Message in a Bottle

I was contacted in January by someone who found one of my postings out on the Thompson genealogy site. Ironically, he contacted me about the time I got my package from the MCHS containing all that information and when I had my Ancestry.com account active. So things all came together at once.

All my droppings around the internet have paid off with a contact from the home team. This person is still in the Alexandria area and grew up there. He's the same age as my Dad and at the same level in the family tree.

My tree branch runs like this:

Levi -> Albert -> Ray ->Charles -> my Dad -> Me.

His branch runs like this

Levi -> Albert ->Francis -> Richard -> Him.

So his father and my grandfather are first cousins. I've learned so much about the family in a few short weeks that my head feels like it's going to pop. I've also been able to share some of the things I learned. Unfortunately he and I are stuck at the same place. Levi Thompson 1834 Indiana or Pennsylvania.

It's been awesome to get pictures from the Thompson family (some of which I need to post here) and insight into their lives from his and his father's perspective.

In this way one of my big goals has been met. I have a past and a family and I'm on the right track. My Thompson world is no longer the small world of the Thompsons I know and grew up with, now there are many more Thompsons to meet.

Descendant Tree so far.

Thomas Thompson born Donegal Ireland 1783 or 1785. Died Hamilton County Ohio 1816.
Arrived 1804 in Philidelphia on the ship "Brothers" from the port of Derry.
Possibly Married Elizabeth Benbow in North Carolina in 1810..
Moved to Hamilton Ohio had three possibly four sons Bazaleel 1810, Alfred 1812, Thomas 1814. Bazaleel may also be Henry or Henry could be another son. Sons were adopted by Enoch Evringham in 1816 according to probate records.


Thomas Thompson born Hamilton Ohio 1814. Died before 1860 in Indiana. Arrived in Glenwood Indiana with Alfred and Henry in 1832 where Alfred was a merchant with a tavern and store and Henry and Thomas were blacksmiths. Marries Hannah Williams (born 1818 in Fayette Indiana) in 1837 in Fayette Indiana by 1850 lives in District 97, Rush Indiana. Children: Alfred F (1841), Sarah A (1844), Everet William (1846), Ward (1846), Taylor (1849), Winfield (1850), John (1854), Oliver (1856).

Oliver Thompson born 1856 (probably) Orange, Rush, Indiana. Died sometime after 1880 census living in Orange Rush. Married Cordelia (born 1857 Indiana). Children: Albert O (1878), Mary (1879).

Albert O Thompson born 1878 Orange Rush Indiana. Died 1920 Trafalgar Indiana. Married 1892 to Ida Williamson (born 1874 died 1935) in Madison Indiana where he lived until around 1920. Children: Eva M (1893), Vivian Leo (1895), Ray Bishop (1898), Cuba (1901), Francis (1905), Harry (1910).

Ray Bishop Thompson born 1898 Madison Indiana. Died Sep 1970, Knox, Starke, Indiana. Possibly married Orvetta Ina Finks (later Abbott) (born 1905 Illinois. died 1986 Cadillac Michigan) some time around 1925. One child by that union: Charles Paul (Feb 19 1925 - Oct 25 1986). Family story is that Bishop was a railroad worker with the nickname "Polar" because some of his appendages froze off while he was drunk.

Charles Paul Thompson born Feb 19 1925 Cadillac Michigan. Died Oct 25 2006. Married Eliabeth Jean Seelye (1924 Flint Michigan - 2005 Cadillac Michigan) either during or just after World War II in Rush Indiana.