Obit: Thompson, Benjamin #3 (1840 - 1911)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Thompson, Miller, Root

----Source: Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) 23 Mar 1911

Thompson, Benjamin (15 OCT 1840 - 11 MAR 1911)

Benjamin Franklin Thompson was born at Greenfield, state of Maine on Oct. 15th, 1840, and died at Mesa, Ariz. On March 11th 1911, in his seventy-first year.

His parents were Arnold and Sophronia Thompson, also both born in the state of Maine. He had two sisters and one brother, all of whom have passed from this life.

Mr. Thompson was married to Jane Thompson in the year 1859, and emigrated with his parents to La Cross, Wis., in the year 1861, where he lived until the year 1871, when he moved with his wife to Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.), at which place he has since resided except temporarily. Two children were born to them, a boy and a girl, but they both died in infancy, and are both buried in the La Crosse Cemetery.

Jane, his wife, died in August 1903 and is buried with his parents in the Greenwood Cemetery.

(... some portion missing here) was lumbering and farming and this was his principal business after coming to Wisconsin. For years he was associated with Home M. Root of Neillsville in the lumber business, conducting their various logging operations in winter and farming in summer. The farm on the north side of town, familiarly known as the Thompson & Root place, was owned and operated by them for years.

Deceased was a man of excellent judgment in his various callings and efficient in whatever he undertook. He had but little chance for an academic education, having gone to the woods to work when nine years of age, and was thus employed every years until 1885, when he retired from active business.

He was honored by his fellow townsmen with having been elected mayor of the city at three separate times.

The funeral was held Sunday afternoon at the opera house, where a large number gathered to pay their last tribute to their old friend and neighbor.

The services were conducted by Rev. S.E. Sweet of the Baptist Church, with assistance of Miss Edith Varney, organist, and the choir consisting of Mrs. Marsh, Mrs. Wollenberg and Messr. Ketchpaw and Steiger.

The remains were laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery.

Those attending from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. Bradford Miller of La Cross, Mr. and Mrs. Lowe of Chippewa Falls, Judge O'Neill, Chas. Croker and H.M. Root of Neillsville, and H.A. Bright of Bright.

Mr. Miller is a nephew of deceased, the only surviving relative.