Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of John Thompson

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Descendants of John Thompson

Generation No. 1

1. JOHN¹ THOMPSON was born Abt. 1792 in Dorchester County, Maryland, and died 1869. He married CATHERINE TROTT August 08, 1834 in Dorchester County, Maryland, daughter of CAPTAIN TROTT and SARAH. She was born November 13, 1811 in Dorchester County, Maryland, and died June 01, 1882 in Kent Island.

Notes for JOHN THOMPSON:
John Thompson was born circa 1792 in Dorchester County, Maryland; the 1860 Queen Anne County census lists his age as 68 years. Queen Anne County death certificates list the birthplace of the deceased person's parents. Two of his three sons' death certificates specifically state that John and his wife, Catherine Trott were born in Dorchester County. The information that is provided in the third death certificate is probably an error. John Thompson married Catherine Trott (Spelled Troth in the records) in Dorchester County on July 3, 1834. John, Catherine and their children may have resided in Saint Mary's County when the 1850 census was taken and John may have been a shoemaker. They came to Kent Island, Queen Anne County, Maryland in 1850 according to the book, Portrait & Biographical Record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

John Thompson's parents are not known. . Two possible lineages have been found. John Thompson's father may have been Thomas Thompson who died in 1818 in Dorchester County. An 1818 Dorchester County newspaper abstract lists John Thompson and John Harper as administrators of Thomas Thompson's estate of Dorchester County, deceased (Source: Maryland Eastern Shore Newspaper Abstracts, Vol 4 1819 - 1824 by F. Edward Wright). A second possible lineage is from William Thompson and Mary Fordyce, a line that originated in Scotland, to Ireland and to America (Source: John J. Yanik, jr. jbailey@lcsys.net). William and Mary Thompson had ten children who scattered to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. Two brothers, Richard and John, settled in the Dorchester County area of Maryland, Richard Thompson was born in 1663 and married Margaret Beatty September 8, 1689. The other brother was John Thompson born about 1690.

Catherine Trott's parents were Captain Alexander and Sarah Trott of Dorchester County, Maryland. Maryland Archives Library microfilm M11705, Baptisms, Marraiges, and Deaths 1840-1879 Talbot Parrish, shows that Alexander Trott and Catherine Trott were babtized into the Catholic Church.

Queen Anne County Census records show that John and Catherine Thompson reared three sons, Alexander, Thomas and Richard and a daughter, Sarah. Like their parents, all were born in Dorchester County. Alexander, later known as "Alec" or "Alex" is the eldest son, born about 1835. Their daughter Sarah A. was born in 1845. The second son Thomas J. was born in 1842. The third son Richard P. was born in 1846.

Neither the 1850 Queen Anne county census nor the 1850 Dorchester County census contains a John Thompson approximately 58 years of age, his wife named Catherine 39 years of age, a son named Alexander 15 years of age, a daughter named Sarah 14 years of age, a son named Thomas 8 years of age and a son named Richard 4 years of age. However, the 1850 Saint Mary's County census does list a John and Catherine Thompson family that may be a match. The 1850 census of Saint Mary's County lists a John Thompson, age 61, as a "shoemaker. Lists "Catherine", aged 36. Children are: Alexander, 15 yrs, sailor; Sarah, 14 yrs; Joseph M., 12 yrs; Catherine, 9 yrs; James J., 7 yrs; Richard, 4 yrs The census list all born in Dorchester County. The ages for three children (Alexander, Sarah and Richard) are an exact match. The occupation of "sailor" for Alexander is also a match. John is listed as 61 years of age not 58. Catherine is listed as 36 years of age not 39. The biggest discrepancy is that there is no listing for the son Thomas J. who would have been 8 years of age in 1850. Three additional children, not accounted for in the Queen Anne County census of 1860, are also listed in the 1850 Saint Mary's County census (Joseph, Catherine and James). They would have been 22, 19 and 17 years of age in 1860 and may have left the household when the 1860 Queen Anne County census was taken or some or all three may have not survived the ten year period between the 1850 census and the 1860 census.

The 1860 Queen Anne County census is the first census that specifically mentions John and Catherine Thompson and their three sons Alexander, Thomas and Richard. Their son Alexander married the "girl next door", Julia Legg two years later.

      John Thompson white male 68 yrs farmer (Lives next to Holten Legg)
      Catherine white female 49 yrs
      Alexander white male 25 yrs sailor
      Thomas white male 16 yrs
      Richard white male 13 yrs
      George Trott white male 12 yrs

The 1870 Queen Anne County census does not include John Thompson, providing confirmation that John Thompson was no longer living. His widow, Catherine, appears to have been counted twice in the 1870 Queen Anne County census and is also counted in the 1880 Queen Anne County census. She died in 1882.

      1870 QA MD Census. Pg. 42. 4th Elec. Dist. Line 6. D210/F210
      THOMPSON, Catharine 57 [c 1813] f/w keeping house
      Richard 24 m/w sailor on sail vessel RE$350, PP$250
      Johnson, Daniel Webster 22 m/w domestic servant

      1870 QA MD Census - Pg 42 D210 F211 4th Dist Broad Creek
      Thompson, Catharine, 57 (b. abt 1813), house
      Thompson, Richard, 24 (b. abt 1846), sailor on sail vessel $350/250

      1880 QA MD Census - Schedule 1. 4th Election District 23 day of June 1880.
      Pg 49, Supervisors Distr 2, Enum. Distr. 62. Family 298
      THOMPSON, Thomas J. w m 39 oysterman
      Mary A. w/f 30
      Charles w/m 11
      Anna w/f 9
      Carrie w/f 4
      Thomas w/m 1
      James w/m 1/12
      RICHARD, w/m 35 brother, oysterman
      EDWARD w/m 7 nephew, school

Alexander Thompson's death certificate states that he was born April 20, 1835 in Dorchester County and died December 25, 1917 from Chronic Bronchitis at the age of 82 years, 8 months and 5 days. His parents are listed as John Thompson and Catherine Trott, both of whom were born in Dorchester County,
Maryland. Alexander named his third son John H. Thompson, presumably after his father.

Sarah A. Thompson is listed in the 1880 Queen Anne County census as the wife of Samuel W. Jones, an oysterman, aged 48 years. She was 44 years of age delineating her year of birth as 1836. The connection to John and Catherine Thompson is through this census record as it lists "Catherine Thompson, white female, aged 66, Mother-in-Law". Further connection is through two nieces living in the household, Mary C. aged 7 and Hattie aged 4. These are the daughters of Richard P. and Charlotte Thompson and granddaughters to John and Catherine Thompson. Their mother, Charlotte, died in 1879. Their Father, Richard and brother, Edward aged 7 years, were living with the Thomas J. Thompson household according to the same census.

Thomas J. Thompson's death certificate states that he was born April 9, 1842 in Dorchester County, Maryland and he died April 30, 1912 on Kent Island, Queen Anne County, Maryland. He died from apoplexy [stroke] at the age of 70 years and 21 days. He is buried in a small cemetery in the backyard of a personal residence in Dominion on Kent Island, Maryland. The document lists his father as John Thompson. Two discrepancies exist on the death certificate. Thomas E. Thompson, Thomas J. Thompson's son and John Thompson's grandson, was the informant for the death certificate. From information provided by Thomas E. Thompson for the death certificate to Dr. Kemp, the birthplace of the father was Kent Island and the maiden name of the mother was "Baxter". It is likely that Thomas E. Thompson was confused by the grief of loosing his father and misunderstood the questions. If he misunderstood the questions as pertaining to the birthplace and maiden name of his father and mother, vs. the deceased's father and mother, the answers make sense and cannot be disputed. His father, Thomas J. Thompson (The deceased) was born on Kent Island and his mother was Mary A. Baxter.

Thomas J. Thompson is listed in the book, Portrait & Biographical Record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland . He is cited as being born circa 1841, a three-year discrepancy with the census records and a five-year discrepancy with his death certificate. The document states that Captain [Thomas J.] Thompson was born in Dorchester County and in 1850 came with his parents to Kent Island. The document states, "After the death of his father in 1869, he married Mary A. Baxter". It is assumed that the author wanted to convey in this statement that Thomas J. Thompson married Mary A. Baxter in 1869, after the death of his father.

Richard P. Thompson's death certificate does not cite a birthdate, but it is calculated to be about 1846, based on the information provided by the certificate. He died May 26, 1910 from exhaustion caused by organic heart disease at the age of 64 years, 1 months and 18 days at Ford's Store [Grasonville], Queen Anne County, Maryland. His parents are listed as John Thompson and Catherine Trott, both of whom were born in Dorchester County, Maryland. His first wife, Charlotte Anne, is buried in the Jones Family Cemetery in Dominion, Kent Island, Queen Anne County, Maryland.

The burial locations for John and Catherine Thompson are unknown. No records for them have been found in Queen Anne County, Maryland. The second most reasonable location to look is Dorchester County, Maryland, their place of birth. There exists a potential match for John Thompson. The Saint Paul's Church, Vienna Parish, Dorchester County, MD lists a burial for John Thompson, aged 78 years, buried on 9/28/1866. This would have put his birth at 1788, consistent with the 61 year-old shoemaker listed in the 1850 Saint Mary's County census that was born in Dorchester County. "Tombstone Records Of Dorchester County, MD 1678-1964; compiled by Nellie M. Marshall, Chairman, Cemetery Records Committee, Dorchester County Historical Society, Inc. 1965", Page 78 lists John Thompson, born May 28, 1878; died September 26, 1866 as buried in St. Paul's Cemetery, Vienna, MD. Also listed is Mary Thompson, born August 26, 1795; died October 9, 1870 - not "Catherine" thus casting some doubt on the match if they are interred side-by-side as husband and wife. The name of "Mary" could be explained, but the date of her death is clearly not a match. John and Catherine named a daughter "Mary Catherine" and it is known that Catherine Trott had converted to the Catholic Church which has a tradition of adopting names of the saints. Catherine Trott could have taken the name "Mary Catherine" at her conversion to catholicism. However, the date of death is clearly not a match for John Thompson's wife, Catherine Trott, was alive and counted in the 1880 Queen Anne County census.

There exists on Kent Island during the mid-1800's another Thompson Family, including a John and Alexander Thompson, who can be confused with the Thompson Family described herein. These Thompsons descend from Augustine Thompson (b. 1691), have extensive land holdings that they farm and are well educated. The Inn located on Thompson's Creek, known as Kent Manor Inn was their home on Kent Island. Because of the land holdings, documents such as wills, taxes and court records exist for this Thompson line. They owned tracts of land in Queen Anne, Talbot and Dorchester Counties.

Generation 1 - Augustine Thompson (b.1691) & Sarah Salter
Generation 2 - Dr. Samuel Thompson (b.1720) and Elizabeth Charmichael
Generation 3 - Dr.William Thompson (b.1754) and Ann Sudler
Generation 4 - Dr. Samuel Thompson (b.1777, d.1844) and Sarah Smyth (b.1811)
Generation 5 - Alexander W. Thompson (b.1816, d.1874) and Rev. John A. Thompson (b. 1817)

The Reverend John Thompson was the Rector of Christ Church in Stevensville between 1820 and 1897. He married Sarah in 1880, the same year as his death. They had no issue (children). Alexander Williamson Thompson was born April 19, 1816 and died December 30, 1874. He had three wives during his lifetime, Mary Ann, Mary R. Harper and Ellen "Nellie" Powell. He had a son with Ellen, which he named after himself that was born in 1857.

      1860 Census records for Alexander W. Thompson are as follows:
      Alexander W. THOMPSON Pg 25 D162 F159 in 4th district
      44 farmer 40,000/13,000
      wife Ellen 24
      dau Catherine 6
      Sarah Andrews 45 housekeeper
      John F. Mucorn or Hucorn 38 painter

      1870 Census
      Alexander [Thompson] Pg 33 D157 F157 4th Dist
      age 54, farmer $35,000/$8,000
      wife Ellen J. W. age 34 keep house
      Catharine 16
      William 9
      Ella 7
      Augustine 1 3/12

The data describe two distinct Thompson Families on Kent Island in 1850. The first being, John Thompson Family and his sons Alexander, Thomas J. and Richard P. Thompson. They are carpenters, boat-builders and watermen. The second being the descendants of Dr. Samuel Thompson and Sarah Smyth, including two brothers The Reverend John Thompson and Alexander W. Thompson. The Reverend John Thompson marries in the same year of his death and has no children. Alexander W. Thompson is 44 years old in 1860 and is listed as a farmer. He is the owner of the prosperous farm known as Kent Manor, located on Thompson's Creek of Kent Island. Whereas in 1860, Alec Thompson is 25 years old, 19 years younger, and is living with his parents and is employed as a sailor. An easy assumption would be that Alexander W. Thompson was Alexander "Alec" Thompson's father. However Alec's death certificate proves this to not be the case. Alec's father was John Thompson, husband of Catherine Trott, both of whom came from Dorchester County, Maryland approximately 1850.


Children of JOHN THOMPSON and CATHERINE TROTT are:

2.	i.	ALEXANDER² THOMPSON, b. April 20, 1835, Dorchestr County, Maryland; d. December 25, 1917, Chester, Queen Anne County, Maryland.
3.	ii.	SARAH H. THOMPSON, b. 1836.
4.	iii.	THOMAS J. THOMPSON, b. April 09, 1842, Dorchester County, Maryland; d. April 30, 1912.
5.	iv.	RICHARD P. THOMPSON, b. April 1846, Dorchester County, Maryland; d. May 26, 1910, Fords Store, Queen Anne County, Maryland.

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