Robert Thompson
Robert Thompson, a representative citizen of Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, where he owns a valuable farm of 174 acres, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, August 8, 1830, and is a son of Isaiah and Ellen (Grant) Thompson.
Isaiah Thompson was a well known man in his day in Belmont County, and was a farmer all his life. He married Ellen Grant and both have long since been numbered with the dead. Their burial was in Steubenville, O. Isaiah Thompson was twice married and by his first union became the father of William and Thomas. The children of his second marriage were: Robert, Daniel, Mary and Catherine. Mary married Joseph McConnell.
Robert Thompson was brought to Cross Creek Township in 1835 when he was five years old and has lived here ever since and in every way has done his share in the development of this part of Jefferson County. School advantages being rather limited in his boyhood he early became associated with his father in the cultivation of the home farm. Finally he rented land of his own and thus continued for fifteen years, then buying the farm on which he now lives, from William Roberts and here he has resided ever since. For a number of years he carried on large agricultural operations by himself but many of his fonner responsibilities have since been assumed by his sons.
In August, 1858, Mr. Thompson was married to Miss Nancy Stark, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (McGee) Stark, who were farming people in Jefferson County, and whose children were: Walter, James, William, Robert, Matthew, Mary, Eliza, Marian and Nancy. Mary married William Hanlon, Eliza married William Porter, Marian married Alexander Meikle, and Nancy married Robert Thompson. Mr. and Mis. Thompson have five children: Mary, who married J. L. Cable, and has eight children—William, Nellie, Nancy, Frances, Gregg, Esther, Robert and Walter; James, who married Ada Welday, and has one son, William Welday; William W., who married Jeannette Scott, and has two children—James Scott and Wilma Jean; Elizabeth, who married J. W. Hottel, and has three children—Grace, Robert and Herbert; and Grace, who married J. T. Rinker, and has one son, James. Nellie Cable married John Swickard, and they have a son, James Leslie.
Mr. Thompson and family are members of the Presbyterian Church. With his sons he is a Democrat and formerly was very active in public atfairs in the township, serving on the school board and as road supervisor and township trustee.
From 20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, by Joseph B. Doyle. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910