St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-04-04
Heart Of The
Stronger
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Stranger l..
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10 serve a. interpreter for Al
fred Brunson which also meant
return 10 Fort Smelling where
his wife and children were--and
freedom.
Under these circumstances Al
fred Buinson wrote 10 the Rev
erend J. H. Wright, then OF the
Book Room In Cincinnati, stating
the cause. Wright wrote an article
in the Western Christian Advocate
appealing for funds for Thomp-
sons freedom 20 that he might &C
company the missionaries 10 the
upper Mississippi as interpreter.
such WINS the interest OF the
Church In the mission" writes
Chauncey Hobart In his History
OF MethOdism. that. early In the
Spring Of 1887. $1,000 we're in the
hands OF Brother Wright for the
purchase OF Thompson A draft
for 81 200 on Rev. J. H. Wright
wRs made out and n deed OF eman-
cipation obtained from Captain
Day. who asserted that he would
not have taken less than 81 500 for
him for any other purpose, and
James was free 10 90 with Elder
Brunson as an interpreter TO the
Indians"
In the Spring Of 1887, the mis-
sion was established at Little |
Crows village Kaposla, ten miles |
below Fort Smelling on the west
side q the Mississippi
In describing James Thompson
In his book, Pen Pictures and Bio
graphical Sketches. Major Thomas
Mclean Newson wrote.
In personal appearance Mr..
Thompson resembled Morton 8.
Wilkinson. He had large aquiline
nose. high forehead: small. round
eyes; well set mouth; with q
peculiar movement incident to the
late Senator Besides he was tall,
slender. somewhat angular In his
movements and yet closely knit
in his physical organization. show
ing that with proper care he might
have lived az least ten years long
er. His complexion was quite
light, indicating Anglo Saxon
blood; and his whole makeup
clearly showed that he was away
above the ordinary when a south
eru slave, and fully equal both to
the white or the Indian when
free man
Born In 1890 Thompson had
been sold four times before be-
coming "A free man While "A small
boy. he was brought TO Lexington,
Kentucky by George Monroe, the
nephew OF President Monroe
George became involved In debt
and had TO part with six OF his
slaves, among them was Thomp-
son, his brother and sister. and |
several aunts and cousins. He was
then taken 10 ST. Louis and from
there moved 10 Fort Smelling as
the property OF John Culbertson.
a sutler In 1927 He was purchased
by Captain Day, OF the Fort, and
from this point went 10 the post
at Prairie du-Chien. where ris
freedom was purchased by Alfred
Brunson.
James Thompson, Sioux Inter
prefer. did n great deal 90 nd
vance the religion Of the Meth
odist church. and was encour-
aged In his work by the gencr-
BUSINESS and kindness of his new
missionary friends.
Later James Thompson aided
with his own hands the building
of the little Methodist Church on
Market Street in St Paul, the
city's first protestant church. lie
gave two thousand feet OF lumber
and from logs taken from the
river made 1900 shingles for the
roof and then gave lot which
he owned towards paying Tor the
Thompson also aided In I
erecting and constructing tho first /
house In st, Paul which belonged /
TO Phelan and Hays, and stood |
near Seven Corners. He ran the
first Ferry Boat.
Thompson's father was white.
or nearly ~, and kept a noted
hotel. For whatever his rca-
sons, Thompson never revealed
his fathers identity.
Nine children vgprr bnY-, o.,