BIO: Alexander A. Thomson, Cumberland County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
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http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, 
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and 
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and 
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.  Illustrated.  Chicago: Warner, Beers 
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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                                PART II.

             HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

                            CHAPTER XXXVIII.

                          BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

397  BOROUGH OF CARLISLE.

  ALEXANDER A. THOMSON, M.D., Carlisle, was born on the old family 
farm, near Scotland, Franklin Co., Penn., February 11, 1841.  His 
great-grandfather emigrated from Scotland to Franklin County, with his 
family of thirteen children, in 1777, and settled midway between 
Shippensburg and Chambersburg, at a point now called Scotland, in honor 
of his native place.  His son, John, grandfather of our subject, 
married Hannah Rea, and six daughters and two sons were born to them:  
Nancy, married to John Ren-

398  BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

frew; Eliza, married to William Agnew; Margaret, married to a Mr. Lusk; 
Hannah, married to Robert McKee; Sarah, married to Adam Brown; Ann, 
married to Dr. D. S. McGowan; Alexander, married to Margaret Kerr, and 
Samuel, the youngest, and father of subject, married to Miss Mary 
Kyner, a daughter of George and Christina (Nye) Kyner.  Samuel and Mary 
(Kyner) Thomson were members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and 
had nine children, three sons and three daughters living:  Elizabeth, 
wife of John Wilson, a farmer, of Chester County, Penn.; Agnes, wife of 
George Dice, a grocer of Shippensburg; John R., a farmer, of Franklin 
County; Alexander A.; McLeod W., superintendent of "maintenance of way" 
on the Pennsylvania Railway, at Altoona, Penn., and Miss Mary A., who 
resides with Alexander A.  When Alexander A. was twelve years old his 
father moved to Fayetteville and bought an interest in the female 
seminary and the boys' academy, at Fayetteville, and managed the 
boarding house for this seminary for four years.  Our subject took a 
four years' course in the latter institution, at the completion of 
which, in 1857, his father died, and Alexander A. was engaged the 
following winter in teaching school at Fayetteville, and in the spring 
began farming with his eldest brother on the old homestead near 
Scotland.  He followed agriculture three years; then began the study of 
medicine with Drs. Stuart and Rowland, of Shippensburg.  Eighteen 
months later he went to Ann Arbor, Mich., and there attended a course 
of lectures; then read one summer with Dr. A. Harvey Smith, an eminent 
surgeon of Detroit, Mich.  In the fall of 1863 he entered Jefferson 
Medical College, of Philadelphia, Penn., from which institution he was 
graduated in March, 1864, and the same spring located in the practice 
of medicine at Newburg, Cumberland County.  Here he remained in 
practice several years and moved to Cumberland, Md., where he, with his 
brothers, McLeod W., and William Paxton, built the Cumberland Steel 
Works, which they operated one year, when the Doctor sold out, and 
returned to Newburg and formed a partnership with John C. Elliott, 
under the firm name of Elliott & Thomson, in general merchandising for 
three years (until the fall of 1875).  He was then nominated and 
elected, by the people of Cumberland County, Republican treasurer, 
which office he held three years, and in the fall of 1879 was elected 
by the same party sheriff of the county, filling the incumbency three 
years.  In the spring of 1882 he engaged in the cattle business in 
Wyoming Territory, and the year following formed a partnership with 
James D. Greason in the same line.  Two years later they formed the 
Carlisle Live-stock Company, of Wyoming Territory, of which Dr. Thomson 
was chosen president and manager, and he has since been engaged in this 
business.  December 15, 1864, Dr. Thomson was married to Miss Susan 
Rosetta Frazer, a native of near Shippensburg and a daughter of Andrew 
and Annie (Wilson) Frazer, natives of Dauphin County, and who became a 
member of Middle Spring Presbyterian Church.  Dr. and Mrs. Thomson have 
two children living:  Frank Frazer, now attending Dickinson College, 
and Nellie E., attending school.  Mrs. Thomson is a member of the 
Second Presbyterian Church, of Carlisle.  The Doctor ranks among the 
leading successful business men of Carlisle, and, starting in life 
dependent on his own resources, he may be said to be a self-made man.  
As a public officer and business man, he has always had the confidence 
and respect of all.