History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade and Barton Counties, MO
Cedar County Biography Section

    Ex-Judge D. J. Thompson, another successful farmer and 
stock-raiser of Box Township, Cedar County, Mo., was born in 
Lawrence County, Ky., January 23, 1834, and is the son of 
Martin and Annie (Large) Thompson, natives of Russell County, 
Va., born in 1802 and 1805, respectively.  When quite small, 
each, with their parents, moved to Kentucky, where, after 
reaching mature years, they were married, and there made their
future home.  The mother died in February, 1869, and the father
at the home of his son, Judge. D. J. Thompson, September 13, 
1887.  Both were members of the Christian Church.  Mr. Thompson 
was a successful farmer and stock-raiser. His father, James 
Thompson, was a native of Virginia, and his grandfather, 
Richard Thompson, was a native of Ireland, and came to America
at an early day.  He was an officer in the Revolutionary War, 
and died in Kentucky.  James Thompson also died in Kentucky.  
William Large, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, 
was an early settler of Kentucky, where he died.  He, too, was
a soldier in the early wars.  He was of Welsh-Irish extraction.
Ex-Judge D. J. Thompson, the sixth of ten sons and four 
daughter, nine of whom are now living, received a limited 
education in the country schools, and was married August 16, 
1855, to Miss Fannie, a native of Kentucky,, born June 9, 1839,
and the daughter of William M. and Delila Pennington, also 
natives of Kentucky.  Mr. Pennington died in his native State,
February 20, 1862, and Mrs. Pennington is still living there.
Mr. Pennington was a wealthy farmer, merchant and distiller, 
and was of Dutch descent.  To Judge Thompson and wife were 
born nine children, two sons and five daughters living.  
America was born January 14, 1859, and was married to John A. 
Jackson, Jr., January 27, 1876; Granville, born February 12, 
1861, and was married to Miss Alice Beauchamp, December 19, 
1880; Delila A., born March 31, 1864, and was married to Mr. 
Joe Everman February 4, 1884; Richard, born November 13, 1866,
died December 12, 1866; Josie, born December13, 1868; Laura B.,
born May 15, 1871; Helen A., born December 12, 1872, died 
January 7, 1873; Cora E., born January 27, 1874; James S., 
born August 31, 1876.  From November, 1861, to June, 1865, 
Judge Thompson was in the Confederate army, Company B, Tenth 
Kentucky Mounted Rifleman, and operated in Kentucky, Tennessee
and Virginia, held as partisan range in war in severe 
engagements, and had many hair-breadth escaped.  He 
surrendered at Chattanooga, Tenn., in June, 1865, and the same
year came to Platte County, Mo., where he remained until the 
next year, when he moved to Hopkins County, Texas, and from 
there to Cedar County, Mo., where they have since lived.  He 
resides about three and a half miles northwest of El Dorado,
where he has 320 acres, 160 acres under cultivation, and all 
the result of his own industry.  He is one of the leading 
farmers and stock-raisers of Cedar County. In 1874 he was 
elected associate judge of the county court, and served two 
years.  In politics he has been a Democrat all his life, and 
his first presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan, in 
1856.  He and his son, Granville, are members of El Dorado 
Lodge No. 433, I. O. O. F., and he is also a member of the 
Farmers' Alliance.  He and wife and five children are members 
of the Christian Church.  He and family have improved nearly 
all the farm themselves, there being about thirty-five acres 
cleared when they located there.

History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade and Barton Counties,
Missouri, published by Goodspeed, 1889--Pages 782, 783
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