The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-07-23
President Taft's Secretary
Wins bylHis Own Con
slant Efforts.
az FraneLs ID. Gessner !

i a+aA = AASaA4E2S4B TIC new SECRETARY
to the president, was appointed from
Ohio. but he was born in West viz
ginia. His political honors we're
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
i oarmi 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 1909, again in
1905, and was CHOSEN speaker
Then 1t was easy to win the nomi-
nation for secretary OF 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 interior,
| Mr.. Thompson is not ashamed of
his early struggles. as brick yard
helper and coal miner.
When Secretary Thompson took
charge at the white lHouse he was
asked blythe 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 Observation-Disclosures 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 scotchIrish
from County Ulster, ireland, and
they did not approve OF the British
sovereign doing business at Lon
don. The Thompson lads could not
flight George mI 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 iWashington's army, and were
gladly welcomed. They proved
good soldiers and the direct ances-
tor of Carmi became 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.
J 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 them,
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-
scendants named Thompson number
about $500 in the lower West Yir-
ginia region. v
Some of the earlier Thompsons
became slave owners, as was the
fashion in old Virginia, and others
became violently opposed to slavery.
$50 that there were many family.
feuds and bitter wranglings, 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 Thompsons, al ancestors OF
the presidential secretary, who
fought in the war OF 1872, in all
the Indian wars and in the war
with Mexico. -.
The Thompsons were IN the Civil
war, but on both sides. Those wkS
had been slave holders stood by the
lSouth, and the old line Wing,
Thompsons stood by Lincoln. The
grandfather 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
Thompson had settled neary a CEN
ttury before, that the father OF Car
mi Thompson took up the work
of coal miner. Tie followed this
occupation thirty years, and when
the son CarmI was lad worked in
West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.
finally settling in Ironton. possibly
so the son could enter Ohio politics
; later on. :,arJS ~
Both the father and mother OF
the new secretary are living at
Ironton.
AS a lad Carmi Thompson had to
work, but he determined very early
to secure an education and to
ochiava enpnathTnU havop5 E.,o J,,1l