The Thompsons are another branch of my husband’s family tree who have been tricky to sort out.
After much research, I was able to put together the family of Ephraim Thompson, born c1770, probably North Carolina and Sarah Curry, who died before 1842 when Ephraim married (2) Isabelle Dorcas W. Jones in Boone County, Missouri. They had one child, a son, William P. aka David Thompson, who is accounted for.
Back in 2021, I ended my Thompson post with: Unless new clues appear, it is unlikely that the unidentified son and daughter of Ephraim Thompson will ever be known. This is a great example of never say never because a document dated 1852 has now been found, naming the heirs of Ephraim Thompson, with each receiving 1/9 share. I believed that Ephraim and Sarah lost a son, born c1811-1815, who was not at home in the 1830 census.
However, their last known child was a daughter born 1821-1825 who remained a mystery.
Up until now, this is what was known about Ephraim’s and Sarah’s children:
1. Annie, born c1799, Washington County, Kentucky; died before 1830; married James Madison Holland, 27 November 1818, Howard County, Missouri.
2. Sarah, born c1801, Washington County, Kentucky; died after 1850, possibly Howard County, Missouri; married Samuel W. Scott, 26 February 1821, Howard County, Missouri.
3. Elmore, born c1805, Washington County, Kentucky; died before 13 September 1840, Howard County, Missouri; married Martha (Patsey) Smith, 25 February 1830, Boone County, Missouri.
4. Elias, born 6 October 1808/09, Washington County, Kentucky; died 23 April 1877, Howard County, Missouri; married Permelia Smith, c1835. Ann Smith lived with the family in 1850 and is apparently the source for Permelia’s maiden name.
5. Hannah, born c1810, Washington County, Kentucky; died after 1870, probably Howard County, Missouri; married William Alexander, 10 January 1833, Boone County, Missouri. Their son, Commodore Perry Alexander lived with his uncle, Ervin Thompson, in Cow House, Coryell, Texas in 1860.
6. Rebecca, born 18 June 1811/13, Washington County, Kentucky; died 2 December 1877, Boone County, Missouri; married (1) James Copeland, 31 October 1831, Howard County, Missouri (2) Calvin A. Thornton, 24 February 1844, Boone County, Missouri. Rebecca’s son, James Copeland, lived with his uncle, Ervin Thompson, in Cow House, Coryell, Texas in 1860.
7. Son, born 1811-1815, Washington County, Kentucky; died after 1830, probably Howard County, Missouri if he died young.
8. Ervin, born c1818, Howard County, Missouri; died 4 May 1884, Harrison County, Iowa; married (1) Mahala Mussett, c1839, possibly Missouri or Texas. Mahala was born c1814, Ohio; died after 1860 (2) Harriet Charlotte Vessel, 26 February 1870, Douglas County, Nebraska. This marriage record names his parents as Ephraim Thompson and Sarah Curry.
9. Amended: Elizabeth, born c1823, Howard County, Missouri; died after 1840, probably Howard County, Missouri if she died young.
Full-text search has come to the rescue once again.
Beginning with the last entry on the left side:
Elias Thompson , William Alexander and Hanna Alexander his wife , Robert T. Slate and Isabella D. Slate his wife , William P. Thompson by Robert T. Slate his guardian , James E. Head and Sarah Head his wife , John Holland, Ephraim Holland, Edmund Holland, James Holland, Stokely Wyatt & Polly Wyatt his wife, Enoch Holland , Thomas Richards and Sarah Ann Richards his wife and Permelia Thompson, Mary F. Thompson and Elizabeth Thompson by George P. Bass their Guardian and Patsey Thompson Plaintiffs Pet for Part against – Ervin Thompson Defendant . Now at this day comes the Plaintiff to 21 December 11th A.D. 1852. aforesaid by their attorneys and after having made proof of the Publication required herein, represent to the court that they are the legal heirs of Ephraim Thompson Deceased and as such heirs are the owners as tenants in common of the following land to wit : The North West quarter of Section eighteen ( 18 ) Township forty nine ( 49 ) Range fourteen ( 14 ) situate in Howard County Missouri containing 151 31/100 acres , in the following proportions that is to say : said Elias Thompson is entitled to one ninth thereof in his own right as heir of said deceased and three months thereof by purchase as follows from Calvin A. Thornton and Rebecca his wife and one ninth , from James E Basye and Elizabeth his wife, one ninth , from Sarah Scott one ninth , the said Rebecca Elizabeth and Sarah being daughters of Deceased, that William Alexander in right of his wife Hanna is entitled to one ninth , that William P. Thompson son of Ephraim Thompson Decd who was a son of said deceased now is entitled to one ninth subject to the dower right of the widow of said Ephraim Thompson Decd. that said Isabella D. Slate wife of Robert I. Slate, the said James E. Head and Sarah his wife, John Holland, Ephraim Holland, Edmund Holland, James Holland, Stokely Wyatt and Polly his wife and Enoch Holland are collectively entitled to one ninth of said land or each to one sixty third part each thereof as the children of Ann Holland Deceased, the said Head and wife and the said Wyatt and wife claiming in right of the said Sarah and Polly that the said Thomas Richards and Sarah Ann his wife and Mary F., Permilia and Elizabeth Thompson are entitled to one ninth thereof collectively subject to the dower interest of Patsey Thompson who is the widow of the son of said Decd and are entitled each to one thirty sixth thereof , and the said Defendant Ervin Thompson is entitled to one ninth part thereof; that partition of said lands cannot be made in kind without great prejudice to the interests of the owners It is therefore ordered by the Court that the Sheriff of Howard County proceed to sell all the right, title and interest of the above named Petitioners and Defendant, in and to the above described lands at the Court house door at the Town of Fayette at the next term of the Howard Circuit court to be begun and held on the first Monday in June next A.D. 1853, to the highest bidder on a credit of 12 months and secure the purchase money with bond and approved security and execute to the purchasers thereof a deed or deeds and report his proceedings to this court and this cause is continued.
Having worked extensively on this family, I know exactly who everyone is. Ephraim had nine children with wife Sarah. As believed, one son died in childhood. Further, Elmore Thompson predeceased his father, dying in 1840. He had married Martha (Patsy) Smith and had four children – Sarah Ann, Permelia, Mary F. and Elizabeth.
Isabella Slate is the widowed second wife of Ephraim who married (2) Robert Slate.
Annie, my husband’s ancestress, married James Madison Holland in 1818 and predeceased her father by many years. She and James had a number of children: John, Sarah who married James Head, Ephraim, James and Mary, who married Stokely Wyatt and Edmund.
Edmund Holland was a surprise to me. I had not come across his name anywhere, but in 1850, he was living in Grass Valley, Yuba, California with three Jackman brothers who were also from Howard County. They must have all had gold fever! However, the 1852 court document is the last record I have found. Edmund disappeared.
Elizabeth who married (1) James Edwin Basye is the mystery daughter of Ephraim and Sarah who was born c1823! they married on 25 October 1842 in Howard County, Missouri. James died in 1857 in Boone County, Missouri and Elizabeth married (2) John S. Brooks, 13 September 1860, also in Boone County.
This was an excellent find – identifying Ephraim’s mystery daughter and learning that James and Annie (Thompson) Holland had a son, Edmund, born c1825. Now I need to take a new look at James Holland, too.
