles, Clara
(Mrs. Buckingham, of Tudor), Benjamin, Percy, Sylvia (Mrs. Perthes, of
Sacramento), and Robert. Benjamin and Percy both served in the World War and
were sent to France, where Benjamin lost one eye while fighting in the trenches.
Percy went over the top five times and served in the thick of the fight. George
Thompson casts his ballot in favor of the Republican party candidates.
Fraternally, he was a Good Templar. He has always been interested in the
advancement of his community, is progressive, and enjoys the esteem and
good-will of many friends and business associates, besides being the originator
of a very valuable addition to the grape market. 


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF YUBA and SUTTER COUNTIES 
CALIFORNIA 
WITH 
Biographical Sketches OF 
The Leading Men and Women of the Counties Who Have Been Identified with Their
Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present 

HISTORY BY 
PETER J. DELAY 

ILLUSTRATED 
COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME 

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1924


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