The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-10
UNCLE DICKS BIRTHDAY.
Col. Richard w. Thompson Was
Eighty-Eight Years Old Yesterday.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
TERRE HAUTE Ind, June 9.-Ex-Secre-
tary of the Navy Thompson, who was born
in the year 1909, which has been notable
for the birthdays of so many men of prom
inence in the world during this century,
observed the eighty-eighth anniversary of
his birth in an undemonstrative manner to-
day. He is in good health and takes as
much interest in public affairs as he ever
did A few evenings ago he delivered a lee
ture before the Terre Haute Literary Club
on the war between Greece and Turkey,
which was said to be a fine effort. During
the day many of his friends called to con-
graduate him and to wish him many more
years of happy old age. The children es-
pecially wished him continued good health
and happiness. At dinner with his daugh-
ter, Mrs. Henry wife of Judge Henry, of
the Superior Court, who lives in the adj
Joining residence, were relatives from
Rockville and Sullivan. In the afternoon
and early evening the colonel sat under
the trees in his big front yard that makes
his home one of the picturesque places of
the city, and there received his friends and
later there was an informal reception in
the house.
Colonel Thompson knows of no member
of the Congress with whom he served in
1S41 who is now living. Ex-senator George
w. Jones, of Iowa, who was a territorial
delegate from the Territory of Michigan in
has taken very little part in public af-
fairs for many years. Colonel Thompson
has been continuously in public life longer
than any other living American. He had
been in Bedford, Ind, as a clerk in store
only a short time having come there from
Kentucky, where ne spent a short time aft
er leaving his native county of Culpepper,
in Virginia, when he began the study of
law and in 1884, the year he began the prac-
tice. at the age of twenty-five, he was
elected to the Legislature. Since then for
siXty-three years now, he has been active
more party platforms, state and national,
than any other man. So far as can be
learned there is not now living any one who
served with him in the Legislature in 1884
1876 or in 1881 when he was in the Sen
ate, where he was president pro tenn. in the
as such presiding officer he was the first
to introduce what are now known as Gear
Reeds rules" He not only counted
quorum, but ordered the sergeant-at-a
10 arrest senators who undertook to leave
the Senate chamber. In 184I he served his
Haute district having moved to this city
from Bedford after his first term from the
district farther south in the State. 1t was
in this Congress that Colonel Thompson and
Mr.. Lincoln became close personal friends
They had never met until then. though both
tice of law and political campaigning in
the Wabash valley. Both had been presi-
Dental electors and noted campaigners.
When they met Lincoln said: We'll, this
is Dick Thompson and Dick replied
YES and this is Abe Lincoln"
In those days. public men were called by
the familiar authorizations of their first
names and to-day it is Uncle Dick at the
best and some of the older citizens drop
the uncle.