THE DEATH OF PROFESSOR R.S. THOMPSON
DOCUMENT WRITTEN BY : TINA EASLEY
I HAVE CREATED THIS DOCUMENT WHILE RESEARCHING THE OLD NEWSPAPERS . I HAVE RE-WRITTEN THE ARTICLE AND INFORMATION IN MY OWN WORDS MAKING THE DOCUMENT BELOW COPYRIGHTABLE.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LACK OF RESPECT OF OUR FAMILIES HISTORY , THAT A FREE FAMILY - HISTORY WEBSITE HAS TO COME TO THESE KIND OF TERMS , DUE TO INTERNET THIEVES .
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ar/county/greene/
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FEB. 16, 1909 - FRONTPAGE - THE DAILY SOLIPHONE
ANOTHER VETERAN ANSWERS THE ROLL CALL
PROF. R.S. THOMSON WAS A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS AND A SOLDIER OF THE CONFEDERACY
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PARAGOULD MOURNS THE DEATH OF YET ANOTHER GOOD AND USEFUL CITIZEN.
PROF. R.S. THOMPSON DIED TODAY AT NOON AT HOME OF HIS SON , JAS. THOMPSON . THE PASSING OF HIS LIFE WAS AS PEACEFUL AS A SLEEPING BABE .
HIS DEATH WAS DUE TO APOPLEXY , LAST SATURDAY HE HAD A PARALYTIC STROKE WHICH PARALYZED HIS RIGHT SIDE AND HIS TONGUE. HE NEVER SPOKE ANOTHER WORD , BUT AT TIMES WAS CONSCIOUS AND SEEMED TO KNOW THOSE AROUND HIM. HIS CONDITION WAS ALARMING SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, BUT MONDAY HE SEEMED TO BE DOING BETTER , BUT THE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER WAS TEMPORARY AND TODAY AT 12 O'CLOCK HE TOOK HIS LAST BREATH.
THE NEWS OF THE DEATH OF THIS GOOD MAN WILL CARRY SORROW TO MANY PEOPLE IN ARKANSAS AND TENNESSEE.
SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO PROF. THOMPSON ESTABLISHED HIS HOME IN PARAGOULD SINCE THAT UP TOO TWO YEARS AGO HE HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN TEACHING . HE RE-ESTABLISHED HERE THE THOMPSON CLASSICAL INSTITUTE , WHICH HE FIRST FOUNDED IN TENNESSEE. HUNDREDS OF YOUNG MEN IN GREENE COUNTY AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS WERE STUDENTS OF HIS DURING THE FIFTEEN YEARS OF HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN PARAGOULD . MANY OF THEM HAVE SINCE BECOME PROMINENT CITIZENS IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTRY.
PROF. THOMPSON GREW TO YOUNG MANHOOD IN THE STATE OF TENN . THE COUNTY OF GIBSON . HIS FATHER BEING JOHN THOMPSON WHO WAS PIONEER CITIZEN OF WHAT WAS A SPARSELY SETTLED COUNTRY AT THAT TIME. HE WAS GIVEN SUCH EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES AS THE COMMON SCHOOLS IN HIS COMMUNITY COULD AFFORD AND WHEN THE CIVIL WAR CAME THAT DEMORALIZED CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH , BREAKING UP SCHOOLS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, HE JOINED THE CONFEDERATE ARMY . DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS OF THE WAR FOLLOWED THE LEADERSHIP OF THE INTREPID FORREST , PARTICIPATING IN MANY ENGAGEMENTS . HE WAS WOUNDED AT FLORENCE , ALA . AND NEVER RECOVERED FROM THE WOUND . HE WOULD NOT PERMIT THE SURGEONS TO AMPUTATE HIS WOUNDED LEG AND AT TIMES CAUSED HIM TO WALK WITH DIFFICULTY.
PROF. THOMPSON BORE A STRONG AFFECTION FOR HIS OLD SOLDIER COMRADES AND WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE EX-CONFEDERATE VETERANS. HE WAS AWARDED A CROSS OF HONOR BY THE LADIES OF THE U.D.C. WHICH HE WORE CONSTANTLY WITH HONOR AND PRIDE.
AT THE END OF THE WAR HE ENTERED ANDREW COLLEGE LOCATED AT TRENTON , TENN. COMPLETING HIS COURSES AT ANDREW COLLEGE HE FURTHERED HIS EDUCATION AT WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITIES, VIRGINIA OF WHICH GEN. ROBERT E. LEE WAS PRESIDENT AND UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE CONFEDERATE CHIEFTAIN FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS , HE DRANK FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF WISDOM , COMPLETING THE UNIVERSITY COURSES AND RECEIVING TOP DEGREES IN SCHOLARSHIP THE SCHOOL CONFERRED.
LEAVING WASHINGTON AND LEE , PROF. THOMPSON RETURNED TO HIS HOME COUNTY OF GIBSON , TENN. WHERE HE TAUGHT SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND DEVOTING HIS SPARE TIME TO STUDY OF LAW. HE TAUGHT SCHOOL IN GIBSON , HAYWOOD AND LAUDERDALE COUNTIES AND WHEN THE COUNTY OF CROCKETT WAS FORMED IN 1873 .
IN 1883 HE EST. THE THOMPSON CLASSICAL INSTITUTE AT ALAMO. THE INSTITUTE WAS MADE OF FINE BRICK AND SAT ON A LARGE CAMPUS , UNTIL HE MOVED TO PARAGOULD . HE INSTRUCTED THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN OF WEST TENNESSEE AND SENT HUNDREDS ON THEIR MISSON IN LIFE. WITH MINDS STORED FULL OF KNOWLEDGE , BRIGHT IDEAS , AND NOBLE PURPOSES . MANY OF THE LEADING CITIZENS OF WEST TENNESSEE WERE HIS STUDENTS YEARS AGO.
DURING HIS TIME SPENT LIVING IN CROCKETT COUNTY , TENN. HE WAS FOR MANY SUPERINTENDENT OF THE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS , A POSITION HE DID NOT SEEK , BUT WAS BESTOWED UPON HIM BECAUSE OF HIS THRIVE FOR EDUCATION . HE SERVED GREENE COUNTY FOR SEVERAL TERMS AS COUNTY EXAMINER AND WAS SERVING IN THAT OFFICE WHEN HE DIED , HAVING BEEN APPOINTED BY JUDGE LIGHT THE PAST FALL. HE FORMERLY HELD THE APPOINTMENT OF OTHER COUNTY JUDGES . NO MAN HAS DONE MORE TO INCREASE THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS IN GREENE COUNTY , AND THE STRIVE FOR BETTER SCHOOL SYSTEM .
PROF. THOMPSON WAS ONE OF ELEVEN CHILDREN BORN TO HIS PARENTS , ONLY TWO OF WHOM SURVIVED HIM , THEY ARE JOE R. THOMPSON AND MRS. ANNIE WAFFORD OF BRAZIL , GIBSON COUNTY , TENN. HIS SURVING BROTHER IS IN VERY POOR HEALTH , AND IS THOUGHT NOT TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE THE FUNERAL.
THE DECEASED WAS MARRIED WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG MAN TO CALLIE SIMMONS IN GIBSON COUNTY , TENN. HIS WIFE DEPARTED THIS LIFE IN 1900. BORN TO THIS UNION TWO CHILDREN , JAMES A. THOMPSON , THE POPLAR YOUNG DRUGGIST OF PARAGOULD AND MRS. JOHNSON , THE WIFE OF THE WELL KNOWN ATTORNEY R.E.L. JOHNSON .
THE FUNERAL WILL TAKE PLACE THURSDAY AT 3 O'CLOCK P.M. FROM THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH AND WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE REV. M.M. SMITH , ASSISTED BY REV. R.C. MOREHEAD AND REV. A.C. GRIFFIN.
THE DECEASED HAD BEEN A MEMBER OF THE METHODIST CHURCH SINCE HE WAS A YOUNG MAN , HE HAS SPENT HIS ADULT YEARS AS A FAITHFUL FOLLOWER OF THE CROSS.
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NOTE - NO CEMETERY TOLD WHERE BURIAL TOOK PLACE .