Bio of Thompson, Thomas A. Wabasha Co., MN
=========================================================================
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information
on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities,
as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is
obtained from the contributor of the file.
These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or
presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to
use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written
consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter,
and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent.

If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives 
Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm
Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find 
the submitter information or other files for this county.
FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives

Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge
=========================================================================
This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Thompson, Thomas A., well known as a public speaker and instructor in
grange work, was one of the first settlers of Plainview, Wabasha county,
Minnesota. In company with J. Y. Blackwell, David Ackley, A. P. Foster and
others he commenced the settlement, and in November, 1856, built for a
residence the house now occupied by DeWitt Clarke. His father, at the age
of twenty-one years, after learning the blacksmithing, though reared a
farmer in Connecticut, started on foot in the winter of 1802 and so
proceeded across the State of New York, a tramp without means. He at
length reached Buffalo, then only a hamlet, and thence to a place, since
called Vernon, in Trumbull county, Ohio, where he staked out a claim in
the wilderness and at once began the execution of his life-task. In
addition to farming, the exercise of his skill as an artificer was the
ready passport to favor with the Indians who had gunlocks to repair,
knives to mend, and other ironwork which the blacksmith could perform, in
exchange for which he received turkeys, venison, bear meat and skins,
which he disposed of with advantage to neighboring whites. At the end of a
year the young man married Miss Sally King Bates, who with her parents had
recently arrived strangers from the Connecticut valley, and as a product
of this union there were two daughters and six sons, the youngest being
the one above referred to. Young Thompson's schooling did not advance him
beyond the rudiments, so he began in early life a system of
self-instruction, aided by a few month' preparation in an academy of a
neighboring town, to which he made daily pilgrimages several miles on
foot. For several years subsequent his time was divided between teaching,
study and farmwork; at the end of which time he was commissioned a
magistrate by the governor of the state. About this time Mr. Thompson
married Miss Eliza P. Eddy, who by the kindest sympathy gave culture and
breadth to the refinement that made home and its surroundings bright with
the sunshine of contentment and the serene atmosphere of domestic peace.
At length, his wife's health failing, he sold the homestead and moved in
1856. To the table-land west of the Mississippi, where the beautiful
village of Plainview has since sprung into existence, he wended his way.
The year following, 1857, Mr. Thompson was elected to the territorial
legislature, for Minnesota had not yet become a state. Afterward he
accepted the office of superintendent of schools for Wabasha county, in
which he served three successive terms. resigning at last to enter upon
new duties as lecturer of the national grange, having preciously served as
master of the Minnesota state grange and performing the duties without
salary. In this new capacity he visited all the states east of the Rocky
Mountains, except a few in the south and New England. Twenty-seven years
ago his cabin stood upon the treeless prairie, with not a house in sight
and no village near; his present residence, a plain, homelike structure,
stands in the town of Plainview not many yards from the railway station
and terminus of the line. About Park Home, as it is called, there is a
semblance of the forest trees in pleasing variety and luxuriant growth.
They were planted by Mr. Thompson, at whose hands they have received
tender care. Here he contemplates rest from the wearisome toil of years
with the calm enjoyment of the fruits of his labors.
War of Rebellion (Civil War)