Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-08-12
" Shark ThumpsOn.'

Below we give from Rev. Pliny II.
Whites forthcoming History of Coventry
q sketch of 'Shark Thompson" one of the
early settlers of that town
In 1906 came Isaac Baldwin from West
minister, Samuel Boynion from Westmore-
land, n. H., and Eben Hosmer from Con-
lots already improved. llosmer male a
commencement on lot No. 88, now owned
by Erastus Wright. In 1906 came also
Samuel Thompson, and purchased lot No.
l39, which he afterwards sold, and then
bought Of Joseph Marsh parts of lots Nos.
1876 and 1877. He lived in log cabin
built by Marsh, near where Isaac Han
cock now lives. lie was most original
and eccentric character, and was familiarly
called "Shark Thompson His moods
were various and contradictory. AT times
he was irritable in the extreme, and the
slightest provocaion would rouse him TO
ungovernable wrath which vented itself in
the most horlid profanity and mos' brutal
conduct. One of his cotemporaries said
that "he could swear the legs off from an
iron kettle in less than two minutes" He
ruled his family with rod of iron. A
son of his was tie innocent cause OF the
death of COW, and for nine successive
days Thompson administered to him Sc
we're whipping every morning and evening.
He was poor TO the very last degree Of
penury. Very often his wife and children
suffered severely tor the want of suitable
food and clothing. Sheriffs constantly en-
barassed him with attachments and execu-
tions, and were sometimes greatly harassed
in return. Jothom Pierce once attempted
to serve process on him by driving away
some cattle, which Thompson prevented by
I putting up the bars as often as Pierce
could let them down. During the struggle
Thompson having favorable opportunity,
caught one of Pierc.'s fingers between his
teeth, and fixed them into it with vigor
and tenacity OF grip, which, in the officers
estimation, fully justified the appellation OF
"Shark"
But there was another side to his char
acter He was very kind and obiging to
his neighbors, and would divide his last
morsel of food with any one who was in
need. He was full of sympathy for the
sorrowfu and suffering. Tears would flow
4 copiously down his sun-burnt cheeks us he
slbOu UY tue bSdSleG W u Wy iiiE ilN'SlipOl
and from the depths of his soul would CONT
up the consoling expression, BY Judas
it's too bad" which was his unvarying for
mula on such occasions. He had by nature
a strong mind, though it was never cult
waited. There being no lawyer in the i'm
mediate vicinity, he took up "pettyfoseing,
in which he achieved good deal of eel
ebrity He had gift Of extemporizing
law TO meet the emergencies of case, anc
the fuency and vigor of speech with which
he maintained his positions, rendered hin
an antagonist not to be despised even by
the regular practitioners of the law. il
after life, he moved 10 Potten, c. +.
where he made a profession Of religion
and became an exhorter. How well h,
succeeded in that capacity may be inferred
! from the account he himself gave of ont
of his perIormances-'I attended an even
ing meeting, and found them all dull an'
sleepy. The spirit didn't move a bit
Pretty soon l thought would see what
could do, and got up, and in less thai
five minutes, by Judas had EN- all afire.
-,Sdndard.