Thompson Family
I'm most grateful to G.L. Thompson for a careful analysis of census and other records regarding this family.
First Generation
My great-grandfather Conder Jerome wrote in 1937 that his great-grandparents were John (called Johnnie) Thompson and Nancy Cawthorne, and listed their children. So far I have no information on John's parents, and while I feel pretty sure that his wife belongs to the Cawthorne or Cauthen family who were making their way from Essex Co. VA through Warren Co. NC to Mecklenburg Co. NC and adjacent SC in the late 1700s, I haven't identified her father either.However, I may have been looking under the wrong rocks - G.L. Thompson told me that John's wife is listed as Catherine rather than Nancy in the 1850 and 1860 census records, so I need to revisit my earlier Cawthorne sources to see if I can find her under that name.
Second Generation
Children of John Thompson and Catherine (?) CawthorneCaroline Thompson (1809-1892) m. Peter Conder (d. 1888)
John Thompson, died of smallpox, according to Conder Jerome; probably d. before 1840
Elizabeth Thompson m. Thomas Alison Wilson in 1844, died before 1848
Eliza Thompson m. Alison Wilson after her sister's death
Jane Thompson (ca. 1817-before 1880) m. Samuel W. Newell
Nelson Thompson: see below
Lewis Thompson (ca. 1824-after 1860) m. Aurora Elizabeth Orr
Myra Thompson m. Robert Lewis
James Thompson (1825-1890) m. Martha Tirzah Craig
Newton Thompson (1827-1906) m. Sarah F. Rogers (ca. 1840 - after 1920 census)
Larkin Thompson (1827-1890) m. Elizabeth Craig (ca. 1837 - after 1910 census).
Minerva Catherine Thompson (ca. 1832-after 1910 census) m. Franklin Poore
Newton and Larkin were twins.
Conder Jerome wrote that Minerva Thompson also married Harvey Querry, but she married Franklin Poore as Thompson (1866) and is listed as Minerva C. Poor in the 1910 census.
Conder Jerome listed a son named Nelson about whom I had very little information when I first prepared this page. I now think that this is John Nelson Thompson who married Louisa B. Orr in 1847, and died in 1858, leaving four children: Bolivar (Boliver or Bolliver in some records), Octavia, Walter, and John Frank. Louisa died in 1861, and in April 1862, J.S. Reid was named as guardian of Bolivar and Walter, and W.P. Houston as guardian of Octavia and John Frank. Can anyone confirm this?
Sources
Memoir of Conder Parson JeromeLaney, Clara, compiler, Union County Cemeteries 1710--1914 and Roster of Confederate and Revolutionary Soldiers NC Historical Survey, 1958
This page was revised on March 4, 2005 - thanks again to G.L. Thompson!
Other Resources
THOMPSON family DNA projectI am willing to pay for a DNA test by a male line descendant of any of the men whose names are in red above, or, if his ancestry can be proved, John Nelson Thompson. I have found no evidence that Larkin Thompson had any children, so I haven't flagged his name for testing.