J. E. Thompson
J. E. Thompson is the eldest son of James and Mary A. (Jeffries) Thompson. His father was born in Centre County, Penn., in 1818, and immigrated to Ohio in 1836, locating in Washington Township, Holmes County, where he bought a farm and made it his home until his death, March 12, 1884. His wife died May 5, 1882. They had a family of four sons: J.E., born February 4, 1843; W.J., a druggist, of Pittsburgh, Penn., born September 11, 1846; James W., a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Kansas, born August 23, 1848, and Taylor V., an eminent physician, born January 20, 1851, died January 26, 1879. The father was in early life a Whig, and later was identified with the Republican party. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
J.E. Thompson bought in September, 1873, the farm where he now lives, which contains 170 acres of valuable land, and he also owns a third interest in another tract of forty acres. He has acquired his property largely by hard, unremitting toil, and is now one of the prosperous men of the township. He is very popular in political circles, and was elected trustee of his township three years, where the opposing party numbered two to one of his, but he continually carried the election, his efficiency being recognized not only by his own party, but also by those on the other side. He is now serving his third term as justice of the peace. He is positive in his political opinions, supporting the principles of the Republican party, but is careful to give offense to no one, allowing all the same privilege he claims, of deciding for himself. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Royal Arcanum, in both of which he is an active worker. Mr. Thompson was married, January 10, 1867, to Elizabeth, daughter of John Rainey, of Wayne County, and they have five children: James E., born March 10, 1868; Asa R., born December 25, 1870; Mary L., born February 26, 1874; John O., born January 9, 1879, and Taylor D., born February 5, 1881.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889