J. Mott Thompkins, 1853

stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Fri, 16 Feb 2001

Surname: THOMPKINS, LINDSAY, SCHROEDER, LAPHAM, BROWNE, ROSS

----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

J. MOTT THOMPKINS, a prominent citizen of the village of Granton, was born in Essex County, N. Y., Oct. 16, 1853, son of John and Margaret (Lindsay) Tompkins. The parents were both natives of New York State, the father of Stillwater and the mother of North Hudson, and they were also married there. John Tompkins spent his life in Essex county and there came to an accidental death by drowning four months before the birth of his son, the subject of this sketch. By occupation he was a lumberman and contractor. J. Mott was his parents' only child. When he was ten years old his mother contracted a second marriage, with James E. Pond, of Essex County, N. Y. When he was 13 he went to live with an uncle, Ed Lindsay, at Davenport, Iowa, but after spending three years there he returned to Essex County, where he remained until he was 21. He secured a good education at Davenport and in the commercial college at Troy, N. Y.

In 1874 he came to Clark County, Wis., and worked on a farm for his uncle, Jones Tompkins, now of Neillsville. After that he spent fourteen years working for his uncle, Free Lindsay, of Neillsville. In 1900 Mr. Tompkins was appointed postmaster at Granton, and held that position until the recent change of officials, since which time he has served as clerk for Mr. Schroeder, as postmaster.

Mr. Tompkins was married Dec. 25, 1864, to Marian E. Farr, of Essex County, N. Y., daughter of Bushrod and Olive Farr. He and his wife have had four children: Grace Olivia, Robert F., Fred Bushrod and Frank Edwin. Grace O. married Charles Lapham, of New York City, where he is engaged in the real estate business, and has one child, Marjorie. Robert F., now a resident of Rhinelander, married Mae Browne of Rhinelander, daughter of Paul Browne, a prominent business man, then owning a paper-mill and government experiment station. He has one child, Edward. Fred B., who resides at Rice Lake, Wis., married Myrtle Ross, daughter of Judge Frank Ross, of Superior, Wis., and has four children: Lucille, Yale, Caroline and John. Frank Edwin resides in Staples, Minn., where he is engaged in railroad work.