IASCOTT-L Archives

From: Debbie Clough Gerischer <>
Subject: [IASCOTT] James R. Thomson, Bio
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 05:26:29 -0700

Posted on: Scott County Biographies
Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ia/ScottBios?read=931

Surname: Thomson, Robertson, Grieve, Pollock, Long, Browlee, Ficke, Marti,
Evans, Baughman, Clapp
-------------------------

"From Vol 2 History of Davenport and Scott County" by Harry E. Downer -
S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago

Unfaltering perseverance and unabating energy have brought James R. Thomson
a gratifying measure of success and he is now classed with the highly respected
and progressive farmers of Winfield township, where he owns two hundred
and forty acres in the farm upon which he now resides, which is the old
homestead, on sections 25 and 26, about a half mile northeast of Long Grove.

It was upon this farm and in this county that he was born, March 19, 1854,
his parents being Hon. Hugh M. and Jean (Robertson) Thomson, both of whom
were natives of Scotland. The father, who was born July 4, 1812, was a
son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Thomson, who spent their entire lives in the
land of hills and heather. Hugh M. Thomson acquired his education in his
native country and in his early manhood had the friendship and patronage
of a nobleman who took great interest in him and obtained for him a position
on the police force in Liverpool, England. Later he was promoted to police
inspector, occupying that position until he came to the United States in
1844. He landed at New Orleans after a voyage of nine weeks and then came
up the Mississippi river to Davenport, where he landed in the month of
June. He was accompanied by his wife and five children and he made the
trip to the new world in order to keep the family together, believing that
he would receive a more adequate remuneration for his labor in this country.
Three families had emigrated together. Mr. Thomson took up forty acres
of land as did each of the others - John Grieve, John Pollock and John
Robertson. The forty acres which Mr. Thomson secured is now a part of the
J. G. Robertson place in Winfield township. It was all open prairie then
and his land was too low to build a house thereon, so that he soon afterward
entered eighty acres more in Winfield township. Upon the latter tract he
erected a log cabin and the families of John Pollock, John Robertson and
Mr. Thomson all occupied it. Mr. Thomson lived there for about seven years,
after which he entered the farm upon which his son James now resides. In
the intervening years he had experienced all the hardships and privations
of pioneer life but now the country was beginning to be settled and he
was offered six hundred dollars for his eighty acre tract, so that he sold
it, considering this a good price for the property. He then made investment
in three hundred and twenty acres of land on sections 25 and 26, Winfield
township, for which he paid a dollar and a quarter per acre and then had
two hundred dollars remaining from the sale price of his former farm. He
built his house and from time to time added to the improvements upon the
farm, which under his careful direction was transferred into a productive
tract of land, annually yielding him generous harvest. He lived upon the
place all his life but later sold eighty acres of the original tract. He
carried on general farming and was very progressive in his methods. He
was one of the first to introduce shorthorn cattle into the county, buying
stock of that class about 1857. He was also prominent in community affairs
and held nearly all of the township offices, including that of justice
of the peace, township trustee and school director. He was also president
of the school board at one time and still higher official honors were conferred
upon him, for in 1863 he was elected to represent his district in the state
legislature and thus served until 1866. He was chosen to the office on
the republican ticket and later he was appointed superintendent of the
Agricultural Farm at Ames, Iowa, remaining in charge for four years. He
then returned to Scott county and his fellow townsmen desirous of again
benefiting by his official service elected him a member of the board of
county supervisors in 1879. He filled the position for about a year and
a half, after which he withdrew from public life and concentrated his energies
upon his farming interests. Over the record of his official career there
falls no shadow of wrong or suspiction of evil. He was always loyal to
the interests entrusted to his care and progressive in his support of beneficial
public measures. He held membership in the Odd Fellows Lodge while in Liverpool
but took no active part in lodge affairs while in Iowa. He and his wife
held membership in the Presbyterian church in Scotland but as there was
no congregation of their denomination near their home in Scott county they
attended the Christian church. The death of Mr. Thomson occurred March
1, 1887, and his remains were interred in the Long Grove cemetery. His
wife, who was born June 20, 1814, is still living in Scott county.

In their family were nine children: M. L., of Hewins, Kansas; Jean, the
wife of Gavin Long, of Brooklyn, Iowa; John R., who is mayor of Earlham,
Iowa; Elizabeth, who became the wife of A. W. Brownlee, and is now deceased;
Agnes, who became the wife of Herman Ficke, of Davenport, but died in 1907;
Andrew L., a resident of Stuart, Nebraska; Annie, the wife of Chris Marti
of Scott county; Hugh M., who makes his home in Moville, Iowa; and James
R., of this review.

James R. Thomson has always lived in the county which is yet his home and
the place is therefore endeared to him by the memories of boyhood as well
as the associations of later years. He acquired his education in the district
schools and the Agricultural College at Ames, after which he returned to
the old homestead and has since engaged in general farming, assuming the
management of the farm in 1885. He is first vice president of the Stockman's
Bank of Long Grove.

On the 30th of September, 1891, Mr. Thomson was married to Miss Emma Evans,
who was born in Butler township and is a daughter of John and Clarinda
(Baughman) Evans. Her father was born in Pennsylvania and became one of
the early settlers of this county, arriving here when fourteen years of
age. He is still living, at the age of sixty-six years, but his wife, who
was born in Winfield township, this county, passed away in June, 1906.
In their family were six children: Dr. S. J. Evans, who is a resident of
Davenport; Bert E., making his home in Long Grove; Mrs. Thomson; Effie,
the wife of Charles Clapp, of Sheridan township; George, who died in March,
1904; and Lottie, also living in Sheridan township.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Thomson has been born one son, Frank Evans, whose natal
day was December 7, 1893, and who is now a high-school pupil in Davenport.
Mr. Thomson strongly advocates higher education and is a stalwart supporter
of the public-school system. He has served for four years as a school director
and he takes an active part in politics as a supporter of the republican
party. He has been committeeman for his township on the county central
committee for twenty years and does all in his power to further the interests
and promote the success of the republican party in this county. He holds
membership with the Modern Woodmen of America at Long Grove and has attained
high rank in Masonry, his membership being in De Witt Lodge, No. 34, F.
& A. M.; Kilwinning Chapter No. 56, R. A. M., also of De Witt; St. Simon's
Cyrene Commandery, No. 9, K. T., of Davenport; and Kaaba Temple of the
Mystic Shrine. His life is in harmony with the beneficent teachings of
the craft which is based upon mutual helpfulness and brotherly kindness.
He enjoys in large measure the high regard of his brethren of the Masonic
fraternity and, moreover, has the warm esteem of his fellow citizens throughout
his part of the county. He is a worthy representative of one of the oldest
pioneer families, and for more than a half century the name of Thomson
has been associated with all that is progressive and commendable in citizenship
as well as in business life.

Link: Scott County Page
URL: <http://www.rootsweb.com/~iascott/scott.htm>;

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