Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Maj. Samuel Henry Thompson and Flora Anna Stewart


Husband Maj. Samuel Henry Thompson 1 2 

           Born: 5 Mar 1814 - Rayne Twp, Indiana Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 15 Aug 1865 - Rayne Twp, Indiana Co, PA 3
         Buried:  - Oakland Cemetery, Indiana, Indiana Co, PA


         Father: Hugh Thompson (1767-1829) 4 5
         Mother: Martha Thomson (1770-1848) 6


       Marriage: 12 Apr 1838 3

Wife Flora Anna Stewart 3 7 

            AKA: Florana Stewart 4
           Born: 1 Jun 1818 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 11 May 1869 3
         Buried:  - Oakland Cemetery, Indiana, Indiana Co, PA


         Father: John K. Stewart (      -Bef 1880) 3 8
         Mother: Elizabeth Armstrong (      -Bef 1880) 3 9


Children
1 M Hugh S. Thompson 3 10 

           Born: 9 Sep 1839 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Harriet Newel Work (1840-1866) 3 10 11
           Marr: 10 Jun 1863 3 12

         Spouse: Mary Melissa McAnulty (1846-1911) 3 10
           Marr: 18 Aug 3

2 M John Stewart Thompson 3 10 

            AKA: J. Stuart Thompson 13
           Born: Oct 1841 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Margaret T. "Maggie" Moorhead (1843-1867) 3 13 14
           Marr: 6 May 1866 3

         Spouse: Frances A. "Fannie" Smith (1846-1885) 3 10

3 M Archibald S. Thompson 3 10 

           Born: 23 Jan 1843 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 25 Jul 1909 3
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Mary C. Owens (1846-1904) 3
           Marr: 22 May 1866 3

4 M James Wilson Thompson 10 15 

           Born: 30 Mar 1845 - Rayne Twp, Indiana Co, PA 15
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Virginia Keslar (      -1884) 16 17
           Marr: 10 May 1869 17

5 M Thomas St. Clair Thompson 2 18 

           Born: 13 Sep 1846 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 31 Mar 1912 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Marietta Brady (1850-      ) 3 10

6 M Edwin Reynolds Thompson 3 10 

           Born: 5 Mar 1848 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 27 Mar 1877 3
         Buried:  - Oakland Cemetery, Indiana, Indiana Co, PA

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

7 M Robert Alexander Thompson 18 19 

           Born: 29 Jun 1849 - East Mahoning Twp, Indiana Co, PA 19
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Josephine Brady (      -      ) 10 20
           Marr: 12 Feb 1879 - Marion Center, Indiana Co, PA 20

8 F Elizabeth Hindman Thompson 10 20 

           Born: 10 Aug 1851 20
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1913
         Buried: 

         Spouse: George W. Simpson (1847-Aft 1913) 20
           Marr: 25 Jan 1876 20

9 M William Laird Thompson 2 10 

           Born: 14 Jul 1855 20
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1913
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Louisa Barber (1858-Aft 1913) 20
           Marr: 29 May 1884 20

General Notes: Husband - Maj. Samuel Henry Thompson


He passed his youth in Rayne township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, in much the same manner as other farmers' sons of the day. He received his education in the subscription schools. Soon after commencing life for himself he engaged in merchandising, but gave it up to return to farming because of the great financial crisis. The farm on which he located in East Mahoning township, and where he lived for nearly twenty-four years, was bought by Johnston Lightcap in 1861, and in 1862 he moved back to Rayne township, settling on a larger farm above Kelleysburg, on Thompson's run, which he had purchased from Daniel Stanard, Esq.

He was one of the leading citizens of his day. He gained his title in his connection with the State militia. He became very prominent as an ardent Abolitionist, and his place was a station on the "underground railroad," he and Dr. Mitchell being closely associated in their efforts to assist fugitive slaves. We quote from an article published some years ago: "Major Thompson was a man of clear conception, strong moral courage, sound judgment and generous disposition. Socially he was agreeable, humorous and witty; firm in his opinions, yet tolerant and liberal; always found on the moral and progressive side of public issues, as well as fearless and consistent in the expression and practice of his convictions. These characteristics, with his mental ability and readiness, enabled him to he equal to any occasion in the discussion of all public questions, in which he was always well and thoroughly informed. In determining upon public men and measures he 'hewed close to the line,' and when quite a young man became an intense hater of the institution of human chattel slavery, despised the position of the North as errand-boy and lick-spittle for the South in that agitation, cut loose from the political associations of family and friends and took a forward part in the anti-slavery movement of that period, when the principal arguments used against such men by the dominant political parties were social ostracism, epithets, slander, rotten eggs, mob law, the destruction of their printing presses and the occasional killing of an editor to make proceedings more effective. He was secretary of about the first Indiana county anti-slavery organization; afterward its nominee for prothonotary when their strength was less than one hundred votes in the county, and was also connected with the underground railway system. To use one of his own expressions on the subject, he denied the right of any man to own, hold in bondage or dispose of human beings as chattels unless a bill of sale was first produced from Almighty God, properly executed and signed.' His son, Hugh S., remembers that when quite a small lad a squad of escaping slaves, two of them mothers with babes in their arms, called at his father's one morning for food and directions about the roads; some days later two grim looking strangers on horseback, with large whips in their hands, passed where he was at play on the roadside and inquired 'if any black people had gone along there lately.' Not understanding the matter, and not knowing that the men were slave hunters, he very innocently told them all about it, right along. But it was the only and last 'pointer' he ever gave men and women stealers, for upon telling his father of the affair at dinner that day he received some instructive reproof and an explanatory admonition that enlightened him considerably."
Major Thompson was quite prominent in the administration of local affairs, being particularly interested and active in educational matters. He served as director when the school system had its early trials, and was one of the original board of managers of the Marion select school, long a successful institution. At the time of his death, which occurred on his farm in Rayne township, he was serving as auditor of the county, to which office he had been elected on the Republican ticket. He was one of the founders of the Smyrna United Presbyterian Church, near Georgeville, served as ruling elder of that congregation for over twenty years, and was long one of its main supporters. His wife also belonged to that church.

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Sources

1 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 337, 342.

2 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 709.

3 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 710.

4 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 337.

5 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 708, 1179.

6 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 709, 1179.

7 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 342.

8 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 341, 463, 478.

9 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 341, 463.

10 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 519.

11 M. T. Steele & Edith Work, The Work Family (Marion Center, PA: Privately published, 1894), Pg 70.

12 M. T. Steele & Edith Work, The Work Family (Marion Center, PA: Privately published, 1894), Pg 74.

13 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 691.

14 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 339, 519.

15 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 710, 1178.

16 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 341.

17 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 1180.

18 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 405, 519.

19 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 708.

20 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 711.

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