Lapeer County MI Archives Biographies.....Thomson, Daniel 1822 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 29, 2007, 9:57 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

DANIEL THOMSON. There is quite a little colony of Scotch settlers in Almont
Township, Lapeer County, and here in the fertile fields of Michigan these
descendants of Gallic tribes, whose ancestors perhaps have been illustrated in
the annals of the past, have settled down to quiet agricultural life. He of whom
we write is a native of Paisley, and brought with him to this country the sturdy
independence and the provident way of the inhabitants of that busy manufacturing
town. Mr. Thomson is now a resident on section 13, Almont Township, where he has
one hundred and sixty acres of fine and fertile land. He is besides the owner of
eighty acres in St. Clair County, all of which is in a good state of cultivation.

  Our subject was born December 12, 1822. He is a son of Dougal and Margaret
(Smith) Thomson, now deceased. While our subject was still in his native land he
learned to weave Paisley shawls. May 31, 1848, he was married to Miss Janet
Wilie, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (McClaren) Wilie, both natives of
Paisley, where the lad.y was born in 1823. Two days after the solemnization of
their marriage, our subject started for America, leaving his wife in Scotland
until he should get located. Immediately after coming here he was engaged in
weaving at New Ipswich, remaining there about a year, during which time his wife
came over. He also worked at Blackston, Mass., and in Bristol and North
Providence, R. I., moving to Almont in February, 1855. He settled at once upon a
farm previously purchased by his father, who came to this country May 15. The
parents and two sisters all died inside of three years.

  At the time of coming to Michigan our subject and his wife had become the
parents of two children. In 1866 his wife died and some time later Mr. Thomson
married Mrs. Margaret Gemmell, whose maiden name was McArthur. In 1879 they were
burned out, saving nothing except their lives. By the former marriage there have
been six children-Elizabeth, Margaret, Janet, Ellen, James W. and William B.
Elizabeth is the wife of George Bowen and lives in Imlay City; Margaret became
the wife of William B. Wallace and died December 8, 1880; Janet is the wife of
Thomas B. Wallace and lives at Denver, Col.; Ellen died February 24, 1881; James
W., the fifth child, was born March 4, 1860, at the time when the days were
troublous, and armies were gathering to settle an impending question of great
importance. He received a common-school education. He has been reared on the
farm and in the simplicity of rural life. Reared with a belief in the principles
of the Democratic party, which are those his father holds, James gives the
weight of his vote and influence in that direction. He has, however, never been
an office-seeker.

  James W. was married October 29, 1890, to Miss Elizabeth Ann Whyte, of
Montreal, Canada. She was born in Greenock, Scotland, March 5, 1859, and is a
daughter of Robert and Margaret (Barr) Whyte, who were both born in Paisley,
Scotland; her father died August 13, 1891, being at that time sixty-three years
of age. The mother was born in April, 1828, and still makes her home in
Montreal. Our subject's youngest son, William D., was born April 14, 1862. He
was married April 2, 1889, to Miss Janet Mitchell, of Almont; she is a daughter
of John and Jane (Shepherd) Mitchell. They have one child, a daughter, whose
name is Maggie.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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