McDonough ILGenWeb

THOMPSON, R. F., a well-known resident of Colchester, McDonough County, Ill., who is successfully engaged in the drayage business, was born in Colchester Township, September 17, 1855, a son of James and Hannah (Hooton) Thompson, natives of the State of Ohio. James Thompson was a farmer by occupation and pursued that vocation in Colchester Township until the Civil War, when he enlisted in the Union Army. When the war was nearly over he was taken prisoner and confined in Andersonville prison, where he died. R. F. Thompson is the sixth of a family of nine children born to his parents, of whom eight were boys. He remained with his mother on the farm until 1882, during his boyhood attending the public schools of that vicinity. In the year named he settled in Colchester and went into the draying business, starting with one team and a dray. In this line Mr. Thompson, through his energy, industry and close attention to his work, has made such good headway that he now conducts the largest business of the kind in town, and his patronage continues to increase. He maintains an office at his residence, with telephone connections.

On November 30, 1882, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage with Maggie E. Campbell, who was born in Colchester, where in girlhood she attended the public schools. This union has been the source of five children, namely: Del Roy, Elsie, Erma, Ruth and Lawrence; the last named died at the age of three years and eight months. As between the political parties, the subject of this sketch follows the Republican lead. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Order of Mystic Workers.

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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, pages 1020-1021, extracted 07 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass.