McDonough ILGenWeb

THOMPSON, Oliver, proprietor of a feed barn, in Macomb, Ill., was born near Beardstown, Cass County, Ill., December 5, 1845, the son of John and Elizabeth (White) Thompson, natives, respectively, of Tennessee and North Carolina. His paternal grandfather, John Thompson, was born in Germany, and his mother's father, George White, was a native of Ireland. Mr. Thompson was a member of a family of ten children, of whom he was next to the youngest. He received his early mental training in the common schools, and remained at home, engaged in farm work, until twenty-two years old. He then lived on a farm which he owned in Morgan County, Ill., until 1875, when he came to McDonough County, and there he purchased another farm. Eight years later he again located in Morgan County, where he remained three years, when, returning to McDonough County, he bought a farm of eighty-five acres in Industry Township, and after living on it one season, moved to Macomb. On November 2, 1891, he entered into the livery business on West Jackson Street, where he continued until the spring of 1904, when he sold out and opened a feed barn on East Jackson Street in company with J. O. Head.

Mr. Thompson was married September 4, 1882, to Eliza Rexroat, a native of Iowa, who received her education in the public schools. The children of this union are James, Arthur and Ollie (Mrs. Greenup), of Missouri. He had previously been married to Margaret Rexroat, who was born in Morgan County, Ill., and died in 1878. Politically, Mr. Thompson is a Republican, and fraternally, he belongs to the I. O. O. F. He is a member of the Church of United Brethren.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 1020, extracted 07 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass.