James Henry Thompson

The News-Herald" Hillsboro, Ohio, August 9, 1900, Page 5 Image 5 Judge James H. Thompson Death Ends the Career of One of Hillsboro's Oldest and Most Respected Citizen Judge James Henry Thompson died at his home in this city Monday morning at two o'clock at the age of 88. For years he has been actively interested in all public enterprises, and for over fifty years a member of the bar. The funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the M. E. Church conducted by Rev. M. LeSourd. Hon H. L. Dickey also delivered a short address. The following sketch of his life was read at the services: James Henry Thompson was born near Harrodsburg, Ky., September 27, 1812. The third child in a family of ten children whose parents came Revolutionary grandsires and had much traditionary and written testimony to their claims. John Thompson, the father of James Henry Thompson, followed the profession of law through life. As a local statesman in Kentucky and legal practitioner, he was well known. But, he died at an early age in 1833. Nancy Roberds Thompson, his widow, was a woman of keen mind and indefatigable energy. This Welsh and French Huegenot blood was the paramount influence which her son, James Henry Thompson, always seemed to be conscious of. She was greatly beloved by her children and grandchildren. In his seventeenth year, James Henry advanced in the classics and mathematics, assumed the role of educator, as he expressed it. For three years he taught in Jassamine County, Ky. and read law in his leisure moments, cultivating himself all the while in genera literature of the best kind. Two of his pupils, Mr. Singleton of Mississippi and Mr. Woodson of Missouri, became members of Congress, a fact in which he always took pride. In 1831, he was admitted to the bar. In the same year he was made Sheriff of Jassamine County, which office he held for two years, after which time he entered into an active practice of the law at Nicholasville, where he remained until 1835. The devastation of the cholora in Nicholasville broke up, so to speak, the bar and caused Mr. Thompson to go to Versailies, Woodford Co. where he practiced his profession until September, 1837.

On the 21st of that month he was married to Eliza Jane Trimble of Hillsboro, Ohio, the only daughter of Gov. Allen and Rachel (Woodrow) Trimble. The children of this marriage were Allen T. Thompson, Anna Porter Thompson, Joseph T., Mrs. Marie T. (Rives), Mrs. Mary M. A. (Tuttle), Henry B. and John B. Thompson, one child having died in infancy. After studying the winter of 1837, 1838, Mr. Thompson was admitted to practice law in Ohio at Batavia, Clermont County. April 10th, 1838, and in January 1854, admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States. In the latter part of 1838, he settled in Cincinnati and opened a law office on Third Street where he sustained a successful practice until 1842. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson on Fourth Street near Pike Street was then broken up and they came to Hillsboro; the climate in Hillsboro being considered unusually good. Mr. Thompson after his return to Hillsboro in 1942, practiced law in five counties, also in the Circuit and District Courts of the State, and in the Supreme Court of the State. In the report of this Court his name and arguments appear as counsel from 1840 to 1894 many times indeed. His reputation as a land lawyer in the complex title of the Virginia Minitary District, and as a criminal lawyer, in which capacity he was chiefly engaged in the defense of those accused of crime from treason including more than twenty- five cases of homicide and on through the whole catalog of criminal offenses, according to his own language. During these years he appeared before more than thirty judges of the various courts, outliving them all, as he relates, missing most seriously the companionship of his age and generation. In 1887, he was appointed Register of Bankruptcy and continued in that office until the law was repealed. At the National Centennial Convention celebration in July, 1876, he was appointed Historian of Highland County, which history was prepared and published December, 1877. In the month of April 1881, the bar of Hillsboro tendered him a banquet, it being the fiftieth anniversary of his professional career. At this time he virtually retired from the practice of his profession. In October of the same year,however, the Presiding Judge, Second Sub-Division of the Fifth Judicial District, having resigned his office, on the unanimous recommendation of all the members of the bar, James H. Thompson was appointed and commissioned by Charles Foster, Governor of Ohio, to discharge all the duties for the unexpired term of the said Samuel F. Steele. In politics Mr. Thompson was an old-line Whig. In 1840, he ardently supported Gen. Harrison. In 1844, he took an active part in favor or Henry Clay, and went as delegate to Baltimore to the last Whig convention. After the dissolution of this party he sustained Bell and Everett, and when the Civil War came he threw his influence with the Republican party, where he has ever since remained. Few men in any community are known by a larger benevolence, a more liberal and active systemic spirit than Judge Thompson. Everything which pertained to the intellectual and moral progress of the town for many years he has made his special interest. Touched by the sorrows or misfortunes of others; also every ready to rejoice in the prosperity and happiness of others, he fulfilled the Bible injunction: "Weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice." His religious faith was united with his wife, and in 1853, he gave his name to the Methodist Church, enjoying the results of full membership for many years; while of late years his faith never falters in his merciful Heavenly Father and Redeemer, his favorite hymn being "How firm a foundation." On Sundays, for many years, he has walked to church, listened in the afternoon for awhile to the reading of the Bible, also his paper, and wound up the day by thanking his wife and children for their kind attention, and retired at half-past seven to sleep uninterruptedly sometimes until half-past six in the morning. Such were his habits until his severe illness last winter. Ever since he had realized more keenly than before that a sudden and inevitable transition was coming. In May, 1877, when the Francis Murphy temperance movement was inaugurated, he was one of the most avowed public advocates, and in after years he even give up the use of tobacco, and he claims "that his extreme old age is an unanswerable exemplification of his proclaimed sentiments." The fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson was celebrated in royal golden wedding manner. All the Presidents of the National Union of the Women's Christian Temperance Association either came or sent sentiments or gifts, which the clergy of Hillsboro and all loving friends united to show their true appreciation of those faithful citizens and dear friends. The lengthening shadows on the down hill path of human life saddened Judge Thompson, for he loved human life and the joyful exuberance was more to his natural disposition. It was always and effort for him to speak of the associates and relatives who have been called away. "Oh, the illustrious dead jurists, orators, patriots, how I cherish them in my memory, Oratory, my child," he often said, "is one of the greatest of arts. It uses all other forms of speech as it's handmaid - poetry and all." This ejaculatory style of conversation after he became so weak was characteristic of f his reflections. His life at eighty-seven years was wonderfully methodical, simple rules for good living. The blessing at his table three times a day: "We thank Three for the rest of the night, the food before us, and the beauties of the day: and entreat Thee to give us calmness and strength, and pardon for our sins. For Christ's sake. Amen." Judge Thompson's brother, John B. Thompson, United States Senator and jurist, also Philip Thompson, Sr., of Harrodsburg, Ky., who still lives, like himself were men of intense love of country. His only surviving sister is Mrs. Susan B. Massie of Columbus. His only grandchild is George Allen Thompson of Xenia, Ohio, who has two sons - great-grandsons of Judge and Mrs. Thompson.

Furnished by Marianna Kerns Morgan