Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Nancy B. (Warren) Thomson, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Mrs. Nancy B. (Warren) Thomson, one of Johnson county's pioneer women, was born March 6, 1848 in Warrensburg township. She is the daughter of Thomas C. and Elizabeth (Reavis) Warren, the former, a native of Ken- tucky and the latter, of Boone county, Missouri. To Thomas C. and Elizabeth (Reavis) Warren were born the following children: Mrs. R. M. Box, Lamar, Missouri; Dr. James T., a graduate in the old College of Medicine at Philadelphia, after graduating at St. Louis in 1869, vale- dictorian of his class, who was a prominent physician near Rich Hill, Mo., where he was engaged in the practice of medicine, and at Lone Jack in all for 49 years, and widely known as one of the best read and most thoroughly posted men of his profession, his death occurring in 1916; Mrs. Martha Prigmore, Sweetsprings, Missouri; Mrs. Nancy B. Thomson, the subject of this review; Mrs. Angeline Thomson, deceased; Mrs. Caro- line Ashley, deceased; Mrs. Frances Yardley, who died at Lamar, Mo.; Mrs. Emma Cones, who died at Lamar, Mo.; Mrs. Ella Carter, deceased; Mrs. Laura Roark, Mountain View, Oklahoma; Mrs. Mary Tuck, Houstonia, Mo.; Mrs. Ida May Thomson, Lamar, Missouri; and Thomas, Jr., Sedalia, Missouri. Thomas C. Warren, the father of Mrs. Nancy B. Thomson, was born in Kentucky in 1805. He came to Missouri with his father, Martin Warren, and they settled on a farm in Johnson county, land which is now the site of the city of Warrensburg. This city was named in honor of Martin Warren. Their home was the home now occupied by Miss Grover and her brother, who are engaged in the real estate business in Warrensburg. Martin Warren was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. His death occur- red in Warrensburg and his remains were interred in the Warrensburg cemetery. His son, Thomas C., was a prosperous farmer residing on the Cliff Baile farm, which is located three miles southeast of Warrensburg. Thomas C. Warren was united in marriage with Elizabeth Reavis in 1841 and to them were born the thirteen children named in a preceding para- graph, and lived to see all the children grown, married, and all members of the Christian church. Mr. Warren sold his farm to James L. Hickman and moved to Pettis county, then to Cedar county, where his death occurred May 5, 1890. Four years later he was followed in death by his wife, who died February 13, 1894. Nancy B. (Warren) Thomson received her education in a "subscription school" in Johnson county. There were no public schools in this section of the country until after the Civil War. The school was held in an old log house, having puncheon benches and floor. There were no bells in those days but the "Master", as the teacher was called, would call the children from play at recess time by shouting, "Books." Educational advantages were few and not easily obtained in the early days. In the pioneer homes, there was always much work that could be done by the older boys and girls and they were obliged to remain at home much of the time, when school was in session, which was only for a few months each year. September 2, 1868, Nancy B. Warren and Clifton Thomson were united in marriage. Clifton Thomson was born in Pettis county, Mo., a son of Milton Thomson. He was the great-grandson of Gen. David Thomson, who was lieutenant-governor of Kentucky. Prior to coming to Missouri, Milton Thomson was engaged in farming on the Thomson homestead in Kentucky, where General Thomson is now buried. The old Kentucky home place of the Thomsons was near Georgetown, Kentucky, and when Milton Thomson came to Missouri in 1818 and settled in Pettis county, the town which grew from the settlement where he lived, was named Georgetown in honor of Milton Thomson's old home. Gen. David Thomson was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. To Clifton and Nancy B. (Warren) Thomson were born the following children: R. M., who is a well known and highly respected attorney at Ravenna, Nebraska; Mrs. J. W. Dunlap, Fort Worth, Tx.; James R., who died in childhood at the age of 3 years; Clifton, Jr., who died in childhood at the age of 4 years; William, who died in infancy; Mrs. W. C. Barron, Kansas City, Mo.; W. F., who is a prominent merchant of Warrensburg, Mo.; Marian B., who died in childhood at the age of 5 years; and Frank J., who is a prosperous and influential banker of Kansas City, Missouri. Mrs. J. W. Dunlap, nee Grace E. Thomson, the oldest daughter of Mrs. Nancy B. Thomson, was born in Pettis county, Mo. She was a graduate of the Warrensburg State Normal School, and for a number of years engaged in teaching in the public schools of Farmington, Missouri and of Texas. She was united in marriage in 1899 with Prof. J. W. Dunlap, a disting- uished professor of the state of Missouri, who filled various positions in the state as superintendent of schools and institute instructor at St. Joe and Bethany, Missouri. Mr. Dunlap is at present engaged in the mercantile business in Fort Worth, Texas. Mrs. Thomson has lived in Johnson county all her life and she has witnessed many changes in the county during the past half century. She possesses a remarkably reten- tive memory and a great fondness for history. Mrs. Thomson recalls that the city of Sedalia, Mo., was named in honor of Mrs. Sarah E. Cotton, who is now 86 years of age and is residing in Sedalia. Mrs. Cotton was known familiarly as "Seddy" and the name "Sedalia" was de- rived from the "pet name." She is a first cousin of Mr. Clifton Thomson. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Thomson resided on a farm six miles west of Sedalia, Missouri, where they remained seven years. They then moved to a farm six miles northeast of Warrensburg, which was the Thomson home for nine years. From the place northeast of Warrensburg, the Thomsons moved to one just east of the city, where Mr. Thomson was engaged in farming for three years. About 1884, they moved to Warrensburg from the farm and Mr. Thomson entered the real estate and life insurance business in this city. He was a capable, industri- ous, highly esteemed citien and his death in 1899 was the source of deepest regret in this community. His remains were interred in the Warrensburg cemetery. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================