John Thompson (1764 - 1850)

Born 27 Feb 1764 in Abingdon, Augusta, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Louisa Lavisa (Bowen) Thompson — married 1784 in Thompson Valley, Tazewell County, Virginia

Husband of Mary (Walker) Thompson — married 1815 in Thompson Valley, Tazewell, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 16 Jul 1850 at age 86 in Thompson Valley, Tazewell County, Virginia

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John Thompson is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A114296.

Biography

John Thompson, after his marriage, settled in Thompson Valley, about 3 miles below Plum Creek Gap. He had four sons, William, James, Archibald, and Walter, and several daughters. William, son of John, married Matilda Witten, daughter of James Witten, the famous scout. This William Thompson established his home at the foot of Clinch Mountain on the old wagon road which crossed the mountain to Poor Valley, and thence down through Laurel Gap, by Broad Ford, and on to Preston's Salt Works. His three brothers had their homes above his place on the road that then passed up the valley to the Plum Creek Gap. They each had large and valuable boundaries of land, most of which still remains in the possession of their descendants.^[1]

Military Service:

From Col. John Thompson Revolutionary War Pension Application:^[2]

Daughters of the American Revolution information:

• THOMPSON, JOHN
• Ancestor #: A114296
• Service: VIRGINIA
• Rank(s): PRIVATE
• Birth: 2-27-1764 AUGUSTA CO VIRGINIA
• Death: 7-16-1850 TAZEWELL CO VIRGINIA
• Service Description: 1) CAPT THOMAS MASTIN
• RESIDENCE: Created: 2002-03-27 23:23:55.3, Updated: , By: Conversion 1) County: MONTGOMERY CO - State: VIRGINIA
• SPOUSE: (1) LOUISE BOWEN; Created: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, Updated: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, By: Conversion 1)
• SPOUSE: (2): MARY WALKER; Created: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, Updated: 2002-03-27 23:17:13.16, By: Conversion 2)
• Child son: HENRY THOMPSON, [Spouse #] Spouse: [1] REBECCA S. BOWEN
• Child son: ARCHIBALD THOMPSON, [Spouse #] Spouse: [1] POLLY THOMPSON

State of Virginia Tazewell County

On this 31st day of March in the year of our Lord 1834 personally appeared before me William Thompson an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Tazewell and State of Virginia Colonel John Thompson a resident in the County & State aforesaid aged seventy years on the 27th of February last who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Provisions made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That he moved from Augusta County in the State of Virginia in the year 1776 to the head of the Maiden Spring fork on Clinch River in what was then called Montgomery now Tazewell County and State of Virginia. That in the Spring of 1780 he was enrolled in a company of Militia which was commanded by Captain Thomas Mastin. That as early as the first of April in that year he volunteered to serve as a guard in Wittons [Wilton's?] Fort which was situated on the North fork of Clynch River that he was under the Command of the aforesaid Captain Thomas Mastin and that he continued in Wittons Fort with an embodied Corps until the first of November following at which time the Company of men stationed there he and those persons who had fled to the Fort for protection would usually disperse and go to their respective Homes where they could remain safely during the winter. That during this year 1780 he recollects of being out one tour after the Indians in company with James Whitton, Thomas Peary and some others that they were gone in this trip five or six weeks – That as early as the first day of April in the year 1781 he again volunteered to serve as before in Wittons Fort under the command of the aforesaid Captain Thomas Mastin and that he continued in Service that year until the first of November following that he recollects of nothing very particular that transpired during this year – That in the early part of the year 1782 he thinks it was in the month of March a small party of Indians came to the settlement about two miles above Wittons Fort and murdered two of the children of James Maxwell a party of nine persons & himself making the 10th were immediately dispatched in pursuit of the Indians – they followed on to the big cane Break on the Dry fork of Big Sandy River where they lost the track, that they then returned to the Fort. This circumstance created considerable excitement in the settlement and the People immediately betook themselves to their respective forts. That as early as 25th of March in that year (1782) he entered the service of his Country as a Volunteer guard in the aforesaid Wittons Fort where he continued to serve until the first day of November following. That in the year 1783 he again volunteered and served in Wittons Garrison from the first of April until the first of November following. That owing to the scarcity of men in the Settlement they were not able to defend themselves and there was a company sent from the Eastern part of Montgomery County in each of the aforesaid years to their assistance a part of which were stationed at Wittons Garrison.

That the nature of his services was to guard the Fort and to go when commanded in pursuit of the Indians when they were seen in the settlement. That he was during the whole of the aforesaid time under the Command of the aforesaid Captain. That he was stationed during the whole of the aforesaid. In Garrison with an embodied Corps and was not engaged in any civil pursuit

(First) That he was born in Augusta County and State of Virginia in the year 1764 on the 27th day of February which will make him 71 years old on the 27th day of February next

Second) That he was living when called into service on the Maiden Spring fork of Clynch River where he has lived ever since.

(Third) That he has no record of his age but has been told that he was born on the 27th day of February 1764.

(Fourth) That he volunteered.

(Fifth) That he has named his Officer in the foregoing part of his declaration.

(Sixth) That he never received anywritten discharge for any of the services he rendered his Country (Seventh) that he is known to the Reverend David Young and Jeret Bolen who can testify to his good character for veracity and their belief of his services as he states and that he can further support his Declaration by the evidence of Thomas Witten who served in the same Garrison with him.

Death and Burial: Col. John Thompson died on July 16, 1850 and is buried at the Thompson Cemetery, Thompson Valley, Tazewell County, Virginia.^[3]

1800 Posthumous Deed From Estate of William Thompson, John & Levisa Thompson and others:

By an Indenture dated October 16, 1800, Lydia Thompson, widow and the heirs of William Thompson, John Thompson and Levisa his wife, and others, assigned to James Sloan and wife certain lands in Tazewell County, Virginia. Delivery of the Deed was approved by the Tazewell County Court on December 16, 1802. ^[4][5]

Sources

• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A114296
• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A012723
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L67Z-5R4

1. ↑ Pendleton: pp. 424-426
2. ↑ Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension application of John Thompson R10540 Available here
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #129395866 includes biography from History Of Tazewell County And Southwest Virginia, 1748 - 1920, by Wm. C. Pendleton. W.C. Hill Printing Company, Richmond, Virginia. 1920. pp. 424-6.
4. ↑ Tazewell County Deed Book 1, 1802 , p. 15, Image 228.Available here
5. ↑ Harman, J.N., Annals of Tazewell County, Virginia from 1800-1922., p. 287, Available here

• Pendleton, William Cecil, History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia, 1748-1920, (Richmond, Va. : W. C. Hill printing company, 1920).