BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 683-684.

SAMUEL M. THOMPSON

Samuel M. Thompson, one of the leading citizens of St. Clairsville, was born
November 9, 1829. His father, James Thompson, was the son of Samuel and Agnes
(McCaskey) Thompson, both natives of Ireland, who emigrated from that land
when James was a small boy, and settled in Lancaster county, Penn., where the
latter grew to manhood. In 1823 James was married to Margaret Clark, and six
children were born to them, four of whom are now living: Agnes J., wife of
David Brow; Ellinor, wife of Solomon Bentley; Mary A., now a resident of
Oakland, Cal. James Thompson devoted his life to farming in Lancaster county,
Penn., and died in 1838. His wife, who is still living, at the age of eighty
years, was born in Lancaster county in 1803, the daughter of Alexander and
Ellinor (Downs) Clark. They, who were both natives of Ireland, were married
in that land and came to America in 1799, and settled in Lancaster county,
and thence removed to Belmont county in 1828. Both are deceased, the father
passing away at the age of ninety years. After the death of his father, Samuel
M. Thompson, with his mother, accompanied his grandfather to Ohio and settled
in Belmont county, where the latter died in 1850. He was educated in the
common schools and by attendance at Madison college, in Guernsey county,
during two years. In November, 1851, he was married to Pleasey, daughter of
John and Nancy (Clemens) McDowell, by whom he had two children, who died in
infancy. The mother, a member of the United Presbyterian church, died in 1856,
and in 1861 he was married to Sarah J., daughter of Robert and Sarah (Taggart)
Kerr. Her father, a son of Robert and Margaret (McDowell) Kerr, was a native
of Scotland. He came to Pennsylvania in 1818, and five years later removed to
Belmont county, where he lived until his death, May 16, 1879, at eighty years
of age. He was a teacher in this county for about twenty years. His wife was
a native of Ireland. Mrs. Sarah Thompson had been previously married to Thomas
E. Kelley, deceased, in 1849. She and her husband are members of the United
Presbyterian church, of which he is an elder. Throughout his life Mr. Thompson
has played the part of a worthy and valuable citizen. In 1864 he served in
Company E, of the One Hundred and Seventieth regiment Ohio volunteers. When
the site of the public buildings of the county was in dispute, he was one of
the foremost workers for his town, and aided greatly in securing the location
at St. Clairsville. He is one of the prominent land owners of the county,
owning thirty acres within the corporate limits of St. Clairsville, and 139
acres, beautifully situated on an elevation overlooking the city.