from The Springfield Sun, Washington County, Kentucky

Wednesday, August 16, 1905

Mrs. J. W. Thompson

Loved and Honored Woman Passed Away This Morning

Mrs. J. W. Thompson died at her home, in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood, this morning at 4 o’clock.  She received a stroke of apoplexy Sunday night about 11 o’clock, and had been lingering between life and death since that time.  For a few hours yesterday she rallied, and those loved ones who were watching by the beside hoped that she was going to recover, but in the evening she grew worse and the physicians realized that the end was near.

Mrs. Thompson was fifty-nine years of age, having been born at Mackville, April 7, 1846.  She was a Miss Raybourne before her marriage, her father and mother being among the most prominent people of the county.  She was married to Mr. Thompson on March 6, 1866, and as a result of the union ten children were born, eight of whom are now living.  They are Mrs. C. D. Robertson, Mrs. B. D. Lake, Messrs. Sterling, Harry, Steve, Willie, Walter, of this place, and Joe Ed of Pittsburgh.  All of these children have grown to manhood and womanhood, and in the character of each may be seen the result of the beautiful influences which were thrown about them by the Christian mother.

There is not a woman in Washington County who is more highly honored than was Mrs. Thompson.  She was one of those lovely characters whom whole communities will miss, and upon whose bier every acquaintance will drop a tear.  None were better, few as good as she.  As an evidence of the esteem in which this good woman was held by the people who knew her, we desire to say that since she had been ill hundreds of people from all sections of the county hourly made inquiry of her condition.  Those who knew her loved her.  Nowhere will she be so sorely missed as in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood, where she was loved and honored by all classes.  She had nursed the sick of that community, and every man, woman and child there recognized her as one of “the good women of the earth”.

She was a devout member of the Christian Church.  Funeral services will be conducted tomorrow afternoon at 4 o’clock.  Interment will occur in the cemetery at Pleasant Grove.

To the devoted husband, who perhaps is more sorely grieved than all others, hundreds of friends extend the sincerest condolence.  She was a companion who helped him to lightly bear life’s burden’s and the separation here at this point of the journey – just when they had begun to rest serenely together from the toils of lives well spent is a touching one.

Matilda Raybourne Thompson, April 7, 1846 – August 16, 1905

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from The Springfield Sun, Washington County, Kentucky

Wednesday, March 16, 1910

Mr. J. Will Thompson

One of County’s Best Known Men Died Last Friday.  Funeral Services Held at Pleasant Grove Sunday

The people of Washington County are mourning the loss of J. Will Thompson, one of the highest standing citizens of this county, and a member of two of its oldest and most aristocratic families.  Mr. Thompson’s death occurred Friday afternoon at four o’clock, at the home of his son-in-law, Mr. C. D. Robertson, where he had for some time made his home, and was caused by paralysis.  Mr. Thompson suffered his first stroke of paralysis about two years ago, and a second attack eight weeks ago, which confined him to his bed until the time of his death.  On Thursday night he was stricken for the third time, his throat having been paralyzed on this occasion.  He steadily grew worse from the time of this attack until dissolution occurred.  His death was more sudden, however, than expected, as the members of his family thought that he would live for several more days.  The funeral services were conducted at three o’clock Sunday afternoon, March 13, by Rev. R. E. C. Lawson, at Pleasant Grove Church, of which the deceased had been an officer for years, and the body buried in the family lot in the rear of the church.

J. Will Thompson was in his 69th year and had spent his life in this county, where he was widely known as an upright and honorable citizen.  His home in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood was noted for its hospitality and good cheer.  He was the oldest son and child of the late Parker and Sallie Brown Thompson, both members of pioneer families of the county.  In early manhood he married Miss Matilda Raybourne and their married life was one of happiness to be broken only by death, which claimed Mrs. Thompson five years ago.  Mr. and Mrs. Thompson reared a large family of children, all of whom are now grown and who have taken honorable positions in the world.  They are Mrs. C. D. Robertson, Mrs. B. D. Lake, Sterling and Steve Thompson, of this place, H. R. Thompson, of Texas, Walter Thompson, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Joe Ed and Will Thompson, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The deceased is also survived by one brother, S. B. Thompson, proprietor of the Walton Hotel, of this place, and two sisters, Mrs. Nannie Hyatt, of Abilene, Texas, and Mrs. Jane Adams, of Indianapolis, Indiana.  The two sisters were unable to be here because of the distance of their homes from here and sickness.

James William Thompson, February 23, 1842 – March 11, 1910