M. Jeff Thompson

As printed in 1881

GENERAL M. JEFF THOMPSON was born at Harper's Ferry, Va., January, 1826. His father Capt. Merriweather Thompson, a prominent citizens of that place, was a native of Hanover County, Virginia. He was for years in the paymaster's department of the United States Army at Harper's Ferry. The proper name of the subject of this sketch was Merriweather. The appellation "Jeff" was a nick-name applied in childhood, and constitutes one of the very many instances of the absurdity of applying to children such names with the expectation of their remaining only temporary designations. The manner in which he acquired his middle name is somewhat amusing. It appears that in early life, the future General was anything but a studious child, indeed, was sorely addicted to playing truant, and having in numerous instances of desertion from school been found perched on the top of a scavenger's cart driven by an ancient d-----, who rejoiced in the name of Jeff Carlyle. By way of shaking the young runaway and reclaiming him from his objectionable habit, his friends called him "Jeff Carlyle." Whether or not this had the desired effect we are not informed; the name, however, clung to him through life, and after he had attained to manhood, and emigrated from, his native home to St. Joseph, many who knew him as "Jeff," and were ignorant or oblivious of the fact that it was but a nick-name, continued so to address him. Powers of attorney were made out to him in this name under which, of course, he could not act, and in consequence he obtained an act of the legislature granting the additional " Jeff" to his name. On leaving home in 1846, he stopped in Liberty, Clay County, Missouri, where he clerked in a store about a year, at the end of which period he moved to St. Joseph and engaged as a clerk in the house of Middleton & Riley,, remaining in the store till 1852, when he went in their interest to Great Salt Lake City. Returning in the fall, he started, in partnership with Major Bogle, a grocery store in St. Joseph. He subsequently closed out his store and accompanied, in the capacity of commissary, the surveyors of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad. He afterwards returned from Hannibal in charge of a surveying party, having acquired during his trip by close application, a competent knowledge of practical surveying. He was entrusted with the task of constructing the western division of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and remained in that position up to the period of its completion in February, 1859. In 1858 he filled the office of City Engineer, and in 1859 was elected Mayor of the city of St. Joseph. In 1860 he constituted one of the real estate firm of Harbine & Thompson, and was engaged in this business at the breaking out of the civil war. He was at that period, under the old state law, a Colonel of militia. He cast his fortunes with the South, and was among the earliest and most active to engage in the great struggle. He attained the rank of Brigadier General in the Confederate service, in which he acquired, among other appellations, the name of " the Swamp Fox." His career in the great struggle is now a part of our national history, and even an outline of its recital would exceed the limits of such a notice as this. At the close of the war, through the influence of General A. L. Lee. am officer of the Federal service, and formerly a banker of St. Joseph, General Thompson obtained the appointment of Chief Engineer of the Board of Public Works of the State of Louisiana, with headquarters in the city of New Orleans, which position he continued to retain up to the period of his death. A short time previous to this, he had started a commission house in Memphis, Tennessee, but the venture proved a failure, and he went to New Orleans with the above mentioned results. M. Jeff Thompson married in Liberty, Missouri, in 1848, Miss Emma Hays, a native of Baltimore, Maryland. By this marriage they had five children, two of whom were boys. The General was the fourth of a family of si.x children. The eldest of these, Broaddus Thompson, formerly a representative citizen and prominent lawyer of St. Joseph, was for many years widely distinguished for his refined culture and polished refinement of manner. Charles M. Thompson, the youngest at present (1881) Deputy Circuit Clerk of Buchanan County, was for years a popular and well known newspaper man of St. Joseph. In the fall of 1876 General Thompson returned to his old home, St. Joseph, and died at the Pacific House in that city. He was certainly a remarkable character, and in spite of his many eccentricities, it must be said that few men have lived in the world and filled as prominent positions as he did with as many fast friends and as few enemies. Peace to his ashes.

As printed in The history of Buchanan County, Missouri (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.