Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-29
IN MEMORIAM.
Colonel William IT. Thompson.
PHILADELPHIA Record.

PHILADELPHIA Record.
The death of William Tappan Thompson,
the founder and editor of the Savannah NEWS.
takes from the ranks of the profession one OF
the most genial gentlemen in it. He was born
in Ohio in 1912. one Of the first white children
in the Western Reserve. His father was a Viz
ginian. and his mother the daughter or an
Irish patriot, who found ella I'd too hot for
him after the rebellion Of so5 The boy and the
man gave token of his breeding He was the
jor Jones' Courtship' as sterling piece OF
humorous writing as ever came from the pen
OF any native author. His ripe age made him
not unfit victim for the universal slayer OF
men, but pone the less we are grteved. we
shall not see his like again.
Griffin Sun.
Colonel ". T. THOMPSON. editor Of the Sa-
vanah NEWS. died at his home in Savannah
Friday evening, at halfpast eight O'Clock, after
He was born in Ohio in 1872. and was nearly
seventy years old at the time of his death. AS
an editor he was well known throughout Geor-
,gia and the South He was one Of the found
ers Of the Savannah MORNING News in 1850, and
has since then been connected with the paper
as its editor. He was an author OF consldera-
BILE fame, his chief production being Major
Jones' Courtship." work known ia every
State OF the Union. as well as in foreign coun-
tries. He has several other works more or less
known TO fame. As a political writer he was
known and appreciated. and one OF the
ever had. The press Of the State viii miss
him He was great man and good one.
Rome Courier.
We regret to learn from Savannah dispatch
that Col. w 7. Thompson. the veteran and able
editor Of the MORNING News. died in that city on
Friday evening, after an illness Of several
weeks. Colonel Thompson was the Oldest edi-
tor in the State. and had been longer connected
with the press than any other editor in Georgia.
He made fine reputation in his early years by
his humorous prOductions-"Maj9 Jones'
Courtship, - THE Chronicles Of Pineville, etc.
but for many years past his labors had been
ism. He has made his mark in the political
history Of Georgia. and has gone to his rest
after long life Of usefulness and honor. He
was in the 10th year Of his age.
atlanta Constitution.
Accompanying the announcement of the
the Savannah MORNING News. printed in yes
terday's Constitution, was brief. and. in some
respects, an inadequate biographical sketch
Sketches Of this kind are interesting, as far as
| they go. but no sketch could 10 justice to the
charming indviC uslity Of Colonel Thompson,
which manifested itself only to his most in
innate friends. In politics his convictions
were so pronounced-his own mind was so
| thoroughly made up-thst he was apt to ex
press himself strongly, sometimes even bitter
| ". But his bitterness was the bitterness OF
| rhetoric merely. He was in earnest and, In
these latter DAYS. the quality of earnestness is
| sometimes confused with prejudice. People
| - no had occasion to test the temper Of Colonel
TnOmpsOn's editorial pen concluded, as q gen
srai thing, that he was full of bigotry and
rrow-mindedness. And yet it would be diff
| cult TO find a simpler. sweeter nature than
| that which was the chief characteristic OF the
| creator of Major Jones" Many Of his traits
| were as charmiDgly pastoral as those which
| he has immortalized in the well known citizen
| Of Pineville. To say that he was as simple as
| little child would not In the minds Of those
/ who are in the habit OF preying upon their
| kind in the vast jQngles of trade and commerce.
| be paying him very high compliment, and
yet the truth must be told. He was far SIM
| pier than great many children of the pre-
/ sent day, and this was not the least attractive
/ festure OF his character. He was social, even
| cOnvivial, but those who found him social
| were compelled to break down the barriers Of
a remarkable diffidence These barriers once
| broken down, there was revealed a most
| loveable nature
The biographical sketch alluded TO says that
| Colonel Thompson held no civil Office. He
/ was. if we are not mistaken, one Of the ward
/ ems OF the port Of Savannah many years ago,
and was a member Of the Constitutional Con-
vention of 1877. He was not heard from on the
| floor but he was an untiring worker in the
| committee room, and he made his influence
felt in the interest Of the strictest con-
| servatism. He was in favor Of reforms,
| both political and social but he was opposed
| to experiments in either direction
| Colonel Thompson always had a fondness for
| the stage. and he was the depository of many
of its traditions. He was the member of an
| amateur company in Philadelphia which had
| the honor of calling public attention to Mr..
| Forrest, and he was full of the most interest
| ing "reminiscences of those early days. He
| possessed the dramatic faculty in a very high
| degree, and would have won fame and fortune
as a comedian. Circumstances, however. led
| him in another direction, and if he did not
make fortune he certainly made reputation
/ as an editor.
His most enduring fame. however, Is based
| on major Jones' COurtship," the only prose
pastoral in our literature, and one of the first,
| If not the very FIRST contributions TO q distinc-
| tive American literature. Colonel Thompson
| made little or nothing from the remarkable
success Of this book but the warm apprecia-
| ton Of the public delighted his difidence.
| But these things are over for him. Death
| came to him gently as death should come to
one so gentle; he has passed away, and the
/ pity Of it is that life should know so few such
| men.