Looking for John Campbell Thompson

[SarahND]

Hello Roberto,
I am trying to get everything straight in my mind, hoping some good idea will come.

Alfred and Mary were baptized in December 1876 in Rosario. Mary had been born the previous July and Alfred was already 2 years old. Was John not present at the baptisms? Is there any indication of that on the original certificate? Does it say anything about him already being deceased? Or out of the country?

I have another question (there is no end to these!). If he was a clerk, then surely he was literate and spelled his name as he wished to have it spelled. Any examples of his signature that you have? It seems odd that he would have gone back to England, rather than Scotland, unless he had grown up there. Or maybe he was just doing a job for the colony that had nothing to do with his place of origin. Did you say that his family went with him on the first trip back?

I have been looking in old city directories from the early 1860s to try to find John before his marriage. Do you know anything about his occupation before he came to Brazil? Is it likely he was also a clerk before, or do you have any other hints as to what he was doing in the U.S.?

I read the interesting article you posted about the first colony in Brazil. The first director was an American named Barzillai Cottle. I traced him in the censuses and he was living in Illinois… so I am presently concentrating on Chicago as a possible location for the marriage of John and Anne. Many new immigrants went there at that time, so it is a reasonable guess. I'll let you know if I find anything. There is a "clerk, ticket office" named John Thompson in Chicago in 1864, but then there are all sorts of other John Thompsons doing other things as well. Any ideas you might have on his occupation will be welcome.

All the best,
Sarah

[robertoestela]

Hello Roberto,
I am trying to get everything straight in my mind, hoping some good idea will come.

Alfred and Mary were baptized in December 1876 in Rosario. Mary had been born the previous July and Alfred was already 2 years old. Was John not present at the baptisms? Is there any indication of that on the original certificate? Does it say anything about him already being deceased? Or out of the country?

I have another question (there is no end to these!). If he was a clerk, then surely he was literate and spelled his name as he wished to have it spelled. Any examples of his signature that you have? It seems odd that he would have gone back to England, rather than Scotland, unless he had grown up there. Or maybe he was just doing a job for the colony that had nothing to do with his place of origin. Did you say that his family went with him on the first trip back?

I have been looking in old city directories from the early 1860s to try to find John before his marriage. Do you know anything about his occupation before he came to Brazil? Is it likely he was also a clerk before, or do you have any other hints as to what he was doing in the U.S.?

I read the interesting article you posted about the first colony in Brazil. The first director was an American named Barzillai Cottle. I traced him in the censuses and he was living in Illinois… so I am presently concentrating on Chicago as a possible location for the marriage of John and Anne. Many new immigrants went there at that time, so it is a reasonable guess. I'll let you know if I find anything. There is a "clerk, ticket office" named John Thompson in Chicago in 1864, but then there are all sorts of other John Thompsons doing other things as well. Any ideas you might have on his occupation will be welcome.

All the best,
Sarah

HELLO SARAH ! YOU HAVE A POINT ABOUT JOHN'S PRESENCE AT BAPTISM , I had seen cases in argbrit page in which DEC or DECEASED appears to indicate father was dead at bapt. time.
AND THAT MADE THINK WHY IN MARY AND ALFRED BAPT THERE'S NO INDICATION OF THAT, SINCE JOHN DIDNT KNEW MARY.
SO I EMAILED REV.JEREMY HOWAT ( ARGBRIT FOUNDER ) ABOUT IF IT HAD TO SHOW IF FATHER WAS DECEASED IN THE ACT. HE SAID YES.
I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT 1812 ROSE'S ACT DEFINED BAPTISM DATA FOR ANGLICAN CHURCH , AND I DIDNT FIND AN SPECIFICATION ABOUT THAT,

MAYBE WAS A MISTAKE OF CHURCH CLERK AT THAT MOMENT , I DONT KNOW WHAT TO SAY... I WANT TO THINK THE REAL THING ABOUT HIS DEAD IS JUST LIKE THE FAMILY LETTER SAID. BY THE WAY WAS WRITTEN BY A FRANCES'S DAUGHTER , IT SEEMS SHE WAS INTERESTED IN FAMILY ORIGIN. SHE SAID SHE TRIED TO FIND OUT WHERE JOHN WAS FROM IN SCOTLAND BUT SHE COULDNT.

IT SOUNDS WEIRD TO ME THERE WAS NO PRECISSION ABOUT A COMMON THING SUCH AS WERE A PERSON IS BORN. I SUPPOSED I HAD ASKED FOR IT IF I COULD'VE ....

ABOUT HIS OCCUPATION , I MISTOOK CLERK INSTEAD OF EMPLOYEE , AS IT SHOWED IN ARGBRIT MARY'S BAPT , MAYBE HE READ AND WRITE , I DONT KNOW.
AND I AGREE WITH YOUR OPINION THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN DOING A JOB FOR THE COLONY ADMINISTRATION THAN A PRIVATE TRIP.
YES , THEIR FAMILY WENT WITH HIM. THIS FAMILY LETTER SAID THAT FRANCES COULD REMEMBER HERSELF IN BELGIUM , SHE WAS 6 o 7 years old AT 1873.
I GUESS THAT FRANCES AND WILLIAM WERE BAPTISED SINCE BAPTISM ACTS WERE THE ONLY OFFICIAL ID IN ARGENTINA UNTIL 1884. I FOUND THIS YESTERDAY IN A ARG PAGE.
I SUPPOSED THAT PORT AUTHORITIES REQUIRED THIS ID FOR CHILDREN , THEY BOTH WERE BORN IN ARGENTINA.
AND THE CHURCH WAS NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA MERCED , 3 BLOCK FROM THE DOCKS , THAT MAKES SENSE AND COULD EXPLAIN WHY IN A CATHOLIC CHURCH.

BEST WISHES AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING,
REGARDS,
ROBERTO

[robertoestela]

Hello Roberto,
I am trying to get everything straight in my mind, hoping some good idea will come.

Alfred and Mary were baptized in December 1876 in Rosario. Mary had been born the previous July and Alfred was already 2 years old. Was John not present at the baptisms? Is there any indication of that on the original certificate? Does it say anything about him already being deceased? Or out of the country?

I have another question (there is no end to these!). If he was a clerk, then surely he was literate and spelled his name as he wished to have it spelled. Any examples of his signature that you have? It seems odd that he would have gone back to England, rather than Scotland, unless he had grown up there. Or maybe he was just doing a job for the colony that had nothing to do with his place of origin. Did you say that his family went with him on the first trip back?

I have been looking in old city directories from the early 1860s to try to find John before his marriage. Do you know anything about his occupation before he came to Brazil? Is it likely he was also a clerk before, or do you have any other hints as to what he was doing in the U.S.?

I read the interesting article you posted about the first colony in Brazil. The first director was an American named Barzillai Cottle. I traced him in the censuses and he was living in Illinois… so I am presently concentrating on Chicago as a possible location for the marriage of John and Anne. Many new immigrants went there at that time, so it is a reasonable guess. I'll let you know if I find anything. There is a "clerk, ticket office" named John Thompson in Chicago in 1864, but then there are all sorts of other John Thompsons doing other things as well. Any ideas you might have on his occupation will be welcome.

All the best,
Sarah

I FORGOT SOME DATA YOU ASKED BEFORE, I DONT KNOW WHAT JOHN DID FOR A LIVING. AS TO THIS FAMILY LETTER ANNE EMIGRATED AT AGE OF 19 AND WORKED AS A NURSE MAID , ALSO SAID SHE WAS ILLETERATE , I GUESS THEY WERE POOR PEOPLE IN USA.
OTHERWISE I CANT IMAGINE HOW THEY COULD EMIGRATE AGAIN ( BESIDES LEAVING THEIR HOMELAND ) TO THE UNKNOWN, SO TO SPEAK... YOU MAY SAY BECAUSE THEY WERE ADVENTURERS ... MAYBE .. , I DONT KNOW ..

BEST REGARDS, ROBERTO

[robertoestela]

IT'S A SMALL WORLD... I CANT BELIEVE WHAT YOU FOUND ABOUT REEVES , HERE'S A LINK , IT'S JOSHIA REEVES MARRIAGE FROM INDIANA USA BORN ABT 1831 , ACT # 32. http://www.argbrit.org/Alejandra/matrimonios.htm

This is fascinating! Imagine my great grandmother's cousin Josiah at age 52, marrying an 18 year old Swiss girl Well, my great grandmother married (and divorced) three times so there was something in the blood... I've been reading up on the California Colony, etc. and it makes very interesting reading.

I'm wondering whether your John C Thompson was in California also, before going to Argentina, but that doesn't fit in with him seeing Lincoln's body. He may have been there earlier, then came east again to get married before they left the US. Don't you wish that your ancestor was named something like Josiah Carrico instead of John Thompson?! So much easier to find!

Have you seen a death record for John C Thompson? Just wondering whether it gives his birthplace as sometimes they do. Otherwise I guess we're stuck with trying to find their marriage in all of the 11 possible places. Sounds like a road trip is in order...

All the best,
Sarah

HI , I SEND YOU MORE ABOUT JOSIAH REEVES :

JOSIAH CARRICO REEVES, born on 1831 in Indiana, United States, son of Allen Reeves and Margareth Carrico. Carrico was a portuguese origin family who emigrated to England and then again to Virginia, USA. Taken from http://www.guidotourn.com.ar/temas/tema ... lia-reeves
The real spelling should be Carriço , it pronounces Carrizo , and more about Alexandra Colony : http://www.guidotourn.com.ar/destacado/ ... dra-colony

Regards , Roberto

[SarahND]

JOSIAH CARRICO REEVES, born on 1831 in Indiana, United States, son of Allen Reeves and Margareth Carrico. Carrico was a portuguese origin family who emigrated to England and then again to Virginia, USA. Taken from http://www.guidotourn.com.ar/temas/tema ... lia-reeves
The real spelling should be Carriço , it pronounces Carrizo , and more about Alexandra Colony : http://www.guidotourn.com.ar/destacado/ ... dra-colony

Yes, that is the correct information on Josiah. Margaret Carrico's father was Josiah Carrico. Either her sister or her cousin was Martha Carrico, my ancestor. Josiah and his brother Charles came to Indiana from Kentucky at the very beginning of the settlement there (so the pioneering spirit was in the blood!) He was a bit of a character-- the History of Greene & Sullivan Co, Indiana says of him (among other things):

"Old man Carrico is said to have killed three or four bears in the marsh near his house. One he wounded, and as it came at him with open mouth he was compelled to use his knife to prevent being "hugged" to death.".

The Sullivan county, Indiana courthouse burned down in 1850, so all records prior to that are lost-- this is why I have not yet been able to find whether my gg grandmother Martha Carrico was the daughter of Josiah or of Charles. She named one of her sons Josiah and another Charles and two of her daughters were also named after Josiah and Charles' wives...

Re: JC Reeves, I did find those baptisms the other day, but there is also another one which begins to explain why Josiah married finally at the age of 52 (as far as I can tell, he was not married before). The first child, Anna Mary, was baptized 14 Sep 1884, but was actually born 18 Feb 1883, 5 months BEFORE the marriage…!
http://www.argbrit.org/Alejandra/bapts1877-84.htm

All the best,
Sarah

[robertoestela]

JOSIAH CARRICO REEVES, born on 1831 in Indiana, United States, son of Allen Reeves and Margareth Carrico. Carrico was a portuguese origin family who emigrated to England and then again to Virginia, USA. Taken from http://www.guidotourn.com.ar/temas/tema ... lia-reeves
The real spelling should be Carriço , it pronounces Carrizo , and more about Alexandra Colony : http://www.guidotourn.com.ar/destacado/ ... dra-colony

Yes, that is the correct information on Josiah. Margaret Carrico's father was Josiah Carrico. Either her sister or her cousin was Martha Carrico, my ancestor. Josiah and his brother Charles came to Indiana from Kentucky at the very beginning of the settlement there (so the pioneering spirit was in the blood!) He was a bit of a character-- the History of Greene & Sullivan Co, Indiana says of him (among other things):

"Old man Carrico is said to have killed three or four bears in the marsh near his house. One he wounded, and as it came at him with open mouth he was compelled to use his knife to prevent being "hugged" to death.".

The Sullivan county, Indiana courthouse burned down in 1850, so all records prior to that are lost-- this is why I have not yet been able to find whether my gg grandmother Martha Carrico was the daughter of Josiah or of Charles. She named one of her sons Josiah and another Charles and two of her daughters were also named after Josiah and Charles' wives...

Re: JC Reeves, I did find those baptisms the other day, but there is also another one which begins to explain why Josiah married finally at the age of 52 (as far as I can tell, he was not married before). The first child, Anna Mary, was baptized 14 Sep 1884, but was actually born 18 Feb 1883, 5 months BEFORE the marriage…!
http://www.argbrit.org/Alejandra/bapts1877-84.htm

All the best,
Sarah

OHH, THAT'S RIGHT !! , IT SEEMS THAT WEBSITE ( GUIDOTOURN ) HAS BEEN POLITICALLY CORRECT BY NOT MENTIONING IT , BUT YOU BUSTED HIM ANYWAY HA HA !!
BEST REGARDS

[robertoestela]

Hi Roberto,
I couldn't find the family in 1841 either and I have been looking for other clues tonight, but not coming up with much. There was a John C Thompson, 28, born in Scotland, who is an invalid in the house of John Hudson, a Rail Roader from England in the 1860 census for Cairo, Alexander county, Illinois. Also in the household is a James Thompson age 33, a laborer born Scotland

And I'm sure you know about this birth on FamilySearch.org:

name: Francesa Maria Campbell Thomson
gender: Female
baptism/christening date: 21 Sep 1873
baptism/christening place: San Nicolás, Distrito Federal, Argentina
father's name: Juan Campbell Thomson
mother's name: Ana Foley
indexing project (batch) number: G01066-3
system origin: Argentina-EASy
source film number: 1102307

Otherwise, I'm coming up empty-handed, sorry. Do you have any records that would give an approximate year of birth for John?
I'll keep looking, but there are so many John Thompsons and even very many John C Thompsons!

All the best,
Sarah

HI SARAH !! , BASED ON YOUR FINDING I KEPT SEARCHING AROUND LDS DATABASE AND I FOUND OUT THESE BAPTISMS WERE DIGITALIZED , SO I WENT IN AND SAW THAT JCT WAS FROM ENGLAND APPARENTLY.
YOU CAN ACCESS FROM THIS LINKS :
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... wc=9492108
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... wc=9492108

WITHOUT YOUR HELP I GUESS I COULDNT EVER FIND IT , YOU´RE FINDING WAS THE CORNERSTONE ! ,
ANY INFO ABOUT JCT YOU COULD FIND PLEASE LET ME KNOW ,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN !
REGARDS, ROBERTO

[SarahND]

=D> Good news! Now to find a John Campbell Thompson born in England...

All the best,
Sarah

[robertoestela]

=D> Good news! Now to find a John Campbell Thompson born in England...

All the best,
Sarah

OK SARAH! BY THE WAY , I SAW THAT THE PRIEST THAT OFFICIATED SEEMS TO BE AN IRISH MAN AND I THINK HE COULD'VE ASKED FOR THE RIGHT SPELLING.
MAYBE JCT SURNAME WAS REALLY THOMSON , AND THAT'S WHY FAMILY STORY MENTIONED HIS SCOTTISH ORIGIN, SINCE THOMSON IS THE SCOTTISH FORM.
DO YOU AGREE ?

BEST REGARDS,
ROBERTO

[SarahND]

With a name like John Campbell Thom(p)son, his family was most likely of Scottish origin. I would guess that either his parents or his grandparents were born in Scotland, but we can't know until we find out who they were! Too bad a town name was not given in addition to the country name. I'm still hoping that one day their marriage record will come online and that it will give more information. Every day there are more records on FamilySearch, so maybe soon...!

I decided to have a look at the godparents at the baptism, in case they had known each other before-- so googled "Thomas Doran Horsfall." It seems he was born in Liverpool, but who knows if that is a clue to John C Thompson or not. He was first in Australia:

Baptism: 8 Aug 1836 St Peter, Liverpool, Lancs.
Thomas Doran Horsfall - [Child] of Abraham Horsfall & Lucy
    Abode: Mulberry St
    Occupation: Millwright
    Baptised by: Tho. Halton Curate
    Register: Baptisms 1836, Page 163, Entry 1298
    Source: LDS Film 1656422

The Argus, Melbourne, Vic, Tuesday, 7 May 1861 page 1
5th column, near the bottom:
THOMAS DORAN HORSFALL, sailed in ship Hilton, Liverpool, Octover, 1859. -- by calling on P.E. Wynne, ship Red Jacket, he will receive letters from friends.

Is this the same man?
The London Gazette, January 31, 1868
Thomas Doran Horsfall, of Great George-street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Boot and Shoe Dealer, adjucated bankrupt on the 5th day of January, 1867 Dividend Meeting will be held on the 13th day of Feb next, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon precisely.