The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-07-25
President Taft's Secretary
Wins by His Own Con-
slant Efforts.
(By FrancIs a.. Gessner !

hA~SEhL4NG1O4N,l u. Va July 20
Carmi Thompson, the new secretary
to the president, was appointed from
Ohio, but he was born in West vIr-
ginia. His political :honors were
won in Ohio, and he retains his
voting residence there. But West
Virginia proudly claims his as a
native son. And carmi is rather
proud of It, too.
Carmi Thompson has been prom
inent in Ohio Republican affairs
less than ten years, but in hiatt short
time he has been out OF public office
less than ten years, but in that short
the legislature in 1908, again in
1905. and was chosen speaker.
Then 1t was easy to win the nom!-
nation for secretary or state, an Of
fee next in rank to that of govern
or, and he was elected while yet
speaker of the assembly. He was
reelected in spite of the disturbed
condition of things in the state. In
March, 1911. he was appointed
assistant secretary of the interiors
Mr.. Thompson is not ashamed OF
his early struggles as a brick yard
helper and a coal miner.
When Secretary Thompson took
charge at the White House he was
asked by the newspaper writers to
give some data covering his career
and family history. giving dates of
the most important happenings IN
his life.
Ancestors Came from ireland.
The great-great-grandfather Of
Carmi Thompson came from ireland,
with two brawny brothers during
the American revolution. In fact,
the revolution was what brought
them here. They were scotchIrlsh
from County Ulster, ireland, and
they did not approve of the British
sovereign doing business at Lon
don. The Thompson lads could not
fight George III very handily at
home, SO they came to this side OF
the Atlantic, where their services
would be more appreciated. Land
ing at Baltimore, they made haste to
join Washington's army, and were
gladly welcomed. They proved
good soldiers and the direct ances-
tor of Carmi became a captain. The
Continental army did not pay cap
tains very much. but big grant OF
land in the wild and remote part OF
old Virginia was given Captain
Thompson, and he went out to look
at it.
THE Virginia land grant handed
to Captain Thompson was in what Is
now known as Wayne county, w.
Va, below Huntington. The prop
erty was not of much value then,
and possibly the soldier did not
think SO much of the grant given
by the new government. Anyhow
he made the most of it, and his de-
named Thompson number
about 1880 in the lower West Vir-
ginia region.
Some of the earlier Thompsons
became slave owners, as was the
fashion in old Virginia. and others
became violently opposed to slavery,
SO that there were many family
feuds and bitter wrangtngs, all
growing out of the slavery question.
Al! the Thompsons forgot their per-
sonal differences. however, when a,
war came on prior to 1861. There
were Thompsohs, al ancestors OF
the presidential secretary, who
fought in the war OF 1912. in all
the indian wars. and in the war
with Mexico.
The Thompsons were In the Civil
war, but on both sides. Those whs
had been slave holders stood by the
and the old line Whig
stood by Lincoln. The
of Carmi Thompson was
a Wing, and he hated slavery.
Father a Coal Miner.
1t was in Wayne county. not far
from where the original Captain
had settled neary a CEN
tury before, that the father OF Car
mi Thompson took up the work
Of coal miner. He followed this
occupation thirty years. and when
the son Carml was lad worked in
West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio,
finally settling in Irontou, possibly
SO the son could enter Ohio politics
later on.
Both the father and mother OF
the new secretary are living at
Ironton.
AS a lad Carml Thompson had to
work. but he determined very early
i. a..u. -. a...nAt., o-d an