Jonathan Sampson THOMPSON was born 21 January 1849 in Winchester, Franklin county Tennessee. He was the son of William G. THOMPSON and his first wife, Mary Ann COPE. He died 31 October 1912 at his home in the Huffstuttle community of Young county Texas and was laid to rest in the Woodson cemetery in Woodson, Throckmorton county Texas.

William and his family, together with the family of his wife, left Tennessee shortly after the birth of Jonathan Sampson THOMPSON. The 1850 census shows the family in Montgomery county Missouri, where Jonathan's mother died.

Jonathan's father remarried (a woman whose first name was Adaline, her maiden name remains unknown at this time) and took his family to Texas in about 1855 settling in McLennan County. The census shows the family on 9 June 1860 residing in McLennan county Texas with a Waco post office.

Family lore has it that William THOMPSON, his father and his brothers were working in the fields when a marauding band of men approached and killed all but Jonathan and one other. Jonathan saw his father shot and fall from his horse, and he ran and hid. Adeline's McLennan county probate documentation, case #149 during September 1861, shows W. G. to be the father of John. It goes on to show that Adaline was taking guardianship of him. Adaline married William LATHROP on November 3rd 1864 in McLennan county.

According to family tradition, in those days people expected a son to avenge the death of his kinfolk. Jonathan was a peaceable man who did not like killing. To get away from the pressure to take up arms, he joined a cattle drive, herding cattle north. Jonathan was gone for several years. Jonathan next appears in Pueblo county of the Colorado Territory at the time of the 1870 census where his profession was listed as a stock herder.

Jonathan Sampson met his future wife through his half-sister who introduced them. Mary Frances "Fanny" TINER did not take to him at first because he was so dark, having acquired quite a suntan while on the cattle trails. After she became acquainted with him, she fell in love. Jonathan asked Mary Frances to marry him on the old wooden bridge in Waco, McLennan county Texas, which was <and still is> a scenic spot. There were several couples that got engaged that day on the old bridge. Instead of giving her an engagement ring, they went into town and purchased a locket pin and had their pictures put into it. McLennan county records showed the couple applied for a marriage license on 19 March 1872 . Although they applied for their marriage license, it was never turned back in after the wedding any where in the state of Texas for official recording as it would have been returned to the McLennan county court house and it was not. Per the county court clerk in 1993, according to official records they were never married. Odds are they were wed by a circuit riding preacher that failed to turn in the license.

"Fanny", daughter of Benjamin Ezekiel TINER and Mary Elizabeth "Besty" DEW, was born during January 1852 in Marysville, Darlington county South Carolina, and died 22 March 1936 in Woodson, Throckmorton county Texas. Both Jonathan and Fanny were buried in the Woodson Cemetery in Trockmorton county Texas.

Family lore: After "Fanny" and Jonathan "John" married they left Duckcreek, the small community where they lived near Waco, in 1879 because she had "Black Scurvy". They settled for a time in Lipan, Hood county, Texas where he bought some land. He later sold this land and moved to south Texas, south of Brownwood to the Pecan Bayou, but could not compete with the cattlemen. So they moved again this time to Oklahoma, where they remained until about 1895. They returned to Texas settling near the Huffstuttle community of Young county near the Throckmorton county line.

Jonathan first appeared on the Hood county tax rolls with no land in 1879. The 1880 census shows John and Mary with 3 of their children residing on Hood county Texas. The 1881 tax list shows that J. S. THOMPSON was taxed for abs # 505 cert # 1501 or 1301 original grantee Jno. Schroeder 126 ac $500. Deeds in Hood county Texas reflect that he purchased land there on November 13, 1882. N. C. ADDISON and wife Malissa ADDISON of Hood county sold 30 acres a part of the Thomas MATHEWS survey "on the waters of Kickapoo Creek" to John S. THOMSON <no P> of Hood county for $250. Jonathan and Fanny did not sell the last of their land in Hood county until January 1, 1893, the actual transaction was dated February 23, 1893, the day after their son's wedding (William Washington THOMPSON to Mary Jemima BROWN). Jonathan was taxed in both Hood (with land) and Brown (no land) counties during the years of 1888 through 1892. In 1893 he was only taxed in Brown county Texas. He does not appear on the tax lists for Hood, Brown, Young, or Throckmorton counties between the years of 1894 and 1899.

On June 15-16, 1900 the John and Fanny appear with their family on the Young county Texas census. In 1900 J. S. THOMPSON is taxed in Young county abs # 842 survey # 1186 T. E. & L. Co. 48 ac $100; 5 horses $50; 1 cattle $10; 5 misc. $165; total taxes $3.22. On July 21, 1906 J. S. THOMPSON (grantee) of Young county TX purchased 320 acres of the Texas Emigration and Land Company survey #1182 (patented 15 July 1858, Patent #70) from John W. BARR of Jefferson county KY for $1,440. This property actually was situated in both Young and Throckmorton counties. The old family home was situated just inside the Throckmorton county line per the recollection of their grandson (Chlystie McFall THOMPSON, son of William Washington THOMPSON to Mary Jemima BROWN).

He was taxed on property in Young county Texas from 1900 through 1910. On July 25, 1909 they purchased a lot in the town of Woodson in Throckmorton county, which is where they were buried in the town cemetery. The 1910 census shows John and Mary residing in Young county Texas; this is his last appearance in the census records.

Known children of Jonathan Sampson THOMPSON and Mary Frances TINER:

1. William Washington THOMPSON born 17 March 1873 in McLennan county Texas; died 1 March 1947 near Lipan, Hood county Texas. He married Mary Jemima BROWN on 22 February 1893 in Hood county Texas. She was born 21 January 1873 in Texas; died 23 March 1939 near Lipan, Hood county Texas. Both are buried in Martin Cemetery near Lipan, Hood county Texas.

2. Minnie Argent THOMPSON born 1 January 1875 in McLennan county Texas; died 28 July 1963 Talihina, Latimer county Oklahoma. She married George Chesley ANDERSON on 24 July 1893 in Bowie, Montague county Texas. He was born 27 March 1870 in Morganfield, Union county Kentucky; died 5 July 1932 in Fort Worth, Tarrant county Texas. Minnie then wed her first husband's brother, Joseph Thomas ANDERSON. He was born 25 July 1868 in Ashland, Boyd county Kentucky; died 6 March 1957 in Mesa, Maricopa county Arizona. Minnie and George are buried in the Birdville Cemetery now located in Haltom City, Tarrant county Texas. Her second huband, was buried in the Hatton plot of Old Mesa Cemetery in Mesa, Maricopa county, Arizona.

3. Lula Magnolia THOMPSON born 7 December 1877 in McLennan county Texas; died 13 September 1963 in Henderson, Rusk county Texas. Lula was buried in Laneville Cemetery, Laneville, Rusk county Texas. She married Benjamin Franklin RICHARDS in about 1895-1896. He was born 19 June 1865 in Illinois; died 5 May 1949 in Fort Worth, Tarrant county Texas. His body was removed to Dallas county, place of burial unknown.

4. Edgar Randolph THOMPSON born about 1881; died 6 December 1892-1899 (exact year unknown) near Lipan, Hood county Texas. He is buried near his parents in Martin Cemetery, Hood county Texas.

5. John Franklin THOMPSON born 22 December 1882 in Hood county Texas; died 1960 possibly in Marysville, Yuba county California; place of burial has not yet been located. John married Laura "Lura" E. MOBLEY during 1905. She was born during August 1881 in Wise county Texas; died during 1913 possibly in Throckmorton county; buried in Woodson Cemetery, Throckmorton county Texas.

6. Rosie May THOMPSON born 18 May 1885 in Hood county Texas; died 8 November 1925 at the Texas State Hospital in Terrell, Kaufman county Texas. Rosie was never married. She was buried in Woodson Cemetery, Throckmorton county Texas.

7. Atilia Cleo THOMPSON was born 8 June 1888 in Hood county Texas; died 23 February 1870 in Breckenridge, Stevens county Texas. She married Ammon Bolin ALLISON on 9 March 1909 in Crystal Falls, Stevens county Texas. He was born 1 December 1876 in Texas; died 4 January 1956 in Breckenridge, Stevens county Texas. They are both buried in Woodson Cemetery, Throckmorton county Texas.

8. July Justeen "Teen" THOMPSON was born 6 July 1890 in Hood county Texas; died 27 January 1968 in Amarillo, Potter county Texas. He married Edna Frances WILEY on 20 October 1920. Edna was born 5 September 1891 in Texas; died 26 March 1974 in Amarillo, Potter county Texas. They are both buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Amarillo, Potter county Texas.

9. Benjamin "Ben" Oni THOMPSON born 5 August 1892 in Bluff Dale, Erath county Texas; died 24 June 1973 in Burnet, Burnet county Texas. Family tradition referred to him as Benjamin Oni, however he signed his name as Oni Benjamin. He married Sarah Chloe CRAWFORD after the 1930 census. She was born 21 December 1898; died on 6 April 1980 in Burnet county Texas. They are both buried in Post Oak Cemetery in Burnet county Texas.


William Washington THOMPSON and Mary Jemima BROWN were one set of my maternal great-grandparents, making Jonathan Sampson THOMPSON and Mary Frances TINER my great-great-grandparents.

Theresa Hodge