Person:William Thompson (379)

the father of Brig. Gen. William Thompson (1736-1781) of Carlisle, PA was Robert Thompson who immigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania but died in Ireland in 1760. His wife's name is unknown to me. Gen. Thompson had a sibling named Robert Thompson about whom I know nothing. Gen. Thompson had a sister, Elizabeth (1744-1812), from whom I descend. She married Matthew Scott in Carlisle, PA January 11, 1764. She died at Chillicothe, OH where I am told descendants still live. I live in Lexington, KY. Other siblings of Gen. Thompson are probable. Gen. Thompson's father, Robert, supposedly left a Will probated in Pennsylvania but I know nothing of it.

http://www.genforum.familytreemaker.com/thompson/messages/12774.html

Brig. GEN William Thompson had a 500 acre land grant in what is NOW (after 1850) Neshanock Township of Lawrence County, PA -- which was part of his pay for military service in the Revolutionary War. It was located in part of Allegheny County from 1786, and then that county was carved up and the land became part of Mercer County in 1800.

The land part was sold by the heirs of Brig, Gen. Thompson in the early 1800s. It is likely you can get his survuvung children's names in that land record -- from Mercer County, PA. I have no details. I just happen to be familiar with that part of Neshanock township in what is modern Lawrence County, PA.

http://www.genforum.familytreemaker.com/thompson/messages/25613.html

DAR Ancestor #: A114648

William Thompson (July 5, 1736 – September 3, 1781) was a soldier from Pennsylvania and a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Thompson was born in Ireland and emigrated to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. During the French and Indian War, Thompson served as a captain in the Kittanning Expedition under John Armstrong.

After news of the Battle of Bunker Hill reached Pennsylvania in 1775, Thompson was appointed colonel of a rifle battalion and was sent to Massachusetts to help in the defense of Boston. His unit was known as Thompson's Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion, or the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment. After Thompson's company of Pennsylvania sharpshooters drove back a British landing-party on November 9, 1775, he was made a brigadier-general, to the displeasure of George Washington, who had reservations about Thompson's abilities.

Sent to reinforce American troops in Canada, Thompson was captured during an attack on the enemy at Trois-Rivières in Quebec on June 8, 1776. He was paroled, but not exchanged for four years, and so he could not reenter military service. Thompson blamed Congressman Thomas McKean for hindering his exchange; his criticism became so harsh that he was censured by Congress. McKean successfully sued Thompson for libel.

Thompson married Katherine Ross daughter [s/b SISTER] of George Ross, signer of the Declaration of Independence for Pennsylvania.

After finally being exchanged for Baron Riedesel, Thompson died at his home near Carlisle.

Thompson Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City was named after General Thompson.

http://www.geni.com/people/Gen-William-Thompson/6000000007220408595