Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/154

 THOMPSON

THOMPSON

gon. 1><U0. an.l U.S. minister to Turkey, 1892-93. Mr. Tlioiupson wivs presiilent of the Portiaml Savings bank, lSS0-«6, and of the Commercial National bank, 1886-92. a scliool director of Port- land; president of the Portland Business college, and a member of tlu' state board of equalization, 1897-98.

THOMPSON, Egbert, naval officer, was born in New York city, June 6, 1820. He was war- ranted midshipman. U.S. navy, March 13, 1837; accompanied the exploring expedition of Com. Charles Wilkes to the southern seas. 1838-42, and was promoted passed midsliipman, June 29, 1843. He served with distinction during the Mexican war as executive officer of the scliooner ^OHtVa, (Julf S(iuadron, Com. David Conner, hisship being detailed to cover the debarkation of General Scott at Vera Cruz, in March, 1847; was attached to the steamer Michigan on the great l.ikes, 1847-50; stationed at Pliiladelphia navy yard, 1850-51, being promoted lieutenant, Sept. 27. 1850, and in 1851 was sent to the relief of Fort Picken*i on the steamer Poirhatari. In 1862 he commanded the gun-boat Pitts- burg attached to the Western gun-boat flotilla at Cairo. 111. The Pittsburg took part in the capture of Fort Donelson, and was badly cut up by the Confederate shot. When Flag-Officer Foote called a council of war on board the Benton, March 2S-29, 1862, to consider the suggestion made by General Pope that bj- aid f)f the gunboat he could cross the river and capture the Con- federate force at Island No. 10, Thompson was one of the commanding officers present when Commander Walker volunteered to run the gaunt- let of the Confederate fleet with the Carondelet. Lieutenant Thompson with the Pittsburg was ordered to follow the Carondelet, and arrived on the morning of April 5, but did not obey the directions ut Walker, and failed to come into the action until the victory had been gained. Flag- Officer Foote, however, in his report divided the honors between the two officers. The Pittsburg, Lieutenant-Commander Thompson, was one of the seven U.S. gunboatsthat engaged the Confed- erate gunboats above Yovt Pillow, May 10, 1862, Flag-Officer Davis having succeeded Flag-Officer Foote to the command of the United States gun- boats. May 9. 1802. After the fall of Fort Pillow, he was detached, June 5, with the Pittsburg to co-f>i»erate with a land force in holding possession of the i>lace, and he was not present at the battle of Memphis. He was promoted commander, July 16. 1862: was on duty at the Philadelphia rendez- vous, 1863-64; commamled the steamer il/e7)on- ough, South Atlantic stjuadron, 1s6.",-64; the Da- cotah, Hout\i Pacitic sipiailron. l.SOO-67; was coiii- mis.sione<l captain, July 26, 1867, and was in com- mand of the naval station, Mound city. 111., 1869-

71. He commanded the sloop Canandaigua, North Atlantic squadron, 1871-72; was retired from active service, Jan. 6, 1874, and died in Washington. D.C.. Jan. 5, 1881.

THOnPSON, Elizabeth, philanthropist, was born at Lyndon, Vt., Feb. 21, 1821; daughter of Samuel Rowell, and a descendant of Hannah Duston (q.v.). Her father, a farmer and hunter, was unable to give his children educational ad- vantages, and Elizabeth was obliged at an early age to aid in her own support, engaging in domes- tic service. She visited Boston, Mass.. in 1843, where she met Thomas Thompson, a millionaire and philanthropist, to whom she was married in 1844. After his death in 1869, she came into full possession of his property, which was bequeathed her as a life-estate and thereafter to be used " for or towards the relief and support " of needy work- ing women in the towns of Brattleboro. Mrs. Thompson's charities include large contributions to the causes of woman suffrage and of temper- ance; financial aid to the unfortunate heads of families, and $10,000 to the investigation of yellow fever. She originated and financed a song-service for the poor in the principal cities of the country; founded the town Longmont, Col., in 1871, continuing actively interested in its pro- gress up to the time of her death, and gave 640 acres and $300 each to the colonists of Saline county, Kansas. Among her other generosities are a contribution to the purchase of the Vassar college telescope; a building to the Concord sum- mer school of philosophy; $1000 to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1883, being chosen its first patron; and also $25,000 to the trustees of the latter association in 1885, the trust to be called the " EIizal)eth Thomp- son science fund." She also purchased "The Signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by Lincoln in the Presence of his Cabinet," painted by Francis B. Carpenter (q.v.), and presented it to congress, for which favor she received the thanks of congress and was granted the privilege of the floor, an honor which no other woman ever received. She was president of the Woman's Memorial Fund association. She died in Little- ton, N.n.. July 21. 1899.

THOMPSON, Henry Adams, educator, was born in Stormstown, Centre county, Pa., March 23, 1837; .son of John and Lydia (Blake) Thomp- son; grandson of John and Elizabeth (Pyle) Thompson, and of Thomas and Ann (Shugert) Blake, and a descendant of Irish ancestry on his father's side. He was graduated from JeflFer.son college, Canonsburg, Pa., A.B., 1858; studied theology at the Western Theological seminary, Allegheny, Pa., 1858-60; was license<l to preach by the Allegheny conference of the United Brethren church, Jan. 7, 1860, and ordained by