Tag Archives: Thompson

Family photos

13 Saturday Jan 2024

Posted by in 52 Ancestors, Genealogy, Photographs

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

This week’s prompt for the 52 Ancestors Challenge is “favorite photo”. Nearly fifteen years ago, before my grandmother’s Alzheimer’s got too bad, she handed my uncle Bill a large box of pictures. She said it was all the pictures she had collected over the years. He scanned them into the computer and gifted her an electronic picture frame for Christmas with all the photos stored in it. He said there were between 500 and 600 photos in that box. In 2015, my grandmother passed away. As Bill sorted through drawers and closets, he found more pictures. Over the course of the following three years, he scanned an additional 700 to 800 pictures. He then organized all 1300 pictures and gifted them to me and my sisters. When this challenge came up, I decided to pick a photo from his collection.

My maternal grandmother, Dorothy Cardinal Keller, was born in 1925, and she had two sisters and four brothers. She was fifth in the birth order. Each year during the summer, there would be the Thompson Family Reunion held at the local park in the town were I was born and raised. Thompson was my great-grandmother’s maiden name. I don’t remember too much about the reunions except there were always lots of people I didn’t really know and lots of food–fried chicken, potato salad and deviled eggs. I do recall that Grandma’s siblings who lived out of town would make an effort to come to the reunions.

I have selected two photos for this challenge. One from 1953 and one from 1989. Both pictures feature all seven Cardinal siblings.

This picture was taken in 1953 in Vincennes, Indiana. It might have been taken at my grandparents house, although I am not sure. From left to right, Morris Cardinal, Marlin “Buck” Cardinal, Virginia Cardinal Dye, Dorothy Cardinal Keller, Norma Cardinal Sheley, Wayne Cardinal, and Don Cardinal.

This picture was taken in the summer of 1989 in Vincennes, Indiana, during a family reunion. This particular year, it was not held at the park but at a family member’s house. It may have been Norma’s but I’m not 100% certain of that. Front row, Dorothy, Virginia and Norma. Back row, Don, Buck, Morris and Wayne. This was one of the last pictures of the siblings as Don, the oldest, passed away in 1993.

Robert C Thompson

27 Wednesday May 2020

Posted by in Genealogy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Robert C Thompson was born on May 27, 1837 in Gibson County, Indiana to Henry Thompson and Nancy Cunningham. He was one of at least six children born to the couple. His known siblings are Stewart, Margaret, Sally, Elenor and Henry G.

Robert’s mother Nancy died before 1850. Henry married Rebecca Beck in 1851 and they moved the family to Jackson County, Illinois. Henry died in 1853 and is buried in Vermilion County, Illinois. The circumstances of his death are not known, however, Vermilion County is not anywhere near Jackson County.

After his father’s death, it would seem that the Thompsons returned to Indiana where Robert married Sarah Roderick on October 16, 1860. They started with a small farm of twenty acres in Johnson Township and eventually grew it to include two hundred and fifty acres. To their marriage was born six boys and an unnamed infant–Charles, Riley, Ora, John, James and Robert H.

Robert was active in the community and was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows in Gibson County. His death on May 1, 1880 at the age of 42 was unexpected and came days after the birth of their son Robert. Newspaper accounts stated he had winter fever, otherwise known as pneumonia. His brother Stewart served as executor of his estate. Sarah would continue to work the farm with the help of her sons, even though Riley and Ora would perish as young men. Sarah lived on the family farm until April 21, 1896 when an extended bout of consumption would end her life.

Robert C Thompson was my 3rd great grandfather on my mom’s side.

REFERENCES

  • United States Census, 1850, 1870, 1880
  • Indiana Marriage Collection
  • Weekly Western Sun, April 24, 1896
  • History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana Goodspeed, 1886.
  • Find a Grave website
  • Illinois Wills and Probate Records

Florence Thompson

14 Thursday May 2020

Posted by in Genealogy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Florence Thompson was born on May 14, 1859, the first child of Stewart Thompson and Margaret Jones.  The new family was living in Madison Township in Pike County, Indiana in 1860, so it was likely Florence was born there.  She had five younger sisters and two brothers: Alice, Eleanor, Thomas, Nancy, Maggie, William, and Emma.  Alice, Nancy and Maggie died as children.

By 1870, Stewart had relocated the family to Johnson Township in Knox County where they continued to farm.  On September 2, 1879, Florence married John Leveron and they set up their household near Decker.  Over the next twenty years, they would build a family of eight children, seven of which lived to adulthood: sons Shirley, Levi , and Stewart and daughters Margaret, Annie, Ruth, Grace and Hilda.  Grace died shortly after her first birthday in 1898.

In March 1904, Florence’s father died at the age of seventy-one from tuberculosis.  Seven years later, at the age of sixty-nine, her mother died apoplexy.  Florence and John continued to raise their family in the Decker area, only for John to succumb to kidney failure in December 1917.  Shirley, Levi, and Stewart continued to help work the farm; Levi going so far as to be separated from his wife and seven children in Vincennes to assist.

On September 26, 1933, Florence passed away at home from a cerebral hemorrhage after several weeks of poor health.  She is buried at the Warth Cemetery in Decker Chapel next to her husband.

 

Florence Thompson was my 1st cousin 4x removed on my mom’s side.

REFERENCES

  • United States Census – 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1920, 1930
  • Indiana Death Certificates
  • Indiana Marriage Collection
  • Find A Grave website
  • Princeton Daily Clarion, September 27, 1933 via Newspapers.com
  • Vincennes Sun Commercial, September 27, 1933

How Abraham Lincoln found his way into my family tree…

13 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Famous People, Genealogy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is the 1st cousin 3x removed of the husband of my 1st great grand aunt

As I expected, and predicted, I have wandered off on a tangent or two as I try to put together my family’s history.  Probably my most interesting tangent so far is the one that led me to the Lincoln family.  It’s not a direct link between me and the 16th President of the United States, but a wild and crazy path that winds through the Ohio River Valley.

It’s probably not that surprising that a connection was made to Lincolns.  Anyone who grew up in Knox County, Indiana should be more than aware of the fact that Abraham’s family supposedly passed through our community in 1830 as the family moved from Spencer County, Indiana to Illinois.  There’s a historical marker on the Illinois side of the Memorial Bridge stating this very fact.  Not to mention that many an Indiana fourth grader has visited the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Spencer County during a class field trip, including myself.

Abraham’s family tree is fairly well known and can be viewed at Archives.com.  His parents were Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks.  Thomas’s parents were Abraham Lincoln and Bathsheba Herring.  This is what set off the alarms in my head since my Lincoln tangent includes Bathsheba Herring Lincoln.  It’s a rather unusual name and one most won’t easily forget.

So what is the path that goes from me to Mr. Lincoln?  As I mentioned earlier, it’s not a direct path and we have no common blood relatives.  The connection is through a marriage and many purists will discount the claim based solely on that.  Regardless, I think it’s cool that I could even make a connection to anyone, let alone one of the greatest leaders of our country.

Without further adieu, here’s the relationship path:

  1. Me
  2. my mother – Phyllis Keller DeMoss
  3. my grandmother – Dorothy Cardinal Keller
  4. my great-grandmother – Ethel Thompson Cardinal
  5. my great-great grandparents – Frank & Sarah (Butler) Thompson
  6. my great-grand aunt – Edith Thompson Williams
  7. my great-grand uncle (Edith’s husband) – Everett Williams
  8. Everett’s mother – Mary E Lincoln Williams
  9. Everett’s grandfather – Benjamin Lincoln
  10. Everett’s great-grandfather – Thomas Lincoln
  11. Everett’s great-great-grandfather – Josiah Lincoln
  12. Everett’s 3rd great grandparents – Abraham Linkhorn and Bathsheba (Herring) Lincoln (who are also Abraham Lincoln’s grandparents)
  13. Abraham’s father – Thomas Lincoln
  14. Abraham Lincoln

So there you have it.  My 5 seconds of greatness.

A Double Tragedy

29 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by in Genealogy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

On Sunday, July 6, 1930, the Johnson family of southern Knox County suffered a double tragedy when they lost two of their menfolk.  Prominent Johnson Township farmer Clark Johnson, 79, passed away at home, the result of a stroke.  It was his second and it had been reported that he had been in ill health for some time prior to his death.  Clark was born February 29, 1852 in Knox County, the third of four sons to Thomas and Catherine (Lane) Johnson.  Clark also had several half-brothers and sisters, most of which had resided in the area.  He married Louisa Bailey on December 31, 1876 in Knox County and she survived him.  Together they had 8 children, 5 of which who were still living, and numerous grandchildren.

Also losing his life on that day was Clark’s grandson, Lawrence Tewalt.  The 20 year old apparently was at the family farm keeping vigil at his grandfather’s bedside, after possibly partaking in festivities over the Fourth of July holiday.  At some point he decided to get some relief from the July heat and went for a swim in the nearby White River with his younger brother and several cousins.  He became fatigued and went under, not resurfacing.  It took several hours for the neighbors to recover the body.  He was born in 1909 to William and Bessie (Johnson) Tewalt in Knox County.  He married his young widow Elsie Dunning in 1929.  They were residing in Terre Haute where Lawrence worked in a glass factory.  He also left behind a brother, Donald, and two sisters, Evelyn and Julie.

Services for both men were held on July 8th at the Decker Methodist Church.  Clark was interred at Greenlawn Cemetery while Lawrence was laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery.

Note: Clark Johnson was a first cousin of my third great grandmother, Sarah Roderick Thompson.

Henry and Nancy Cunningham Thompson

24 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by in Genealogy

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

My 4th great grandparents are Henry and Nancy Cunningham Thompson.  They are the grandparents of John Frank Thompson.

Henry was born on March 9, 1803 in Virginia.  Some researchers have identified his parents as Robert Thompson and Margaret Gray.  He ventured westward at some point prior to 1830, settling in Washington Township in Gibson County, IN.  He married Nancy Cunningham on April 20, 1830 in Gibson County.  Not a lot is known about Nancy since she died prior to 1850 when the Census listed each person individually.  She is thought to have been born between 1805 and 1810 and died between 1846 and 1850.  Henry died in 1853 and is buried in Vermillion County, IL.  It’s not obvious what he was doing that far from home since the boys remained in the Knox-Gibson area for the duration of their lives.

Henry and Nancy had six children that were alive in 1850 or later.

  • Stewart (1832-1904) married Margaret Jones (1841-1911) in 1858 in Knox County.  They had eight children – Florence, Alice, Eleanor, Thomas, Nancy, Maggie, William and Emma.  According to newspapers of the time, Stewart was a prominent farmer in Johnson Township.
  • Margaret (1835-?)
  • Robert C (1837-1880) married Sarah Roderick (1837-?) in 1860 in Knox County.  They had six children – Charles, Riley, Ora, Frank, James and Robert.
  • Sally (1840-?)
  • Elenor (1843-?)
  • Henry G. (1846-?) married Isadore Jones in 1866.  They had one daughter named California.  After 1870, Isadore and California cannot be found in any of the databases.  Henry disappears until the 1910 census which lists him as a widower working as a cook for the Anthis household in Decker.

The whereabouts of the girls is unknown after their father died in 1853.  They are not showing up in the 1860 census records or the Indiana marriage index.

It doesn’t appear that any of Henry’s sons fought in the Civil War, based on a quick glance of the 80th Indiana Infantry rosters.  Most of the men living in the Knox, Gibson area belonged to that regiment, although it’s not out of the question for them to have  joined up with another unit.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Washington Township is in the north central part of Gibson County, IN, bordered by the White River on the north.  It sits east of Patoka.

Vermilion County IL is west of Lafayette, IN along the Indiana-Illinois border.

John Frank Thompson and Sarah Hannah Butler

06 Saturday Dec 2014

Posted by in Genealogy

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

John Frank Thompson and Sarah Hannah Butler are my 2nd great grandparents.  Frank was born to Robert C. and Sarah (Roderick) Thompson on October 19, 1872 in Knox County.  Sarah, also known as Sadie, was born to Eli and Amanda (Newcomb) Butler on October 4, 1875 in Indiana.  They were married on June 7, 1894 in Knox County.  They lived their lives together in Johnson Township where Frank farmed.  Frank and Sarah had four daughters together: Ethel, Edith, Pearl, and Gertrude.

Ethel (1895-1949) married August Cardinal in 1915.  They had seven children: Donald, Virginia, Marlin, Norma, Dorothy, Morris, and Wayne.  Ethel was my great-grandmother.

Edith (1896-1991) married Everett Williams in 1916.  They lived in Knox County until about 1936 when they moved to Owensville in Gibson County.  They had eight children: Kenneth, Inez, Marvin, Eldon, Max, Everett, Billy, and Bobbie.

Pearl (1902-1997) married Cleatus Beamon sometime around 1924.  They lived in Vincennes and had nine children, including a pair of twins:  Frank, Erma, Dorothy, Mary, Harry, Betty, Paul, Dale, and Pearl.

Gertrude (1906-2001) married Ewing Steffy around 1928.  Ewing farmed and they lived a time with his parents in Palmyra Township, which is essentially in the middle of the county between Vincennes, Wheatland, Bruceville, and Monroe City.  They did not have any children prior to 1940 and no one was listed in Gertrude’s obituary.  After Ewing died, Gertrude lived in Vincennes, just down the alley from my grandmother.  She would mention often about going to check on Aunt Gerty.

In January 1937, the Ohio River Valley suffered massive flooding.  This included the rivers that feed into the Ohio, such as the White River and the Wabash River which both border southern Knox County.  Johnson Township borders the White River and the area does sit in a known flood plain.  It was reported that levies were breached impacting the local residents.  Sarah died on January 22, 1937 at Good Samaritan Hospital.  The newspaper did not specify the cause of death, but there is always the possibility that it was related to the weather or the flooding.  The paper did say her body was returned to the Thompson home in Rural Johnson Township, so it’s possible they were not affected adversely by the flooding after all.

On January 26, 1939, Frank died of tuberculosis which he had been suffering from for a number of years.  He had been a patient at the Hillcrest Hospital which over the years served as a quarantine facility for various infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis.  With the advances of modern medicine, the hospital closed in 1971.  The building still stands and is thought to be haunted.

Marriage Announcement: Thompson-Williams

04 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by in Newspapers

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Now that I’m working on my mother’s family which is mainly from southern Knox County, use of the online archives for the Vincennes papers is more relevant.  While looking for information on my 2nd great grandfather, John Franklin Thompson, I came across the following announcement for marriage license applications.

“Everett Williams, farmer, of this county, son of Louis Williams, farmer, of this county, and Miss Ethel Thompson, of this county, daughter of Frank Thompson, farmer, of this county.”  [The Vincennes Commercial, January 14, 1916, page 2.]

Okay, so what? you say.  The wrong daughter is named.  Ethel, my great-grandmother, was already married to August Cardinal when this was printed.  It should have read Edith, her younger sister.  Edith and Everett were indeed married the day before on January 13, 1916.

August Cardinal

01 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by in Genealogy

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

As promised, I’m going to start on my mother’s family tonight.  Searchable Vincennes newspaper archives are a dangerous tool to let me have access to.

August Cardinal was my great grandfather.  He was born August 21, 1893 in Knox County, IN to James S and Anna Gravel Cardinal.  It’s likely he was named after his birth month.  There is a discrepancy in the year of his birth, however, as some sources say he was born in 1894.  He was the oldest of 4 children who lived to maturity.

In January 1911, he attended the 18th birthday party of Maggie Dellinger.  Others in attendance whose names caught my eye were Ben Gravel (possibly his cousin), Leo Sievers and Lawrence and Raymond Siewers.

In 1915, August met and married Ethel Thompson, daughter of John and Hannah (Butler) Thompson.  Their first child, Donald, was born in 1916. A couple years later, in June 1917, August was arrested for stealing farm equipment from farms south of Vincennes. His daughter Virginia was born while awaiting trial which was set for April 1918.  Nothing was easily found in the newspapers regarding the outcome of the trial, however, their third child, Marlin wasn’t born until 1920, so maybe he did do some time in the pokey.

Things were fairly quiet for the next few years for August.  Norma, Dorothy, and Morris were all born in the 1920s.  The family seemed to move around a bit living in both Harrison and Johnson Townships (Monroe City and Decker areas, respectively).  In 1934 it was reported that August ran his car into a guy wire, taking out a light pole.  Wayne, their youngest child, was born around this time as well.

1940 found the family renting in Busseron Township (Emison/Oaktown area).  When World War II came along, Marlin enlisted and August and Ethel were reported to live at 309 Depot Street, near the present day Vincennes University campus.  In 1949 when they were living at 121 Tecumseh, Ethel passed away at age 53.

Nothing more could be found in the archives regarding August until his death in 1964.  His obituary mentions a widow surviving him, but I have no idea who that might have been as she was not specifically named.