Multnomah-Statewide County OR Archives Biographies.....Thompson, PH. D., A. M., D. D., Rev. Alfred July 12, 1854 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 12, 2010, 8:27 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 289 - 290 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company REV. ALFRED THOMPSON, PH. D., A. M., D. D. One of Gresham's highly honored citizens is Dr. Alfred Thompson, who, after many years of tireless and effective work in the ministry of the Gospel, is now retired and is spending the golden sunset years of his life in well earned leisure. Fred Lockley, after an interview with Dr. Thompson, printed the following in the Oregon Daily Journal of July 25, 1926: "Dr. Alfred Thompson, former pastor of Trinity Methodist Episcopal church, at Tenth and Grant streets, Portland, is now, and has been for many years past, a resident of Gresham. Recently we sat down together in his study and he showed me his books. 'Here is a set of books I prize highly,' he said, as he took down one of the volumes of Tissot's 'Life of Christ.' 'Here is a most interesting book,' he added, as he opened a book written in the Arabic. 'Do you read Arabic?' I inquiried. 'Yes, I keep up my interest in languages,' said Dr. Thompson. 'As a boy, I studied Latin and Greek. Later I took up Hebrew, and still later I added Arabic to my lingual possessions. "'If you have traveled in England you may have heard of my people. I was born in Hull, England, July 12, 1854. Brocklebank dock, at Liverpool, is named for my mother's uncle, Thomas Brocklebank. He was in the shipping business. He was knighted for his invention of a turbine wheel. My mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Hannah Brocklebank. I knew but little of my father, James Thompson, as he died when I was three years old. Thomas Brocklebank's daughter Violet married a son of Mr. Westinghouse, the inventor. There were six children in our family — four girls and two boys. I am the only one of the six now living. "'As a boy, I attended the National school at Sigglesthorn, in Yorkshire. At that time I was a member of the established church. For six years I was a chorister in the choir there. Archdeacon Bentink was rector of the church in which I served as chorister. The son of his brother, Count Bentink, owns the estate at Doorn, Holland, at which William II, former emperor of Germany, is now, and has been for some years past, a guest. "'From Sigglesthorn I went to the Hull and East Riding College, on Kingston-upon-Hull, in Yorkshire, majoring in ancient languages, and afterwards taught Latin there. Later I secured a position as instructor in Latin and English at Elmfield College, at York. "'On July 18, 1881, I was married to Elizabeth Ann Clark, and exactly one month later we sailed for America. My wife is a daughter of William Nelson and Ann (Thomas) Clark, and a direct descendant of Lord Nelson's family. My first work in this country was as a teacher in the public schools at Colebrook, Pennsylvania. During the two years I taught there I attended the Methodist church, which I joined. I was licensed to preach, and preached at Lingelstown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. "'At the suggestion of Rev. G. W. Grannis, formerly of Pennsylvania, but at that time presiding elder of the Columbia River conference, I came west in the fall of 1883 to Bellevue, Idaho, where I served as pastor of the Methodist church and taught in the public school. I joined the Idaho conference at its first session, which met at Boise in the fall of 1884. I was assigned to the church at Emmett, Idaho, where I served as pastor for three years. In 1885 I built the parsonage at Emmett and in 1886 built the first Methodist church there. From Emmett I went as pastor of the church at Summerville, in Union county, Oregon. I built the first Methodist church at Elgin, which was a part of the Summerville charge, and Pine Grove was also a part of that charge, and I built a church there. While serving as pastor at Summerville I frequently preached at Enterprise, Lostine, Wallowa and Joseph. That is a beautiful country up there. It is well called the "Switzerland of America." "'In the fall of 1889 I went to Salem and attended Willamette University for a year. From Salem I went to Chicago and put in three years in Northwestern University, studying theology and Arabic, and brushing up on my Greek and Hebrew. "'In 1893 I came to Portland and studied at the Portland University, at Peninsula park. Rev. H. K. Hines and Rev. Nehemiah Doane were members of the faculty and W. T. Van Scoy, former president of the Willamette University, was president. In addition to my work as a student I taught Greek there one year. "'In 1894 I went to La Grande and served as pastor two years. I put in the next two years as pastor at Union and followed that with three years at Dayton, Washington. While at Union I organized the first Latin class in the high school, and taught there one year. From Dayton I came to Portland as pastor of Trinity church, in East Portland, serving as pastor for three years. My next charge was at Lebanon. After two years I came to Gresham. This was in 1905. I served as pastor for three years and during that time I built the church here. At the end of my three years' pastorate here I retired. "'I bought fifteen acres on the edge of the city, but the city began growing around my little farm, so I platted it as Thompson's addition to Gresham in 1911, and now all the lots are sold. I retained a tract for our home, and I busy myself gardening, for almost every native-born Briton loves the soil. I also visit the sick and conduct funerals and carry on pastoral work on a volunteer basis. "'Yes, I have six diplomas. I received my Bachelor of Arts from Puget Sound University, at Tacoma, as well as my Bachelor of Divinity and my Doctor of Philosophy. I received my Master of Arts degree from Willamette. Our eldest son, Dr. Frederic Foster Thompson, who was born in Colebrook, Pennsylvania, in 1882, with Drs. Reuter and Coberth, owns the hospital at The Dalles. Our son Ernest Brocklebank Thompson, born at Ola, Idaho, in 1886, is in the automobile business at The Dalles. Our son Dr. Wilbur Hines Thompson, born at Braidwood, Illinois, is a practicing physician at Oak Ridge.'" Dr. Thompson is a man of strong individuality, pleasing address and cordial, friendly manner, and during the years of his residence in Gresham has won a particularly warm place in the hearts of the people with whom he has mingled. He has stood ready at all times to cooperate in efforts to promote the best interests of the community and is regarded as one of its representative men. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/thompson1052gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb