Histories

John Thompson was born in Yorkshire, England, on November 6, 1786, in the year of 1820, he was married to a young widow, Beatrice Ann Waller, born April 14, 1793. By her former marriage to John Holtby, there were two sons, William and John Holtby.

Whether the Thompsons were ever acquainted with their contemporaries, the Dobsons, while in England, we have never been able to ascertain. The Dobsons as has been previously recorded, emigrated to Canada in 1826, while the Thompsons crossed the Atlantic in 1827, probably in the same slow traveling, sailing vessels that had landed the Dobsons in Quebec, just one year previously

What hardships and privations these brave, good folks must have endured coming as they did from a comfortable home in the settled, populous part of England, to a country covered by primeval forest. The woods were inhabited by wild animals; wolves howled around them at night, and sometimes devoured young pigs and lambs. There were two things, however, of which they never knew the lack - hard work and fuel for their fireplaces. Cleared land was much more valuable than that covered with trees. Many a grand bonfire did those pioneers kindle, merely to get rid of the super abundance of wood.

The Thompsons settled in Reach Township, Concession 4, neat the present village of Manchester. Their first home was a log house, but through their industry and good management, they were soon able to erect a fine, frame dwelling. This house is still in good repair and is being occupied by Harvey Dobson (1935) a great grandson of John and Beatrice Ann Thompson. The father, John Thompson, died on September 19, 1860, aged 73 years and 11 months. After his death, his widow went to live with her daughter, Mrs. Lavina Mosure, at Parkhill, Ontario, where she died on May 24, 1873. It is rather a coincidence that John Thompson and Robert Dobson, the Elder, passed away to their reward within three weeks of each other. Their pioneer homes were only six or seven miles apart.