The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-09
His other Children, n Son and Two
Daughters, Were by His Side i'm
the Home at Terre Haute.
ALL PRESIDENTS SAVE TWO
SPAN OF LIFE EXTENDING FROM
JEFFERSON TO M'kINLEY.
Incidents i'm His Career-In Congress
with Clay and LincOIn-In Hayes's
Cabinet-His ElOquence.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
TERRE HAUTE. Ind, Feb. Q, 2 a. m.-
COL Richard wigginton Thompson died at
ITO o'clock this morning.
His death had been hourly expected all
day, and when DIR. Roberts left the resi-
after midnight, he said the colonel was
barely alive, and probably would die with
in the hour.
Colonel Thompson was unconscious all
day yesterday, his brain being paralyzed.
A telegram from his son, Richard w.
Thompson, jr., of Marshall. Tex, says he
will arrive here tomorrow. Fred Thomp-
son, another son, is in California. At the
colonels bedside were his son Harry and
his two daughters-Mrs. d. w. Henry, wife
of Collector of Internal Revenue Henry.
and Miss Mollie Thompson.
Colonel Richard wigginton Thompson
was born in Culpeper county, Virginia,
June 9, 1909, and was of Scotch-Irish de-
scent. He received a good education, and
in 1881 removed to Louisville KY, where
he served for time storekeeper's clerk.
Thence he went to Lawrence county, Indi-
ana, where he alternately taught school
and engaged in mercantile pursuits, at the
same time reading law at night. In after
years he founded there the Lawrence
County Seminary. In 1884 he was admitted
to the bar and began to practice in Bed
ford. The same year he was elected to the
Indiana State Legislature and reelected
in 1885 and 1886. 1t was in the latter year
that Mr.. Thompson gained the title of
colonel Governor Noble having appoint
ed him member of his staff, with the rank
of colonel. Mr.. Thompson was elected to
Congress in 1S41, but declined second
term. President Taylor offered him the po-
sition of minister to Austria, which he de-
cIined, and was appointed chief of the
Land Office. Lincoln made him Judge of
claims, and President Hayes made him Sec
retary of the navy in his Cabinet. In 1880
Colonel Thompson resigned to accept the
Craftsmanship of the Panama Canal Com
pany In America, anti later he was elected
to the bench of Vigo county and then ap-
pointed internal revenue collector for the
Terre Haute district. Among his literary
works are "Recollections of Sixteen Presi-
DENTS" "The Footsteps of the Jesuits."
''The Papacy and the Civil Power and "A
History of the Tariff"
Colonel Thompson long the oldest
ex-member of Congress, and the only one
living who served in the Congress elected
in 1S41. few years ago. when his book
Personal Recollections Of the Presidents"
was published. he sent copy to Robert c.
Winthrop, of Massachusetts, who served
with him in that Congress. and with him
self and Ex-Governor Bradbury, of Maine,
were then the only survivors of the Con-
gress, but Mr.. Winthrop died before he
finished reading the book. Governor Brad
bury has since died. 1t is not thought
there are more than three or four living
ex-members of the Congress of 1S49 in
which Mr. Thompson and Mr.. Lincoln sat
side by side. The span of Colonel Thomp-
sons life is best comprehended by COM
parison. The year of his birth, 1S09 is
known the year of great babies.'' A
list OF statesmen. scientists and men who
achieved fame I'm literature, art and music
who were born in that year, is long one,
including Lincoln. Gladstone, Darwin, Ten
| nyson. Oliver Wendell Holmes. Mendels-
sohn, and all like the few named are dead
His public career. beginning in 1884. when
he was elected to the Legislature, covered
a period in which many men who acquired
national regulations were born, grew TO
manhood, entered public life. and, after an
ordinarily long career before the public,
died and were forgotten.