5. Francis Thompson and Spouses

Francis Thompson was the third child of Andrew and Ann Thompson. He was born about 1783. The 1810, 1830 and 1840 censuses together indicate he was born between 1780 and 1784. The settlement order of Andrew Sr.'s probate records put him in between siblings Andrew and Amos, born in 1781 and 1786 respectively. This narrows his birth years to 1782/1784. The 1850 census gives his age as 57. Because the other records are so consistent, I believe the1850 census to be in error, perhaps it should be age 67. Francis was born in Virginia, almost certainly in Walker Valley, in what then was Montgomery County.

Francis was apparently married twice. He was married to Phillipina (Phoebe) Schapley in 1821 [Wythe Marriage Registry, pg 70 transcript][Kegley, Zion Church, pg. 84]. Phoebe was born in 1797 in North Carolina [Wythe Census 1850, Op. Cit.] a daughter of (father unknown) and Julia A. Schapley. Harris gives Phoebe's last name as Schapple [Harris, 1976 notes], the marriage record records the name Scheply, and the 1850 census records the name as Chapple. Julia A. Chapple, age 99 is living with Francis and Phoebe in 1850. It is the presence of Julia Schapley that unquestionably identifies this as the same family in the 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses (see detail, this chapter).

But Francis also appears in the 1810 census, with a wife and two small children. This is before Francis and Phoebe's marriage year, strongly indicating an earlier wife. The age of the woman in 1810 is too old to be Phoebe, another indicator of a previous marriage. Nothing is known about the first wife, but we can assume they were married 1802/1807, placing her birth year between 1784/1790. We can also assume she passed away between 1810/1820, since Francis remarried in 1821.

The death of his first wife probably explains why Francis is not found in the 1820 census. Either he was in another household -- there are many examples of married children, who have lost a spouse, that live with their parents or relatives -- or he had temporarily moved away. In the case of Francis, we have no evidence of any 37 year old males living with local family. We do however know that his second wife was from North Carolina, which gives the second theory more plausibility. Perhaps he met her while working in North Carolina.

The children and family structure of Francis are difficult to reconstruct because of some unknowns (but that hasn't stopped us before, has it?) Comparison of the various censuses, combined with some marriages provide the following reconstruction:

First, let us consider the 1850 Census. There are two grown children, their families, and a mother-in-law living with Francis and Phoebe, in addition to the other children. Census takers generally list members of immediate family in order. When someone is out of order, they are usually a spouse or child of the immediate family member. Here, we have the supportive record of Alexander's marriage record 22 Apr 1849 [Wythe Marriage Registry] which proves that Barbara and Mary, listed below Alexander, are his spouse and new child, respectively. The 1850 Census would logically be interpreted this way:

	Francis Thompson (57) & Pheby (53)
		Alexander Thompson (22)
			Barbara (19, wife of Alexander)
			Mary (6 months, child)
		Polly (Thompson) Wilson (20, widowed)
			Julia (2 child)
			Thomas (1 child)
		Jane (13)
		Agness (11)
		James ( 8)
	Julia A. Chapple (100)

So without the grandchildren and the stepdaughter Barbara in the 1850 census, the detail of the Censuses is clearer.

Detail of Francis Thompson Family 1810-1850

Johannes (John)

Johannes (John) Thompson is found in the baptismal records of the Zion Church of Wythe County [Kegley, Zion Church, pg. 84]. His birthdate is given as 3 Jun 1822, and his christening as 4 Aug 1822. His parents were Francis Thompson and Phillipina. Kegley suggests that Johannes may be the John Thompson who married Elizabeth Sprinkle, although no reason or documentation for the suggestion is given. I am not convinced that the 1850 census supports the conclusion. That John Thompson is too young: 21 in 1850.

Jane, Agness, and James

It has been argued that Jane Thompson, Agness Thompson, and James Thompson are really grandchildren. The primary argument given is based on the fact that Frances would have been 54-59 when he sired these children. Although not common, it is certainly within reason. In reality, the bigger issue is the age of the mother. Phoebe would have been 40-45; also within reason. I would argue that the 1840 records clearly show these young children in the home in 1840; and the 1830, 1840 and 1850 censuses taken together show an active child-bearing family.

Furthermore, we have no plausible parents whom they can be orphans of. Alexander is not old enough, he would have been 9. Polly is not old enough, she would have been 7. The next option is to assume both parents have died, which is a much riskier assumption (lacking evidence) than that Francis and Phoebe were just late parents (which we have indications of). No, the census order in 1850 clearly suggests they are children of Francis and Phoebe by the way they are listed. I conclude that they are indeed children of Francis and Phoebe.

Alexander

My only proof that Alexander Thompson is a child of Frances and Phoebe is the 1850 census, where he and his new bride are living with his parents. Alexander married Barbara Lambert 22 Apr 1849 [Wythe Marriage Registry]. The 1850 census records one child, Mary, b. 1850.

Polly (Wilson)

Polly Thompson was born in 1830, according to the 1850 census. Support for her being a child of Francis comes from her marriage information, which says bond was posted by Francis Thompson. She married John M. Wilson on 17 Feb 1848 [Wythe Marriage Registry]. She and John had two children as recorded by the 1850 census. Julia Wilson, b. 1848, and Thomas Wilson, b. 1849.

I have not found proof of John's death. Polly appears widowed in the 1850 census, but it is also possible that John was away working to earn money.

Frances J.

Frances J. Thompson was born 1836, according to her marriage record [Wythe Marriage Registry, pg 3]. She married Hiram Groseclose on 15 Nov 1854. Hiram, b. 1830, was the son of William and Sarah Groseclose.

Frances's marriage record clearly records her parents as "Francis and Pheby Thompson". This proof is helpful, because it is troublesome that there is no daughter Francis J. on the 1850 census. Perhaps Jane, aged 13 in the 1850 census is really Frances J. The ages match within a year. Maybe the J. stands for Jane, and Frances went by Jane to avoid confusion with her father. Currently, I consider these two sisters as separate children of Frances and Phoebe.

Other Children

The detail of the Francis Thompson family over the years makes it clear there are other children. The will of Francis would be especially helpful, but I have not found it.

Harvey Thompson

One possible child of Francis and Phoebe is the Harvey Thompson who married Matilda Thompson, the son of John Thompson (see Chapter 3).

This Harvey and Matilda (Thompson) Thompson were married in 1844, and appear in the 1850 Wythe County Census [Douthat, Wythe Settlers, pg 146]:

Family 1584 THOMPSON, Harvey 29 M laborer; Matilda 27 F; Levi 5 M; John 3 M; Pheby 1 F.

Myrl Thompson sees Harvey's age as 27 in the 1850 census. He cites the 1860 census which lists Harvey 37, Matilda 37, Levi 15, and John 12. Pheby is not listed.

Study of known Harveys in the area shows this is not Harvey (b. 1830) the son of Amos Thompson (they are both listed in separate places in the 1850 census.)

It is most interesting that the daughter of Harvey is named Phoebe (Pheby), a distinctive name. The child is most probably named after a grandparent (or, less likely, after another relative), meaning that either Harvey or Matilda is a child of Francis and Phoebe. Since we know that Matilda is the daughter of John, Harvey would be the child. (Chapter 3). There is a male child of just the right age, born between 1820 and 1825, who is mentioned in the 1830 and 1840 census.

I do not think there is enough evidence to support this conclusion, yet.

George Thompson

Another candidate as a child of Francis is George Thompson . George, his wife Polly, and five children appear in the 1850 census [Wythe Census 1850, pg 679]:

Family 1621 THOMPSON, George 38 M; Polly 28 F; Prudy 11 F; Hiram 9 M; Crockett 7 M; Rhoda 5 F; Julia A. 5 F; Francis 2 F; Rhoda Heath 70 F.

The reason I think George is a child of Francis is the names of the youngest two children. Julia A. was the name of George's grandmother. She was still living with Pheobe and Francis in 1850, aged 99. Francis was the name of George's father. We know that George and Polly named children for relatives because Julia A.'s twin, Rhoda, seems to be named for the Rhoda Heath, age 70, who is living with them. I'm sure that Rhoda Heath will turn out to be Polly's widowed mother, but I have no evidence of this.

The early censuses show that Francis and his first wife had one male child under the age of 10 in 1810. This shows that they were having children at the time. There is no 1820 record I have found, so I don't know if there is a child born in 1812 who could be George. There is no child at home in 1830 of George's age, but he would have been 18, old enough to move out.

Looking at the other brothers, there aren't many unknown children of that age. George is not a child of John; we know all his children. He is not a child of Amos; we know all his children. Bryant is too young in 1812; he is only 15 and Barbara only 14. We think Joseph was 20 in 1812; he has a male child between 0 and 10 in 1820 that could be 8 and therefore could possibly be George. Andrew has two male children born between 1810 and 1820; either one could be George.

So even though it seems likely, based on family names, that George is a child of Francis, there is not enough evidence to draw a firm conclusion, since there are other possibilities.

Research

1. A will of Francis would be most helpful.

Transcript

1850 Census Wythe County, film #444967, page 667 #1535

© Copyright Brian J. Cragun, 1994, 1997. All rights reserved.