Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1889, volume 6).djvu/116

THOMPSON, John Burton, senator, b. near Harrodsburg, Ky., 14 Dec, 1810; d. in Harrodsburg, 7 Jan., 1874. His ancestor came to Virginia from England as a captain in the royal navy. John was educated at private schools, studied law under his father, and succeeded to his extensive practice at Harrodsburg. He served as commonwealth's attorney, was chosen to the legislature in 1835 and 1836, and in 1840 was elected to congress as a Whig to fill a vacancy, serving from 7 Dec., 1840, till 3 March, 1843. He raised a company of cavalry for the Mexican war, but more than the necessary number of volunteers from his state offered themselves, and it was not accepted. He served again in congress in 1847-'51, and in the latter year, when Archibald Dixon was nominated by the Whigs for governor, Thompson, who had been a candidate for the office, was given second place on the ticket. Dixon was defeated, but Thompson was elected by a large majority, and in 1853 was sent to the U. S. senate, where he served a full term. In that body he was a member of the committees on private land-claims and pensions. Mr. Thompson was especially eminent as a jury lawyer, and was also a successful orator. His most noted political speech was that on the Cuban question. He was a man of broad culture, quiet and even reserved in manner. In politics he was a Clay Whig till the disruption of the party just before the civil war, when he became a Unionist.

THOMPSON, John Reuben, author, b. in Richmond, Va., 23 Oct., 1823; d. in New York city, 30 April, 1873. He was graduated at the University of Virginia in 1844, afterward studied law there, and settled in Richmond, with every prospect of success in his profession. But he had always been a lover of literature and a keen student of it, and these proclivities became more dominating after he had completed his education. Accordingly, in 1847, he accepted the editorship of the "Southern Literary Messenger." This magazine was a power in its day, and did no little to foster a literary spirit among the younger race of southern men. Mr. Thompson brought a great deal of zeal and energy into the editorial chair, and during the twelve years in which he successfully carried forward his literary work in connection with this monthly he imparted to it such a character as no southern magazine has ever had before or since. He did much to bring southern talent to light, and in the pages of the

"Southern Messenger" Donald G. Mitchell first published his "Reveries of a Bachelor" and "Dream Life." Here too appeared the early writings of John Esten Cooke. Philip Pendleton Cooke, Paul H. Hayne, and Henry Timrod. In 1854 Mr. Thompson went to Europe in search of health. During this absence he wrote papers for the "Southern Messenger," which long afterward he collected in book-form. One copy had been sent to the author, and the edition, except this, was burned in the publishing-house. His health continued so delicate that in 1859 he resigned his editorship in Richmond and went to Augusta, Ga., where he edited the "Southern Field and Fireside." In 1863 he went abroad again in such delicate health that his friends did not expect him to reach the farther shore alive; but the sea-voyage revived him, and he rapidly improved. He chose London as his residence, where he was regularly engaged on the staff of the "London Index," and contributed to "Blackwood's Magazine." Some time after the civil war he returned home in broken health and dispirited. Finding it impossible to do anything in the way of literature in the south, he became literary editor of the "New York Evening Post," continuing as such for several years, until his health failed again. He made a last effort to restore it by going to Colorado in 1872, where he spent the winter, returning in the spring, only to die. Mr. Thompson was a polished and graceful writer, both of prose and verse, but he did his most effective work as a literary editor. Many of his lyrics are household words in the south, especially in his native state, and his influence in fostering the talents of writers that have since distinguished themselves was decided. He was greatly beloved for his genial and refined nature. Among his most admired poems are "The Burial of Latane," "The Death of Stuart," and "The Battle Rainbow."

THOMPSON, Sir John Sparrow David, Canadian jurist, b. in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 10 Nov., 1844. His father was a native of Waterford, Ireland, for some time queen's printer, and subsequently superintendent of the money-order system of Nova Scotia. The son was educated at the common school and at Free-church academy, Halifax, studied law, was called to the bar in July, 1865, and appointed a queen's counsel in May, 1879. He was counsel on behalf of the U. S. government, acting with the American lawyers before the fishery commission at Halifax under the Washington treaty. He was made a member of the executive council and attorney-general of Nova Scotia on 22 Oct., 1878, and was premier and attorney-general of the same province from 25 May until 25 July, 1882, when he was appointed a judge of the supreme court. He resigned on 25 Sept., 1885, and was made minister of justice and attorney-general of Canada. He was a member of the house of assembly of Nova Scotia from December, 1877, until July, 1882. Mr. Thompson was elected to the Dominion parliament on 16 Oct., 1885, and re-elected in February, 1887. He was attached to the British commission, which arranged the fishery treaty at Washington, D. C, in 1888, and was knighted for his services on that occasion.

THOMPSON, Jonathan, merchant, b. in Sagtikos Manor, Long Island, N. Y., 7 Dec, 1773; d in New York city, 30 Dec, 1846. He was the eldest son of Judge Isaac Thompson and Mary, daughter of Col. Abraham Gardiner. He was a merchant in the city of New York in 1795, of the firm of Gardiner, Thompson and Co., in partnership with his cousin, Nathaniel Gardiner, an officer in the Revolutionary army. They were engaged in the West India business, and had extensive warehouses in Brooklyn. Mr. Thompson had great influence in the councils of the Democratic party, being the chairman of its general committee for ten years. He was collector of direct taxes and internal revenue for the state of New York during the war of 1812-'15, and afterward, when that office was abolished, was appointed collector of customs of the port of New York, and served from 1820 to 1829. At the time of his death he was president of the Bank of the Manhattan company.