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Descendents of John Thompson (1800 – 25 Aug 1888)
and Isabella Swan ( ca 1800 – 20 May 1851)

Thompson genealogy in a single pdf or MS Word file.

Link to maps showing relative concentration of the
Thompson surname in the United Kingdom in 1881 and 1998.

Link to important narrative that John Thompson wrote on the founding of Harvey Settlement some time between 1868 and 1875.

First Immigrant Generation
**************************************************
Entry last updated 19 June 2008
Please contact Tim Patterson (tim.patterson@carleton.ca)
to provide additional data, or to correct any errors.

1. John Thompson. Born 1800 in Northumberland, Eng. Died 25 Aug 1888 in Harvey Settlement. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Occupation Teacher. Religion Presbyterian.

    Not sure if John Thompson had middle name   "Stuart", unable to confirm.

    Copied from Cornhill Parish Marriage Register 1798-1850:   "John Thompson of the Parish of Wooler and Elizabeth Swan of this Parish were married in this Chapel by Banns with Consent of Parents this twenty-ninth day of January in the Year One thousand eight hunderd and thirty-two by me,      R. Jones.

    "This Marriage was solemnized between us:   John Thompson, Isabella Swan

    "In the Presence of John Grey, Isabella Rogers, James Swan, Mary Thompson."

      Among the original settlers of Harvey, N.B., they sailed from Berwick-upon-Tweed on May 28, 1837 on board the brig "Cornelius of Sunderland" which carried coals, glass, etc. and 137 passengers.   They arrived at Saint John, N.B. on Wednesday, 12 July, and proceeded to Fredericton in the steamer, "Water Witch".

    John received a land grant of 100 acres, Lot 9W, in Harvey Settlement.   He had been educated as a school teacher and served in this role when he came to the Harvey community.   He served as Clerk of the Session in the Presbyterian Church, and as an elder.

    They had ten children, three born in England and seven born in Harvey.   Isabella died when the youngest child was about two years old.

Undated carte de visite image of John Stuart Thompson as an elderly man (b. 1800, Northumberland - d. 25 Aug 1888, Harvey Settlement). Source: Collection of Brian Swan, La Peche, Quebec. Album orginated from his grandmother Ella Jessie Swan (née Thompson) who provided the image identification. Rephotographed, cropped and contrast adjusted by Tim Patterson 9 Jun 2008. Medium Sized Pop-up Image 700 X 1115 jpeg; 284 k; 72 dpi Full Sized Pop-up Image 1022 X 1628 jpeg; 1200 k; 180 dpi

Undated carte de visite image of sister of John Stuart Thompson. Image taken by John Foster High Street, Coldstream. Source: Collection of Brian Swan, La Peche, Quebec. Album orginated from his grandmother Ella Jessie Swan (née Thompson) who provided the image identification. Rephotographed, 9 Jun 2008 by Tim Patterson. Cropped and contrast adjusted by Tim Patterson 19 Jun 2008.

Medium Sized (ft) Pop-up Image 700 X 1175 jpeg; 324 k; 72 dpi Full Sized (ft) Pop-up Image 1089 X 1828 jpeg; 1600 k; 180 dpi Medium Sized (bk) Pop-up Image 700 X 1184 jpeg; 336 k; 72 dpi Full Sized (bk) Pop-up Image 1074 X 1824 jpeg; 1700 k; 180 dpi

 

    Copied from New Brunswick Reporter and Fredericton Advertiser, Fredericton, 1 Sep 1888:

    The correspondent for the 'Courier' for Harvey writes:   John Thompson departed this life at noon on Saturday, and was carried to his long home on Monday.   Mr Thompson was one of the first settlers and had reached the 90th year of his age.   He was the only teacher or schoolmaster in the settlement for quite a length of time.   There is only one person in the parish now living who can claim to have been born in the seventeenth century, George Davidson, who was likewise one of the first of the Harvey settlers.

    The following is information gathered from research at the Provincial Archives of NB by Bruce Elliott, summer 2004, and contained in an e-mail to J. Hall,dated 19 Aug 2004:

    "The first is Thompson's licence to teach school, in RS655 1844.   On 2 Apr. 1838 he was approved by the Board of Education for the County of York.   In the minute of the meeting he was called a native of the County of Northumberland, England, and it was said he had produced testimonials of   "moral character, religious principles and sober habits" and passed an   examination in the 3 R's and English grammar, and was granted a certificate as requested.   A pity the testimonials were not placed on file.   On 14 Oct. 1844 the trustees of schools for parish of Kingsclear certified that he had been teaching a school in the Harvey Settlement there for many years with exemplary conduct, and currently enrolled 19 males and 15 females; a renewal of his licence was approved 30 Dec. 1844.

    "Secondly, the Dunham & McDougall Family Collection (MC167) includes a letter from Thompson to Jonathan McDougall who came to Stanley with the first party, but soon left.   McDougall was said to have been living in Gagetown when he received this letter, but that is not apparent on the document itself.   The file contains an inaccurate typescript version, but my copy below is from the original which is also there.   The transcriber thought he had signed John C. Thompson, but there is no middle initial C, just a big curl at the start of the T. of Thompson.   The letter was actually written by the nephew and namesake because John had injured his hand.   Note that he refers to his father-in-law back in England, alas not by name.   It would appear that McDougall and Thompson might have known one another in the old country.   If not, then McDougall managed to hear of Thompson soon after his arrival and knew that he was a teacher.   That John had already heard the news of the death of McDougall's wife and sent word home, however, suggests an old-country acquaintance.   McDougall's first wife was a Mather from Northumberland, though he himself was born in Scotland; a letter from McD's father-in-law in Otonobee Twp. near Peterborough, Ontario was given to Trent University Archives there by the same donor who gave the Thompson letter to PANB.

"Here is the text of the letter:

"Stanley Feby 1st

1838

My Dear Sir

I received your Letter stating that there is a Schoolmaster a wanting at the Place where you live but I have made up my mind to go to Harvey's settlement along with my Countrymen who are anxious for me to Settle amongst them and have offred a very advintageous proposal although I may expect to undergo more privations for one year then in that you recommend me to   I have also the offer of the Company School at Stanley   I have had a call of some of the Supporters of Mr. Henry offering to send there Children to me if I would remain but there is no money and things [offer?] a very gloomy aspect and are becoming mor so every day   the people here condole with you in the loss of your Partner in life.   The news of her death reached us before I wrote to my Friends in England and I took notice of it in my letter to my Father in law   I feel grateful for your kindness in having me in your mind and recommending me to the Subscribers of the situation referr'd to   We are all well but I am under the necessity of employing my Nephew to write this lettor on account of a severe bruise in my hand   you are expected up here in the spring there are several talking about clearing out in the spring if the Company does not go on and there is little prospect as Cap Kendall is going home and Cap Hayne is to be Commissioner in his stead   my Wifes has her best respects to you

I am Sir

Yours Truly

John Thompson"

 

    Inscription on gravestone in Harvey Settlement Cemetery:

     JOHN / THOMPSON / DIED / AUG. 25, 1888 / AGED 89 YEARS / ALSO HIS WIFE / ISABELLA / DIED / MAY 20, 1851 / AGED 50 YEARS / GONE BUT NOT / FORGOTTEN

    On reverse side of stone:   MARY A. / DIED / JULY 11, 1899 / AGED 50 YEARS / DAUGHTER OF / J & I THOMPSON/ MARGARET / 1836 - 1928 / ROBERT / 1846 - 1929

    He married Isabella Swan, daughter of Henry Swan & Elizabeth Russell, 29 Jan 1832 in Cornhill Parish Marriage Register 1798-1850, England. Born Approx 1800 in Northumberland, Eng. Died 20 May 1851 in Harvey Settlement. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Religion Presbyterian.

    They had the following children:

  2   i.   John T. Thompson

  3   ii.   Elizabeth Thompson

  4   iii.   Margaret Thompson

  5   iv.   Mary Ann Thompson

  6   v.   Isabel Thompson

  7   vi.   Henry Thompson

  8   vii.   Thomas "James" Thompson

  9   viii.   Robert Thompson

  10   ix.   Jane "Jennie" Thompson

  11   x.   Alexander Swan Thompson

 

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