The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-03-28
DsasA 81 Celenel wililan I.

Colonel W. T. Thompson, so vsll
known as Southern Journalist, died in
Savannah on Friday evening last, ia the
10th year of his age. Colonel Thompson
was born at Ravenna, in what has since
been known as the Western Reserve of
Ohio. Early in life he entered printing
Office in Philadelphia, and later, perhaps
in 1880 or 1891, when he was still q
youth, he emigrated to Florida and COM
menced the study of law in this city with
James ID. Westcott, Jr., father of the
present Judge of that name, then Secre-
tary of the Territory. During his resi-
dence here he occasionally assisted in the
FLoRIDIAN Office. 1t was after he left
Florida in 1885 that his newspaper career
may be said to have commenced, for in
that year he united with Judge A. B.
Longstreet, author of the Georgia
Scenes" in publishing the Augusta
States Rights Sentinel On the breaking
out of the Florida war he returned as a
member of an Augusta company, and
served during the campaigns of 1856.
In 1886, after his Indian war experience,
he established the Augusta Mirror, which
was afterwards merged into the Family
Companion and published at Macon.
Later he moved to Madison, Ga, and
took charge of The Miscellany, through
the columns of which he gave to the
world "Major Jones' Courtship" in a
series of letters which were afterwards
printed in book form, and secured for
their author wide reputation. We are
surprised to learn from the Netos that
Colonel Thompson obtained little profit
from the extensive sale of that humorous
work. We will not follow him through
his journalistic and literary career His
latest and most permanent Enterprise was
the establishment in 1850 of the Savan-
nah Morning Ne,oS, with which paper his
name has been associated from that time
up to the day of his death. A just trib-
ute to his memory appears in the Ne,cs of
Saturday from which we quote the con.
Guiding paragraphs:
1t was not, however, in the public walks of life
that Colonel Thompson was chiefly distinguished,
for his many lovable traits shone out most con-
spicuously in his home. A devoted husband
and father, his existence was literally wrapped
up in the loving wife and children who COM
posed his family circle, and whom he leaves be-
hind him TO mourn his loss. To them we cor
daily extend our heartfelt and warmest sympa-
thies in this the sad hour of their bitter bereave-
ment Human sympathy, we know, is to them
now of but little worth, but in after years, when
time has, to some extent, assuaged the pognancy
of their grief, they think with proud satisfac-
ton that their beloved dead had been gathered
TO his fathers at ripe old age, rich in honors,
high in the esteem of his fellowmen, and in COM
muniOn with the Church of Christ
In many respects he was truly great man ;
unassuming amiable and retiring yet withal
able, fearless, and Of well nigh unerring iudg-
ment With him has passed away another OF
the old school of Southern journalists, whose
ranks are, unfortunately, being rapidly deci-
mated After life's fitful fever he sleeps we'll -
and now basks in the bright beams which pro-
coed from the glorious Sun of Righteousness 10
cheer and gladden. those pilgrims of earth who
like him, having wOrthily finished their course
rest from their abors in The enjoyment of blissful
Immortality in the presence of their God.