The Newtown bee., 1906-09-07
THE HOME CIRCLE. THE THOMPSON FAMILY.
 IN HUNTINGTON.
IN HUNTINGTON.

uBIOVHTSOlN EAN1AIs
 IN HUNTINGDON.
 Having been invited to contribute anything that might add to the in- terest of your Home gathering, send an account of my grandparents and of the founding of the Thompson home stead on the east side of the Center. l include also an account of those who went out from it's sheltering fold to engage in the active duties of life;
 Abram Thompson, my mother s a resident of Ripton in '76. He was then 20 years old and had learned the trade of carpenter. He responded promptly to the call for troops, walk ing to the place of rendezvous in this State and then on to join the forces gathering near Boston. He served by establishments through the War, most of the time under Washington. He was with him through the battles in New Jersey, in the retreat from Long Island and at the evacuation of New York. He told of seeing our soldiers forced by the pursuing British over the bluffs now called Brooklyn Heights into the harbor and shot if they did
 A brother who had enlisted with him was killed at the battle of Mon- mouth. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant and his warrant as such is an Interesting specimen of the ornamental penmanship of the time.
 About this time he was detailed for duty at West Point. He was the of- f1cer in charge of the building of the Ohevaux De Freize across the Hud- son to prevent the passing of boats up the river: When on furloughs be Birdsey family, relative. He had lost both his parents in early boyhood. It was while on these furlOughs that he made the acquaintance of my grandmother, Sarah Blackman, resid- tn1tn the same district, that of Low. CT White Hills. Their troth was plighted some years before the close of the war but grandfather would not leave the service until its close. When the war was over he returned and they were married by Dr Ely. Then was commenced the building of the salt box house that was to be their home. To build then was work of time, for timber for the frame must be cut and hewed and for every nail driven hole had to be bored to prevent splitting
 They seem to have been well-mated couple, my grandmother being of a well balanced temperament while my grandfather was of an active mentality and a nervous temperament. He had his nerves however so under control as never to lose his balance.
 As he died before my mothers mar. riage, am indebted to neighbor, EnOch Lane, for what know of his personality. The house completed, the h0f to Ho P,,n 70 many pleasant memories for three generations, was commenced. To them were born seven children, six sons and one daughter-my mother. Of her brothers, i've were older than herself, the one younger dying in ear. iy childhood. The religious character of my grandparents was tersely ex. pressed by Dr Ely as faithful Abram and religious Sarah. The intellectual and religious atmosphere in which the family were reared will be shown by a.Word picture which my mother re. peatedly drew for her children
 On winter evening the family gathered around the wide fireplace on which was u blazing fire, in one cor ner my grandfather, iu the center ot on one side sewing, and on the other one of her brothers reading aloud, in front of the stand seated on low stool, my mother, then little girl the youngest of the group. Of the boys not reading, Uncle Charles, who had an inventive genius, would work on a perpetual motion machine anC the others at making mittens by the hook stitch.
 Behind the center of the circle was a screen to break the cold draft. When one of the boys tired another would take his place. During the reading re. be made by my grandfather. There was . village library at that time tc draw from and Pastor Ely y's library was open to them also. The evening read ing closed with a portion of Scripture and prayer. Under such home in fiuences 1t could hardly be otherwise than that the sons should go out from 1t to become useful and worthy mem. bers of society. My uncles' John and Nathan, were well known to many O1 you. Of the latter, whose kindness o1 heart with some eccentricities, were noticeable, let me say that long period of invalidism lasting from his 18th year until past 30 was thought by these peculiarities. My uncle Samuel the eldest of the sons, followed his fathers calling. After a short resi- dence in Huntington he went to New York and engaged In building. At 40 having acquired moderate com potency, he went to POughkeepsie and with his brother Charles commenced the, manufacture of sash, doors and blinds, Uncle Charles having invented machinery to use in that business The machines for blaming, moulding and mortising which Uncle invented were the first in use for that purpose, all such work having before been done by hand. While in New York Uncle Samuel was a ruling elder in the Allen Street Presbyterian church, then hay ing 8 leading position among the churches of the city. At Poughkeep. ste be united with the Congregational church, then in its infancy, and helped to build 1t up to a strong position Uncle Charles was also a member of that church. It was here that both of them became interested in the cause of anti-slavery and of temperance Uncle Samuel was both by tempera- ment and ability we'll fitted to be a leader, and so became prominent off cially and in advocating the cause of both. Uncle Charles, of a more qulet temperament, did much with his pen for the same purpose, for in addition to his inventive talent he had fine literary ability both in prose and verse. 70 foi Inn