Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-22
REV JAMES j. THoM PsoN.
Death, I'm Florida, of Well Known
Roman Catholic Priest.

Roman Catholic Priest.
Rev James Joseph Thompson, pastor of
the Roman Catholic church at Taftville,
died at Tampa, Florida, Saturday after
noon.
Father Thompson was born in the
county of Cavan, Ireland, thirty-eight
years ago. At an early age he evinced de-
sire to study for the priesthood and his
pious parents did all in their power to fit
him for the sacred mission He made his
first classical studies with Professor Brady,
the famous Latin scholar of Ballimacue.
From there he was sent to st Bernard's
college at Granard. Longford. AT the re-
quest of relatives, he, in company with his
| brother Bernard, now deceased, came to
Waterbury in 1872. He wits adopted by
the late Bishop Mcfarland and sent to
| Montreal to complete his studies. He was
| ordained to the priesthood In the grand
seminary in Montreal in December, 1877.
After his ordination Father Thompson
| returned to the Hartford diocese and cele-
brated his first mass in the Sacred Heart
| church in New Haven. He was appointed
assistant at the cathedral IN Hartford,
where he remained for a short time, when
he was transferred to Thompsonville under
the Rev j. A. Mulcahy, now pastor of the
Immaculate Conception church. From
| there he was transferred to Danielsonvllle,
where he remained four OF five years.
1t was while stationed at the latter place
| that the deceased obtained leave of alb
sence and in company with his brother,
the late Owen Thompson of Baldwin
street, paid visit to his home in Ireland
and while there administered the last rites
of the chEr h to his aged father, who died
| shortly after the arrival of his sons. After
| Father Thompson returned from Ireland
| he was appointed pastor at Taftville, until
then attended from Jewett City. Not hav-
| ing any resident priest previous to his ap-
pointment Father Thompson found HIM
| self without parochial residence and in
few years. by diligent and untiring efforts
he succeeded in erecting a splendid paro-
chial residence and later a beautiful con-
vent and school was added to the church
property.
Father Thompson found much difficulty
in securing sisters for the convent, whose
| knowledge of the different languages
spoken by the children of his parish would
meet the requirements of all. After an
unsuccessful search in Canada he finally
determined to visit the old country in the
hope of securing sisters suitable for his
convent During his second visit he jour-
neyed through most of the continental
countries and finally returned to Taftville
with seven sisters of charity, whose SER
| vices he enlisted in a convent at Amster-
dam, Holland. The good work accom-
| plished by these sisters among the children
of Father Thompson's parish, give evil
dence of the wisdom of his selection.
But all these labors could not have been
accomplished without considerable strain
on the health of the faithful pastor and
he began to feel the effects of his arduous
| labors. The first serious sickness which
| he experienced was an attack of dyphthe-
ria, contracted during one of his ministe-
rial visits. Since that time he has been a
constant sufferer from dyspepsia and indi-
gestion. Acting under the advice of his
physician, DIR Cassidy of Norwich, he went
south last December in the hope of regain
ing his health, going to Jacksonville,
Florida. Not receiving any benefit from
the change his physician there advised
him to go to Tampa, in the same state.
Here he seemed to recruit but last week
began to grow worse. Saturday morning
his sister, Miss Elizabeth Thompson, who
accompanied him south, telegraphed that
his recovery was doubtful. At $50
another dispatch stated that he had passed
| away.
Father Thompson's relatives in this city
are his brothers, Patrick and John G.
Thompson, and two sisters Mrs Patrick
Ryan of Mill street and Mrs Keough of
Baldwin street. HIS mother and two
brothers, Michael and William, and a
sister, Anne, live in Ireland.
The remains are now on their way to
Taftville and are expected there tomorrow
afternoon, where the body will be inferred
as requested by Pensioners, at IL o'clock
on Wednesday morning. Father Patrick
Lynch of Jacksonville, Fla, will accom-
pany the remains.
John G. Thompson, brother of the de-
ceased, accompanied by his nephew,
Michael Thompson, will leave on the 5:55
train for New York to meet the remains.