RANSOM THOMPSON, hotel landlord, Santa Fe. One of the oldest settlers in Alexander County is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born January 16, 1815, in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., and was a son of Isaac and Mary (Patterson) Thompson. The former was a native of Pennsylvania, the latter of Georgia. Our subject attended the Cape Girardeau schools until fourteen, and then came with his uncle to this county in 1829, where the latter settled in what is now Clear Creek Precinct. At the age of eighteen, our subject went on the Mississippi River, as clerk on a store boat, but still considered his uncle's house his home until that gentleman died in 1835. Subject remained on the Mississippi until twenty-four, and then settled down as a farmer, on land about a mile south of what is now East Cape Girardeau. On that farm he only remained three years, and then removed to Thebes Precinct, where he settled on a farm of sixty-five acres. In that precinct he lived until September, 1882, when he came to Santa Fe, he having become too old to farm. There he purchased property, and runs the hotel of the place. He also spends quite a good deal of time on bee culture. Mr. Thompson was married the first time, in 1841, to Sarah Witt. This lady was the mother of three children; one only. Martha, wife of James Bracken, is now living. She died in the fall of 1847. In the spring of 1848, our subject wedded Rachel Austin as his second wife. This lady was the daughter of Joseph and Serena (Baldwing) Austin, and was the mother of five children, three of whom are now living — Thomas, J., now in Scott County, Mo.; Rachel, wife of James Johnson, of Duncan County, Mo.; and Benjamin R., now in business in Hickman, Ky. This lady died in 1860, and he was united in marriage to his present wife in February, 1861. She was a Mrs. Sarah Kelly, nee Moody, and a native of Tennessee. To her were born two children, both of whom are now dead. Our subject has been Justice of the Peace almost continuously since 1856, and is now serving in that capacity. He is a member of the Thebes Baptist Church, and generally votes the Republican ticket.
Extracted 29 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, page 248.
| Cape Girardeau MO |
Union | |
 |
Pulaski | |
| Scott MO | Mississippi MO | Ballard KY |
