My Genealogy Hound

JOHN GILBERT THOMPSON, son of Thomas Thompson, was born January 26, 1861, on the place on which he now lives, long known as the Thomas Thompson mill farm. It is situated in Whitpain township, in what is known as West Ambler, bordering also on Gwynedd township.

John Gilbert Thompson attended the Shady Grove school, in Whitpain, and later Sunnyside Academy at Ambler, meantime assisting his father in the grist mill on the Wissahickon, which he operated the greater part of his life, also working at intervals on the farm. He also took a nine months’ course at the Pierce College of Business in Philadelphia. He then became a partner of his father in operating the mill and farm, and in 1888 succeeded the father in their management. The mill was in operation until 1899, when Mr. Thompson disposed of the water right to the Ambler Spring Water Company, and the old mill which had for many years supplied flour and feed to the residents of the neighborhood, was abandoned.

Since ceasing to operate the mill, Mr. Thompson has devoted his entire attention to the farm of eighteen acres and to the stone quarrying business. In politics he is a Democrat. He feels an active interest in local affairs generally, especially in educational work, and has served for several terms as school director, having been president of the township school board since 1894. He has also served as judge of elections for several years. In religious faith, Mr. Thompson is a Lutheran, and attends Zion church, Whitemarsh. He is unmarried, and makes his home with his widowed mother, they occupying the convenient and substantial residence erected by his father in 1876.

Thomas Thompson (father) was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Pollard) Thompson. He was born in the town of Wiggin, Lancashire, England, January 12, 1809. The parents emigrated to the United States in 1829, and settled in the state of New Jersey. Soon afterwards the son decided to make a start in life for himself, and went to Philadelphia, where he remained some years, and then removed to Upper Dublin township, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged for some years in a grist mill, known as Haig’s Mill, on the Bethlehem turnpike, above Ambler. In conjunction with his cousin, Robert Pollard, he operated this mill from 1835 to 1837, buying in the last named year the mill on Wissahickon, which he conducted successfully for many years, being the property now owned by his son, John G., the subject of this sketch. He purchased it of Samuel B. Davis.

Thomas Thompson married, November 27, 1848, a daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Hoss) Gilbert, establishing himself after his marriage in the house adjacent to the mill. Their children, all of whom are deceased except the youngest, were as follows: James, Sarah, William, Daniel, Elizabeth, Thomas, John Gilbert. Mrs. Thompson, born September 8, 1826, was the fourth of six children of Daniel and Sarah Gilbert. She received little education at school, owing to lack of opportunity, the schools at that time being kept open but a portion of the year. The other children of Daniel Gilbert were: Peter, born 1817, married Mary Roberts, of Upper Dublin township, and resided near Frazer, in Chester county, and had several children who live in that vicinity; Jacob, married Catharine Ann Dannehower, of Springhouse, and resided in Chester county; Daniel, married Sidney Williamson, of Coatesville, and lived in Chester county; Anna Maria, married Rowland Dannehower, son of Jacob and Catharine (Hallman) Dannehower, and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Amanda Jones, on Tennis avenue, Ambler. Thomas Thompson (father) died May 16, 1891.