BIO: James Baxter THOMPSON, Dauphin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JAWB

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm
_______________________________________________________________ 

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, page 303.
_______________________________________________________________ 

  THOMPSON, JAMES BAXTER, was born in Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pa., 
September 21, 1823. He is a son of Samuel and Letitia (Brown) Thompson, 
the grandfather Thompson and both parents having been born in Carlisle.  
The father of Mr. Thompson was a carpenter and spent the whole of his 
life in Cumberland county, where he died August 12, 1851, his wife 
surviving him until 1863.  Their family consisted of eight children, of 
whom four survive:  Thomas B., born April 3, 1812, residing at 
Carlisle, Pa., the oldest living settler of that town; Amelia, widow of 
the late Adam Crouse, born December 15, 1818, residing at Carlisle; 
Joseph C., born August 18, 1820, residing at Carlisle, and James 
Baxter.  The four other members of the family who have died are:  
Samuel, died aged nineteen; William, aged seventy-six; Nancy, aged 
sixty-eight, and John, aged seventy-six.
  James Baxter was reared to manhood and received a limited education 
in his native town.  He was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade for 
three years, six months and eight days.  Completing his apprenticeship, 
he removed to Harrisburg and continued to work at his trade until 1868, 
since which date he has been only occasionally employed at the 
business, of late years living a retired life.  He was twice married; 
first at Harrisburg, in 1852, to Emily J. Black, daughter of Joseph and 
Elizabeth Black, a native of Harrisburg.  Two children were born of 
this marriage, both of whom died in childhood.  Mrs. (Reily) Thompson, 
the present wife, was born in Myerstown, Lebanon county, Pa., March 7, 
1829 (and first wife died in July, 1855).  Mrs. Thompson's father, 
William Reily, died July 28, 1843; her mother, May 23, 1866.  They had 
a family of sixteen children, three only of whom survive, namely:  John 
A., born September 20, 1826; Mrs. Thompson, and Edward F., born January 
8, 1835.  Mr. Thompson was married the second time at Harrisburg, 
November 26, 1857, to Martha M. Reily, daughter of William and Salome 
Reily.  The Reily family settled in Lebanon county at a very early 
date, and removed to Harrisburg in 1836, where they lived the rest of 
their lives.  The father was a carpenter by trade, but spent his latter 
years in agricultural pursuits.  To this second marriage of Mr. 
Thompson there have been born five children, four of whom are living, 
namely:  Edwin C., Harrisburg, Emily R., Harrisburg, James C., 
Harrisburg, William F., Philadelphia.  In political views Mr. Thompson 
is a Republican and an old-time abolitionist.  The family attend the 
Reformed church.