The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-02-25
T. ]. THOMPSON !"
DIED. SUDDENLY !
THIS MORNING
Was Stricken Only a Short
Time Before His Death
Heart Trouble
Vas PROMINENTLY IDENTIFIED !.
WITH THE MASONIC FRATERNITY
Came to North Dakota In the Early
Days and Served the State in Sew.
eral Public Capacitics-Was u Law.
yer by Profession.

Fargo. N. D., Feb. 25.-Hon. Frank
j. thompson, secretary of all the
state bodies of the Masonic lodge in
North Dakota, librarian of the city
OF Fargo, former practitioner and
member of the first legislative assem-
bly of the state, died very suddenly
tnls morning shortly before 10 o'clock
at his home here. Leakage of the
heart caused the very sudden taking
away of Mr.. Thompson, death coming
to him as he lay In the attending
physician's arms.
HIS demise came as a very severe
shock to the entire city and state.
for he has SO long been prominently
identified with various of it's upbuild-
ing interests.
Thursday evening he had been down
town In apparently as good health as
ever. This morning he became i'll.
and before 10 o'clock the angel of
death has passed, snuffing out the
candle of life which had burned with
such brilliancy through 80 many
years Of useful service.
The death of Mr.. Thompson re-
moves one of. North Dakota's most
prominent, useful and active citizens.
Ever since he took up his residence
in Fargo in 1882 he has been con-
nected In some manner or other with
the advancing interests of the state.
His prominent connection with the
Masonic bodies gave him an acquaint-
ance which extended into every sec
tion of North Dakota.
| Was Born In Illinois
Frank ]. Thompson was born in
Rockford, ILL.,, August %, 1854 and
was son of Jareb C. and Sarah J.
(Mason) Thompson, both natives OF
New York. During the thirties they
4 removed to Michigan and Tor thirty
years the father was employed as an
engineer on the Michigan Central
railway. In 1873 he came to Dakota
and after serving the Northern Pacific
in that capacity for ten years. was
transferred to the shops at Dickinson
where he now resides. He had two
sons, Frank j., who died this morn
ing, and Fred, a resident of Dickin-
son. On both sides ancestors of Mr..
Thompson were soldiers of the Revo-
Iluti0nary war, and were among the
minute men who participated in the
battle of Lexington.
The literary education of Mr.
Thompson was obtained in the schools
of Marshall and Jackson, Mich, and
in the former city he learned the ma
chinist's trade, serving five years
apprenticeship, but he never followed
the same. For two years he engaged
in teaching music and in 1876 began
the study of law at Jackson, Mich,
with Higbee and Gibson, both well
known attorneys in that state. Soon
after his admission to the bar in the
spring of 1873, Mr.. Thompson came
to North Dakota and located at Fargo
where he opened an Office, and for
a great many years engaged in the
practice of his chosen profession. In
1881 he formed partnership with H
Kroch, but this connection was dis
solved in 1892.
At Minneapolis, Mimi, in November
1882, was celebrated the marriage OF
Mr.. Thompson and Miss Elmadine Bis
sonette, native of Montreal, Can. To
them were born two children, Jere-
dine and Jack Dacotah.
Member of Legislature
In 1889 Mr.. Thompson was elected
to the state legislature and was chair
man of the judiciary committee OF
the house. He was appointed assist
ant attorney general under Hon. G.
A. NJ. Spencer and served in that ca
pacity for some time. Mr.. Thomp-
son was member of the Republican
party from the time he attained his
majority and continued to be promi.
nently identified with that party until
1895, when he became Populist AT
one time he was chairman o. the state
central committee of that party.
Mr.. Thompson was very prominent
in Masonic circles and has taken every
degree in the order. He was and had
been for quite number of years, the
secretary of all of the state organi-
cations in that fraternity; was poten-
tate of Ell Zagel temple in Fargo for
six years and was at the time, record
er in the same and also holds those
Offices in the Scottish Rite bodies. He
also belongs to the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Ellls. the knights
of Pythias andsthe United Commercial
Travellers. 1t is in the Masonic lodge
that MIR. Thompson has been particu-
larly identified with the last num-
ber of years and his acquaintances
number practically every member of
the order in North Dakota.
He had always taken most active
and prominent part in public affairs
had stumped the state in the interest
of his party a number Of times and
was the author of the resolution in
troduced into the first legislative as
sembly by which native born children
of North Dakota are known as
l"EIickertaiIs