My Genealogy Hound

Andrew J. Thompson, one of the prominent farmers of Washington County, Ark., and one of the old and well-known citizens of the same, was born in Campbell County, Tenn., on the 7th of October, 1816, and is the fourth of ten children born to the marriage of Blackburn Thompson and Lucretia Lawson, who were born in Virginia in 1791 and Tennessee in 1792, respectively. After reaching man’s estate Blackburn Thompson was seized with the passion of immigration, and went to Tennessee, where he met and married Miss Lawson, with whom he immigrated to Madison County, Ark., in 1856. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, under Gen. Jackson, and died in the State of his adoption in 1861, his wife’s death occurring in the same county and State in 1880. Andrew J. Thompson is the only one of his father’s family now living, and at the age of twenty-one years left his father’s house and came westward, reaching Arkansas in very limited circumstances, his sole possessions being a good constitution, a pair of willing hands and an old flint-lock rifle. He immediately set to work, and by energy, industry and economy has fought the battle of life successfully, and is now the owner of 489 acres of land and has a good and comfortable home. He is a representative man of the county, and stands high in the estimation of the people. April 11, 1839, he was married to Phoebe Gray, who was born in Campbell County, Tenn., in 1815, and Henry G., Lucretia, Nancy J., Lewis W. and Mary Ann are the children born to their union. The parents have been active members of the Baptist Church for many years, and in his political views Mr. Thompson is a Democrat. His son, Henry G. Thompson, was born in 1840 near where he now lives, and most of his life has been spent in Washington County. When the late Civil War broke out be joined the Confederate forces, and was promoted to the rank of third lieutenant of Boone’s company, Company I, Sixteenth Arkansas Regiment. He afterward left the company, and upon his return to it was given the post of sergeant, and participated in the battles of Elkhorn, Prairie Grove and numerous other minor engagements. After peace was declared he returned home and resumed work on the old homestead, but was burned out in October, 1872, and soon after removed to a farm on the main fork of the White River, where he lived three years, and then came to his present farm of 280 acres, with about eighty acres under cultivation. He was married in 1866 to Miss Sarah F. Malloy, who was born in Tennessee and died April 10, 1873, leaving a family of three children: James, Ina, wife of David Griffe, and Mary O., who is residing with her grandfather, Andrew J. Thompson. August 8, 1876, Mr. Thompson married his present wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Bushart, by whom he has one son, Lewis L. Mrs. Thompson was born in Tennessee, and is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Knights of the Horse, and votes the Democratic ticket.