Memorials › Sgt James J. Thompson

Sgt James J. Thompson

18 Dec 1835 – 8 Jan 1916

Birth18 Dec 1835
Death8 Jan 1916
CemeteryPecan Grove Cemetery
McKinney , Collin County , Texas , USA
Added bySherry on 23 Jun 2008
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6628455

Gravesite details

Sgt. James J. Thompson served with Co. I of the 9th Texas Inf. CSA during the war of 1861-65. He died Jan. 31st 1916 at age 81

Bio

James J. Thompson was son of George Overton and Margaret Thompson. When he was quite a young man, he went west as Horace Greeley advised. He came to Collin County and McKinney in the early 1860's. The Civil War was just beginning and he enlisted in a company being organized in McKinney, the company made up of Collin County men. There were 95 men who enlisted for a period of 12 months, but when that time was up they all re-enlisted for the duration of the war. The Company took part in many areas and were in the Battle of Shiloh where his commander and many of the men lost their lives. Following his war years he returned to his boyhood home in Kentucky, but the pull of pioneering prompted him to return to Texas, this time to make his home. He settled in the Rock Hill Community west of McKinney. Here he farmed his 320 acres and built his home fronting on the old Preston Road, the most traveled road leading north from Dallas. He married Dollie Field, daughter of a very early pioneer family from Missouri, Jesse Field. Two children were born to them, George Field Thompson and Margaret who became Mrs. G. H. Provine. Besides farming, Thompson operated his own gin and general store and served as postmaster for a while. His wife died while the children were small. In 1888, while still maintaining his farming operations, Thompson and his family moved to McKinney and bought a home built by R.H. Parker in 1877. The home was surrounded by 125 acres and was situated on Rock Hill Road near the limits of McKinney on the west. The home was built along colonial lines with lumber hauled by ox-wagons from Jefferson in east Texas. It was surrounded by huge oak and pecan trees estimated them to be 100 years old; a picture of beauty, ready for gracious living. Thompson married Mrs. Anna (Allen) Gatewood, a widow who had come with her son Allen from Moscow, Tennessee, in 1883. Four children were born of this marriage: James Jason, Rebecca (Mrs. J.B. Crockett), Ruth (Mrs. Paul K. Wilson), and Rachel (Mrs. Aubrey B Griffin). His descendants recall an incident that happened back in the end of the last century, an incident that bears out the quote from an old paper that called him "the gentleman with the Chesterfield manners". While living on Rock Hill Road, the notorious outlaw Sam Bass and his gang appeared in his store one day and declared their intention of robbing the store. Thompson stepped aside and told the robbers to help themselves, even helped them carry out heavy objects. After a bit Sam Bass came back into the store and told Thompson that they had intended taking everything he had but they had been treated so politely they weren't taking a thing. Thompson's small son who had been hiding under a counter rushed to the house to report the incident.0000000..

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