Thompson Family History

The earliest Thomsons; spelled with an (a), (e), and sometimes a (p), slowly evolved from the 12th century into families with a central head or leader in the border and Lothian areas of the Scottish lowlands from Dunfriesshire to Rosburghshire. The Thomsons of Eskdale were a rather small fifteenth-century clan closely aligned with the larger clans Beattison snd Nixons. In the 1540s, the English Lord Wharton reported to the Earl of Shewsbury that the Batysons, Thomsons, and Lytles of Esskdayle have made raiding (reiving) forays on several English towns. In 1547, the English Lords Lennox and Wharton crossed the Esk River to subdue the south of Annandale and Castlemilk. The continuing reiving on the borders resulted in several lairds and clans being forced to give an oath of obeisance to the King of England. Bell’s MS, preserved in the Carlisle Cathedral Library, lists the names of 166 Beatties and Thomsons who had surrendered to the English King. The 1551 peace accord created the Debatable Lands between the Esk and Sark rivers which belonged to neither kingdom.

     The farmers of the fertile plains of Berwickshire and the middle Tweed valley saw themselves as different from the horsemen of Liddesdale. In 1569, the lairds of the eastern and middle marches asserted that, while they themselves were peaceable, the thieves of the western ranges were not. In a memorandum to the Scottish Privy Council, they insisted that reivers must be controlled. They produced a black list of the surnames of the worst offenders: All Armstrongs, Batesons, Bells, Crosiers, Elliots, Glendinnings, Hendresons, Irvines, Nixons, Routledges and Thomsons.

     “The Steel Bonnets” by George MacDonald Fraser has a list of reivers he calls the riding surnames.

In the west march the ‘Nixons’ were located on the upper Liddesdale, Bewcastle, and Line rivers. Less compact than the Armstrongs, they were important enough to have Thomson, Glendennings, and Hunters associated with them. Like other Liddesdales clans, they sometimes allied with England. In the Middle March, Fraser listed the Thomsons as riding with the English.

   In 1581, the Scottish Parliament rendered a whole clan jointly answerable, in the way of retaliation for the delinquencies of each individual. In another statute passed shortly thereafter, the chief of each clan was made responsible for all the misdeeds of his surname. In consequence of these acts, in 1587, a roll was made of the nobles, barons, chieftains and clans residing in the Borders, Isles and Highlands. In this roll of the clans with chiefs in the West March appear the surnames: Scotts of Ewesdale, Batesons, Littles, Thomsons, Glendinnings, Irvings, Bells, Carruthers, Grahams, Johnstons, Jardines, Moffats, and Latimers. In addition, Monypeny’s Chronicle, published in 1587, enumerates sixty-five Lairds and gentlemen as residing in Dumfriesshire. There were also twenty “chief men of name, not being Lairds,” among which are included Young Archie Thomson and Sym Thomson.

     “The Scotch-Irish” by Charles A. Hanna, 1902, lists Thomsons, Battison, and Beattie as border clans located in Eskdale in 1547. Fifty years later, he notes the Thomson clan has relocated to Annandale along with Irving, Bell, Carlye, Graham, et al.

    A 1594, an Act of the Scottish Parliament for the “punishment of theft, robbery and sorning” lists the clans including Bells, Carlisles, Beatsons, Littles, Thomsons Johnstons, et al.

    At the union of the crowns in 1603, King James VI of Scotland left Scotland for London as King James I of a United Kingdom. He was determined to put down the continuing lawlessness on both sides of the border. His wishes were carried out through with sword, noose and torch until hardly a building stood in the whole of Eskdale and Liddesdale. Chiefs were hanged and those who survived were later ordered to sell out.

     The clans began to scatter in the 17th century. Littles, Beatties, Thomsons, Elliots, Armstrongs and Irvings fled from persecution, poverty and overcrowding to the Ulster plantations. Many moved later into neighboring English Cumberland and crossed the oceans to North America, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, proud of their origins - but, over the generations, losing contact with the descendants of those who stayed behind.

     Tartan: The Scottish Register of Tartans has listed this information note: The Thomson Dress Blue has been adopted by the Clan Thom(p)son Society as the official Clan Society tartan and worn by many Thomsons regardless of spelling. The Clan Thom(p)son Society also wear the Thomson hunting, grey dress, and camel tartans.

    Thompson Walls Historic site.   The site is described as a Pele Tower. Nothing visible remains today. The tower appears on 1584 ‘plan’ by Dacre, though apparently this map illustrated houses he would like to see built as well as those standing. The name Thompson Walls has lasted though, suggestive of a structure, and a long history is given of ownership. The site was a barren waste in 1541 with farming development planed.

• Ola Mae Thompson b: Sept, 30 1914 d:1969
• William Thompson b: Feb 15, 1877 Ashe County, NC  d: Feb 1, 1956 Beckley, WV
• Felix Thompson b: Oct 27, 1855  Ashe County, NC d: July 16, 1942
• Calvin Thompson b: April 17, 1825 Cranberry, NC d: Feb 22, 1916 VA
• Calvin Thompson son of Alexander Thomson born April 17, 1825 in Cranberry, North Carolina. His wife Ellen "Nelly" Brown borm December 25, 1825 in Wilkes, North Carolina and died June 6, 1897 in Ashe County, NC. Calvin and Ellen had 8 children; Jane, Felix, Sarah, Martin, Elvira, Rebecca, Mary Elizabeth and James.
• Alexander Thompson b:1793 Tazwell, VA d:1880 Ashe County, NC
• Alexander Thompson son of William J Thompson born in Tazwell, VA in 1793. His wife Martha Richardson was born the 30 May, 1799 in North Carolina. Alexander and Martha had 10 children; Ivie, William, Sabra, Calvin, Alfred, Isom, Sanders,Evaline, Elizabeth Ann and Malana. Alexande received may U.S. land grants between the years of 1829-1844 in Ashe County, North Carolina. He resided in Ashe county until his passing at which time he willed his estate to his remaining living heirs.
• William J Thompson b:1722 County Down, Ireland d: July 9, 1798 Thompson Valley, VA
• William J. Thompson was born in the County Down in Ireland in the year 1722. He became a Land Baron in Tazwell County Virginia in what is now called Thompson Valley. Commissioner of Peace 1790 and Sheriff 1797. His first Wife was Jane Buchanan born in the County Down in Ireland 1732 and died 1764 in Thompson Valley. His second wife was Lydia Graham born in Augusta County, Virginia 1743 and died Thompson Valley 12 October 1830. She was the daughter of William Graham and his wife Jean 'Jane' Mays. William J. Thompson had a son Named Andrew Thompson born in the County Down, Ireland in 1750. He was an Ensign, 1st New Jersey, Continental Army on 03 April 1777, taken prisoner at Brandy Creek in Pennsylvania 11 September 1777; Exchanged 17 December 1780 from Long Island, New York retired with rank of Lieutenant on 01 January 1781, and became a Gentleman Farmer. His wife Ann 'Nancy' was born in England in 1750; They were married in Wythe County, Virginia in 1775 and she died in the County of Bland, Virginia 1840.

• William Thompson b:1698 Danagow, Ireland d:1793 Spotsylvania, VA
• William Thompson is the son of Archibald Thomson and was born in the County Down, in Ireland in the year 1698. He was a Community Leader, and Farmer. His wife was Sarah Evans Born in the Highlands of Scotland in the year 1698. Both William and Sarah died in the County of Spotsylvania in the Commonwealth of Virginia, USA. They had a son William J. Thompson.

• Archibald Thompson b:1656 Scotland d: 1717 Down County, Ireland 
• He and his wife Marie Margret Milne in 1688 in Scotland. 
• John Thompson b:1622 Scotland
• Rees Thompson b:1590 Scotland
• Rees Thomson is the son of Archibald Thomson, and was born in Scotland circa 1590. His death is unknown, and he had a wife that is also unknown. Rees did have a son named John Thomson born in Scotland in the year 1622. His wife is unknown, but had a son named Archibald Thomson born in Scotland in the year 1656. His wife is unknown.

• John Thompson b:1560 Little Preston, Northants, England d: 1626 St Lenard, Shoreditch, Middlesex, England

• Archibald Thompson b:1524 Scotland
• Archibald was born in the Highlands of Scotland in 1524. His wife is unknown, but did have a son John Thomson. He was born in Scotland in 1559, and his death is unknown but in Scotland. He did have a wife, but could not find a name.

• William John Thompson b:1491 Scotland d: 1526 Scotland
• William Thomson was the son of John Thomson and born circa 1491 in the Highlands of Scotland. His wife is unknown. Where he died is unknown, but it was some where in Scotland. He had a son named Archibald Thomson.

• John Thomson b:1469 Drumny, Scotland d:1526 Drumny or Fingeralle, Scotland
• John Thomson was the first son of Johannes Van Kirk Thomson born in the year 1469 in Scotland. He had 3 other brothers Robert, William, and Thomas. John's wife is Catherine Afamsone born in 1469 died in 1494; He then had a second wife Elisabeth Gourlaw, who was still living in 1494. John was a land owner and leased land off Conflattes, Baroney of Glasgow on 20 Dec 1515. John died in Drumny

• Johannes vanKirk Thomson b:1400  Dumbarton Scotland d: Oct 18, 1486 Newton Grange, Scotland.
•  In 1429 Johannes became a Bailiff and was so until 1431. After serving as Bailiff he became Commissioner in 1435. Johannes or John as per the records show owned land in Ayrshire as the deed showed in 1456. Then he became the Sergeant of the Marsh in 1468. The Thomson Clan as for as I can tell fell after the death of Johannes on 18 Oct 1486 in Newton Grange, Scotland. The Clan was strong and more powerful in numbers than Clan MacTavish at this time, but had strong ties with Clan Campbell. Johannes's wife was Christina who was born in 1449 in the Highlands of Scotland, and died in Newton Grange, Scotland Oct 18,1486.

• William John Thomson b:1375  Dumbarton, Scotland  d: 1410
• He owned land in Dumbarton and was the Collector of Customs in 1410 as per his accounts rendered at Perth, on July in the year 1410. William's wife is unknown at this time. He left his land to Johannes Van Kirk Thomson, (his son) 

• James Thomson b: 1340 Dumbarton Shire, Scotland  d: 1425