Person:Joseph Thompson (79)

Joseph Thompson filled out an application for a Donation land claim in 1852. Sadly for us, his handwriting was apparently so poor the transcriber thought it said Wagner Co., KY. was where he was born. As near as I can determine, there is no such county in Kentucky.

In a story written in the early 1930's, Joseph's nephew speaks of him and also of Mercer Thompson. That information states the Thompson family lived in Jefferson County, Kentucky.

1830 must have found them in migration, as they don't seem to match any families in the areas indicated in various family notes. The most reliable information seems to say they left Jefferson County about 1829 and moved on to Jefferson City, Missouri.

By 1843 they must have been in Warsaw, Missouri, as that was where Mercer Thompson met and married Sally Wiseman Donaghe. By 1843, Joseph was married to Sally's little sister, Elizabeth.

By the 1840's Jefferson City was far too populated for the likes of the Thompson family. The population had soared from about 100 to over 1000 in just a few short years. They would have to find something more suitable. A man could tolerate a lot of things in life, but seeing smoke from his neighbors chimney just made him feel crowded.

In 1849, Joseph and Mercer headed to the California gold fields and kicked around there a few months. Soon they boarded a ship bound for New Orleans. There they made a purchase of a bible, now housed at Shedd Museum, Linn, Oregon

In 1850, the U.S. Census picks Joseph and his family living at Lost Creek valley in Newton County. He isn't the only Thompson listed there. And they were all listed in a cluster. Mercer and James Thompson, along with some other relation of the wives lived just south in McDonald County.

In the spring of 1852, the Thompson brothers were finished outfitting for Oregon and started out for Oregon. It was a six months journey with a lifetime of memories, both good and bad. Cholera was their worst enemy, but their leader was trained in medicine. He had only two cases of the deadly disease and cured both patients.

In 1860, the U.S. census finds Joseph Thompson in Linn County, Oregon.

In the 1850's and 60's the Thompson's, off and on, freighted suppies and stock up to the various mining camps. It was dirty, dangerous work, but the pay was right to the first freighters into the camps. These were the times they went home with money in the cash box. And it was those times they worried about being robbed.

In 1870 the same they were on the census at Linn County, Oregon.

Joseph and his brother were primarily farmers. But they were not beyond exploring opportunity. They were good to their neighbors and stories told, say Joseph was friends to the local natives.

In 1872 he passed away.

In both the 1860 and 1870 census, Joseph is listed with considerable assets and cash.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

   http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/14457291/person/129868951