Family of John & Hannah (Larson) Thompson

First Row (Left to Right)
Lydia Thompson, Rev. John Thompson, Maybelle Thompson, Mrs. Hannah (Larson) Thomspon, Hilma Thompson

Second Row (Left to, Right)
Edgar Thompson, John Ansgar Thompson, Ruth Thompson, Herbert M. Thompson, David Thompson

Rev. John A. Thompson

From
THE DESCENDANTS
OF
NILLA LARSON
By
Ralph Arthur Larson

Hannah Larson Thompson

Hannah Larson, daughter of Truls and Nilla (Jondotter) Larson, was born September 25, 1859 in the Brody district of Sweden. She came to America at age 11 in 1870. In the late 1970's she married John A. Thompson, preacher and farmer. He had come to America from Sweden at the age of seventeen. Reverend Thompson had come to Drummer township in 1867 and was employed by J.B. Lott, founder of Gibson City, Illinois.

They lived near Onarga, Illinois, where present U.S. Highway 54 runs diagonally northeast from Gibson City to Chicago. Here John served for some time as mission pastor of the Swedish Covenant Church. Reverend Thompson in the early days preached intermittently for a settlement of immigrants and when the Swedish Mission Church was founded on East 8th Street, he became the first pastor. The little frame Mission Church continued for 15 years until his departure (in 1903) and then disbanded.

Whether it was the quest for cheaper land or missionary zeal or a combination of both, John and Hannah (Larson) Thompson headed westward for Nebraska in March of 1903, taking along their eight children: Herbert, Hilma, John Ansgar, Ruth, Lydia, David, Edgar, and Maybelle. Another child, Elmer, passed away when only an infant

The oldest son, Herbert, almost 23 a the time, made the trip in a freight car on which was loaded the household goods, farm machinery, and a horse named Prince. The rest of the family made the 500-plus mile trip on the passenger train. The Rev. Thompson had bought an improved 320 acre farm near the southern Nebraska city of Hebron. Here the Thompson family lived for seven years before moving north to South Dakota.

The tiny community of St. Charles to which the Thompson family moved in 1910 is in Gregory County in the extreme southern part of South Dakota. It lies a few miles south and west of where the Missouri River broadens into the present Fort Randall Reservoir. It is only two or three miles from the Nebraska border.

While living here, John Thompson was active in the real estate business. Lean (Zong) Thompson Herbert's widow, recall in 1974 that he "sold farms to people of Swedish nationality."

In 1919 John Thompson passed away. Hannah died in 1926.

Obituary
Hannah (Larson) Thompson
(printed in Gibson City, Illinois newspaper in 1926)

Mrs. Hannah Thompson was born in Sweden 66 years ago and came to America when 11 years old, settling in Paxton. She was married to Reverend John Thompson in 1879. They lived at Gibson City until 1903 when the family moved to Nebraska. To this union were born nine children. Elmer and Ruth preceded her in death. The husband and father passed away from leukemia seven years ago and was laid to rest in the Gibson cemetery.

Survivors are Herbert of Butte, Nebraska; Ansgar and David of St. Charles, South Dakota; Lydia of Anoka, Nebraska; Mrs. Jacob Haisch of Winner, South Dakota; Mrs. Maybelle Thomas of Los Angeles, California. All were at her bedside except Mrs. Thomas who was unable to come. Mrs. Haisch and Lydia accompanied her body here. Other survivors include 19 grandchildren, two sisters, and two brothers.

The home of Mrs. Thompson at the time of her death was Anoka, Nebraska, but she died at the home of her daughter Mrs. Haisch in Winner, South Dakota, where she was visiting in apparently good health. She was suddenly stricken unconscious on May 30 and remained so until her death ten days later. Since young womanhood she was a member of the Swedish Mission Church of which her husband was a minister. Her love for the Lord and Master was the dominant factor of her life. She never missed her daily worship, reading from her well-worn Bible and praying. She had just finished this when she became unconscious.

Children of
John A. and Hannah (Larson) Thompson

Herbert Thompson	Herbert M. Thompson was born May 7, 1880, at Gibson City, Illinois. He was 23 years old when the family moved to Nebraska. He married Lena Birdella Zong of Tobias, Nebraska, on Match 13, 1907 at Belvidere, Nebraska. Her birth date was January 18, 1886. In 1909, they moved to southern South Dakota where they drew a homestead. They lived in South Dakota and northern Nebraska until 1927, when they returned to Belvidere, Nebraska. Herbert and Lena operated a produce business in Belvidere. Herbert became ill with tuberculosis and spend some time in a sanatorium in Denver. He improved enough to return to Belvidere. Herbert died at Exeter, Nebraska, on August 27, 1944. Lena died on September 18, 1979. Herbert and Lena had four children:
		William Wayne Thompson, born April 1, 1908 in Belvidere, Nebraska; married Leona Belle Sloey Barnes on July 4, 1936 at Washington, Kansas. Harold Herbert Thompson, born October 30, 1910 at Herrick, South Dakota; married Alice Ada Wylie on January 29, 1938. Virginia Rosebud Thompson, born March 12, 1913 at Herrick, South Dakota; married Walter Henry Barkmeier at Exeter, Nebraska on September 29, 1941 Vivian Roberta Thompson, born April 30, 1916 at Butte, Nebraska; married Howard Dill Caples at Geneva, Nebraska on July 20, 1936.

Hilma Thompson	Hilma Thompson was born March 25, 1882, at Gibson City, Illinois. She moved with her family from Illinois to Belvidere, Nebraska, in 1903 and to St. Charles, South Dakota, in 1910. During the seven years in Belvidere, she worked in both the Congregational Church and the Methodist Church. After coming to St. Charles she was instrumental in organizing the Sunday School in her church. She taught rural school for a total of 12 years in four different states - Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota and Oregon. She married Jesse Haisch on July 12, 1913. Jesse had come to St. Charles, South Dakota, in 1903 where he bought land. He graduated from Coyne High School in 1885 and Tarkio College in Missouri in 1898. Hilma and Jesse lived in the Rosebud area throughout their married life, except for two years spent in Los Angeles, California. They lived about a mile from the David Thompson (brother) home. Hilma passed away at her home near St. Charles on December 18, 1933, at the age of 51. Jesse Haisch died at the age of 57 in 1935 at Tyndall, South Dakota, as the result of an automobile accident. They were survived by three children:
		John Thompson of Rapid City, South Dakota. Vernon Thompson of Pasco, Washington Lois Thompson - married Elmer Homelvig, and lives in Mott, North Dakota. After her mother's death in 1933 (age 11), she lived for awhile with her Aunt Lydia in California.

John Ansgar Thompson	John Ansgar Thompson was born November 8, 1883 in Gibson City, Illinois. He married Mabel Houts of Hebron, Nebraska, in 1909. John Ansgar passed away in May of 1964. His wife Mabel died in September of 1969. John Ansgar and Mabel had three sons:
		Leonard Lloyd Thompson, married Vera Thompson of Osceola, Nebraska in 1936. He graduated from Osceola High School in 1927. He was a railway clerk at Lincoln, Nebraska and later in San Diego. He entered military service in 1942 and was a Yoeman 3rd class. Leonard and Vera Thompson lived in Stromsburg, Nebraska. Noel Ellis Thompson, married Mae Botard of Alice, Texas in 1948. Noel is a 1935 graduate of Osceola High School and has been a resident of Corpus Christi, Texas, since serving in the Navy in World War II. Mae passes away at the age of 56 in 1980.. John Ansgar Thompson, Jr., was a federal meat inspector at Fort Worth, Texas, prior to enlistment in the U.S. Navy. He attended Navy pre-flight school in Del Monte, California. He died in a plane crash during World War II in May 1944. He was never married.

Ruth Thompson

Ruth Thompson was not married. She taught school for many years. She died at the early age of 28 from tuberculosis. She is buried in California at the Forest Lawn Cemetery next to her sister Lydia.

Lydia Thompson

Lydia Thompson was born May 1887, at Gibson City, Illinois. She never married. She was a rural school teacher for many years. She lived in the St. Charles, South Dakota, area for many years. Upon her retirement from teaching, she moved to Gaston, Oregon, to be with her Uncle Ike (Isaac T. Larson). Lydia contracted tuberculosis during World War II and spent two or three years in a sanitarium. She died November 15, 1946 and was laid to rest in Forest Lawn Cemetery in California.

David Thompson	David Thompson married Ida Shaw at St. Charles, South, Dakota, on August 14, 1914. He farmed about a mile from his sister Hilma in the St. Charles community. David and Ida had three children:
		Bernice Olive Thompson was born at Herrick, South Dakota, on May 5, 1915. She married Donald Baker of Carlton, Nebraska, in 1937. Bernita Mae Thompson was born at Herrick, South Dakota, on May 5, 1915 ( a twin of sister Bernice Olive Thompson). She married Reverend Kenneth Whitney, a Methodist pastor, from Sunburst, Montana in 1938. Martha Ann Thompson was born at Herrick, South Dakota, on December 20, 1920. She married J. Clifton Shumate from Missouri in 1941.

Edgar Thompson

Edgar Thompson married Mae Shaw at St. Charles, South Dakota, in August 1914. Edgar and Mae farmed with David and Ida Thompson, then moved near Herrick, South Dakota, where they raised six children. The children attended nearby Burke, South Dakota.

Eventually Edgar and Mae moved back to Illinois, settling in the city of Wauconda, some forty miles northeast of Chicago. Edgar died on September 30, 1973. Mae passed away February 5, 1976.

Their children were:

Paul Thompson, was born in 1915 and married Marian Gardner.

Carroll Edgar was born August 31, 1917 at Anoka, Nebraska. In 1943, Carroll Thompson married Irene Marco of Brayton, Nebraska. Carroll and Irene lived in Wolbach, Nebraska, where he was publisher of the Wolback Messenger for 37 years. Carroll died on June 25, 1983.

Robert Shaw Thompson lived in Centennial, Wyoming, then moved to Laramie, Wyoming. He married Edna Salter.

Kenneth Thompson died when 10 days old.

Helen Thompson married William Grimes and lives in Waucona, Illinois.

Elmer Thompson was born at Bonesteele, South Dakota, in July of 1926. Elmer married Audrey Larsen of North Chicago, Illinois, in 1952. Elmer and Audrey live in Palmer, Nebraska.

David Thompson was born at Burke, South Dakota, on May 26, 1936. He married Judy Winkler from Oak Park, Illinois, in 1956. David and Judy live in Laramie, Wyoming.

Maybelle Thompson

Maybelle Thompson was born July 22, 1896 in Gibson City, Illinois. She graduated from North Park College in Chicago. Following college, she went to Pikesville College in Kentucky to teach music. She was there two years during World War I. She then returned briefly to South Dakota, where her family was living. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she taught music for a year at LaVerne College.

She married John C. Thomas in Los Angeles, California on September 1, 1921. They moved to Glendale, California in 1929, living there until May of 1972, when John passed away. Maybelle later moved to Lancaster, California and died in October 1983.

John and Maybelle Thomas had one child:

Helen Thomas - an accomplished musician, plays the cello and does composing. Helen lives in Lancaster, California.