Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 96] the proprietor of a thriving grocery business, recently established at 198 East Long Avenue, New Castle, was born in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, December 23, 1845. His native township continued to be his home through his younger years and its district schools were diligently attended until he enlisted in the army February 27, 1865, in Company G, 78th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He served through the remainder of the war, saw service in Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama, and was honorably discharged at Nashville, September 11, 1865. On his return from the front he lived at home a short time, and then served three months as an apprentice to a carpenter, but discontinued that trade to learn cabinet-making, at which he worked some seven years, both in Sharon and in New Castle. He again took up the carpenter's trade, and followed it in Sharon until 1873, when he came to New Castle, and was engaged in building in that city until 1890, also working at various times in this period in the planing mills. Then for a number of years he was not actively engaged in any occupation, but in the fall of 1895 he built a store-room at No. 198 East Long Avenue, and on the first day of January, 1896, he opened it to the patronage of the public with a fine stock of groceries, dealing in bakery products as well. He is enjoying an excellent trade, and with improving times will widely extend his business.
Mr. Thompson is a son of David and Elizabeth A. (Love) Thompson, the latter a daughter of Hugh Love. David Thompson was born in Pulaski township on the same farm as was his son, our subject, and lived and died there at the age of seventy-four years. With the exception of a few years in early life when he followed the trade of a carpenter, he made farming his sole vocation. He was a stanch Republican in his political views. His parents, George and Elizabeth (Scott) Thompson, were among the early pioneers of the county, and lived on the farm all their lives. George Thompson was an expert at the shoemaker's trade, and supplied all his family with foot wear.
The subject of this notice was joined in marriage, Oct. 10, 1868, to Josephine Reynolds, a daughter of John F. and Margaret J. (Hickman) Reynolds, and a granddaughter of Robert Reynolds, who married a Miss Spessard. Robert Reynolds, was one of the earliest settlers of the county, coming here when there were but three log-houses in New Castle, and buying a farm in the wilderness, where wild game was quite plentiful; it was a common sight to see deer, and wolves and bear were still too frequent to be pleasant. The present comfortable residence of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson at No. 203 East Long Avenue stands on a part of her grandfather's farm. Our subject's family consists of six children, who are as follows: Mary Olive, wife of Frank A. Crowe of West Newton; James Howard; Charles Reynolds; Almeda Pearl, the wife of Alvin C. Patterson of McKeesport, Pa.; Florence Emily; and Margaret Elizabeth. All of Mr. Thompson's family are members of the Epworth M. E. Church. Mr. Thompson is a stalwart Republican, and was a member of the city council for five years. As a veteran of the late war, he is a member of G. A. R. Post, No. 100, of New Castle, Pa.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 26 Apr 2001