Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-11-30
Obituary.

DEATH OF REV. THOMAS JEFFERSON THOMPSON
Rev. I. j. Thompson, Presiding Elder of the
Wilmington District of the Wilmington NJ E.
Conference, died at his residence 70s King
street, yesterday afternoon,at 10 minutes before
o'clock. For some months past Mr.. Thomp-
son has been suffering from the dropsy. and
three or four weeks ago his life hung as if by a
thread, but he seemed to rally from this condi.
ton and was able to sit up at short intervals un.
til Wedn eeday last when he again took to his
bed and gradually sank until the hour of his
death, passing away very peacefully but uncon-
ssciously. During the 18 hours previous to his
death ho was unable to recognize even the men,
berH of his own family.
MIR. Thompson Was born in Dorchester county,
Maryland, March 18th, 1903 being at his death
in the 72nd year OF age. He was converted in
the 18th year of his age, and commenced actively
In the ministry in the year 1924 Such was his
effectiveness and popularity as minister that,
as early as the year 1888, when the Philadelphia
Conference included all the State of New Jersey
he was made Presiding Elder of New Jersey Dis
trict. During this, the first term OF his Elder
ship, the Conference was divided and Mr..
Thompson, by his own request, was transferred
to the Philadelphia Conference, to which he was
strongly attached He afterwards served as
Presiolng Elder in the North Philadelphia,
South Philadelphia Reading, and Wilmington
Districts of the Philadelphia Conference, before
the separation of the Wilmington Conference
and aince that time he has served in the same
capacity in the Easton, Dover, and Wilmington
Districts Of the new Conference, filling the latter
ut the time of his death.
{ His calm and dgnified manner OF doing bust
ness, and his executive ability, strongly marked
him as peculiarly lifted for such high positions
Besides his Presiding Eldership. he filed most
of the important stations then existing within
the bounds of the Conference named amongst
which were Newark N. j., Trenton, Railway
Harrisburg, 81. Pauls, Fifth Street, and Union
in Philadelphia. When he was Presiding Elder
Of the New Jersey District, the venerable Father
Boehm, now past his centennial, and still liv-
ing, was preacher in one Of the stations and
the venerable Father remarked that lie (Thomp-
SOM was the only minister living who could say
he wac his Presiding Elder.
Mr.. Thompson has always been in the effec-
1--we ranks until Ills recent Illness which has been
very painful. 1t commenced by disease of the
kidneys, and finally eliminated in dropsical
affection which with combination of other dis
eases terminated his life. few weeks ago a
very painful operation was performed by Or.
Pancoast, which he withstood without the aid of
ether or chloroform, and without complaint,
and from which he 30 far recovered as to give
his friends great hope. On Friday however, he
fell into relapse, which showed that the end
was fast approaching. Many of his ministerial
friends called to see him on Saturday, whom he
recognized with a gentle nod of the head,
but when Bishop Scott cslled he appeared to
revive and stretched out his hand towards him.
Ihc nhs hiWhyb eAlbLcu DetMben
these two old veterans of the croes, they both
having entered the ministry in the same year.
The last he recognized was his daughter and
son in-law from Smyrna, about o'clock in the
evening, from which time he sunk into an I'M
conscious state, and remained so until he died.
His sou, Rev IL $. Thompson, arrived yester-
day from Rhode Island, and his son-in-law, Rev.
Mr. Gracey, is expected to-day.
The funeral will take place on Wednesday
next, at 10 NJ, when tributes will ba paid the
deceased by Bishop Scott and other prominent
ministers, At two o'clock the remains will leave
Wilmington by train for Philadelphia, to he in-
tered in Mt. Morah cemetry.