The Thompson family of Albany, New York, represented in the present generation by David Allen Thompson, descend from the early settler of that name in Salem county, New Jersey. The family is of English origin seated in Yorkshire, England. In 1658 Thomas Thompson and Elizabeth, his wife, with their sons John and Andrew, removed from Kirkfenton, Yorkshire county, England, to Ireland. John, the eldest son, married Jane Humbles, or Humbly, born in England, and then living in Ireland. Andrew, the younger son, was born at Kirkfenton, England, 1637. He removed to Ireland with the family in 1658, and on July 11, 1664, married Isabella, daughter of Humphrey Marshall, born in Leicestershire, England, September 16, 1667. Andrew Thompson, his wife and three children, accompanied by his brother John, his wife and four children, embarked in the ship "Mary of Dublin," John Hall, master, and landed at Elsinboro Point, West Jersey, December 22 of the same year. In 1680 the brothers bought of Richard and Bridget Guy adjoining lands in the present township of Elsinborough, Salem county, New Jersey. The "Emigrant house," built on the original farm, was standing in good condition and repair as late as 1820. The site of the house and the orchard in front have now been entirely removed by the action of the Delaware river wearing away its eastern shore. Andrew Thompson became a well-known public man. He was appointed a justice of the peace for the colony by John Fenwick, the governor, and was also one of the four justices of the peace elected by the general free assembly at Burlington, qualifying March 15, 1683, serving several years. He frequently served as executor and was a trusted citizen. He died in 1696. His will, written with his own hand, dated 29th of tenth month, 1694, devises his homestead of one hundred and sixty-eight acres to his two elder sons, William and Andrew, and specially requests them "not to oppress or deale unjustly by one the other." Children of Andrew and Isabella Thompson, first three born in Ireland:
- Elizabeth, born August 15, 1666; married in Salem, Friends' meeting, February 25, 1683, Isaac Smart, the society consenting thereto except Isaac had not notified his mother in old England, owing to the distance, that was waived." Isaac Smart died in 1700, and his widow, Elizabeth, "with the approval of the meeting," married, November 26, 1701, Edward Keasbey.
- William, August 9, 1699, married (first) Sarah ————; (second) Jane Nickson; (third) Hannah ————. He settled at Thompson's bridge, now Allowaystown, Monmouth township. His son Benjamin, born 1719, died 1775, was for many years manager of Wistar's Glass Works.
- Andrew (2), see forward.
- John, the only child of American birth, was born in Elsinborough, Salem county, New Jersey, April 23, 1684.
(II) Andrew (2), son of Andrew (1) and Isabella (Marshall) Thompson, was born in Parish Donard, Wickloe county, Ireland, November 13, 1676, died 1727. He came to New Jersey with his parents in 1677. Like his father he was trusted in business and frequently an executor. He was left one-half the homestead by his father's will, and in 1710 purchased his brother William's half, thus becoming sole owner of the Elsinborough homestead farm. The title to this property was held in the Thompson family from 1680 until December 26, 1882,when David Allen Thompson, of Albany, New York, conveyed the same to J. Howard Subers, of Philadelphia. It is believed that his first marriage was to Rebecca Pedrick, October 28, 1696. Children:
- Jonathan, born September 16, 1697;
- Hannah, January 12, 1699;
- Isabella, October 22, 1700;
- Andrew (3), February 2, 1704.
The records of Salem Friends' meetings show that at a monthly meeting held January 25, 1706, he gave notice that he was to marry a wife belonging to the Darby (Pennsylvania) meeting and desired a certificate. The same records also show the following children of Andrew and Grace Thompson:
- Thomas, born November 28, 1707;
- Sarah, February 8, 1709;
- Abraham, October 26, 1710;
- Joshua (see forward);
- Thomas, July 21, 1715;
- Rebecca, November 3, 1717;
- Abraham, May 27, 1721.
Several of these children died before their father, as his will names only "dear and loving wife Grace," and children Andrew, Joshua, Hannah Cook, Thomas, Sarah and Abraham. The inventory of his estate amounted to six hundred and one pounds twelve shillings, including bonds, hill and book accounts, two hundred and eighteen pounds eighteen shillings, old books, four pounds, a clock, and a negro woman valued at twenty-eight pounds.
(III) Joshua, son of Andrew (2) and his second wife Grace Thompson, was born in Salem county, New Jersey, February 2, 1713, died in 1789. He was a member of the Society of Friends, an elder and leader of the Salem monthly meeting. It has been said of him "that he was an Israelite in whom there was no guile." December 17, 1761, he advertised in the Pennsylvania Gazette for a schoolmaster for himself and neighbors in the township of Elsinborough. His will, dated ninth month, twenty-second day, 1784, was probated January 10, 1790. He married (first) Sarah ————. Children:
- Andrew, see forward.
- Sarah, born December 24, 1742; she became second wife of William Hancock, a Friend, who, March 21, 1778, received a mortal wound at the massacre in his house at Hancock's bridge, Salem county, by the British soldiers under Colonel Charles S. Mawhood.
Joshua Thompson married (second), Elizabeth Gibson, of Woodbury, New Jersey. Children:
- Joshua (2), born June 8, 1748.
- Rebecca (twin of Joshua).
- John, April 7, 1752.
- Joseph, March 26, 1756, died March 23, 1778, from wounds received at the Hancock's bridge massacre, previously mentioned.
(IV) Andrew (3), son of Joshua and his first wife, Sarah Thompson, was born in Salem county, New Jersey, May 29, 1739, died August 15, 1782, "and was decently buried in Friends' burying place of Salem the 16th of same month." He married Grace, born September 11, 1746, died January 13, 1779, daughter of Samuel and Grace Nicholson, of Elsinborough, Salem county. Children:
- Joshua (see forward);
- Sarah, born January 20, 1769, married Jacob Ware;
- Grace, born February 12, 1771, married Job Ware;
- Rachel, born May 7, 1773, married Benjamin Tindell;
- Samuel N., born May 23, 1777, married Ann, daughter of Clement Hall.
(V) Joshua (2), eldest son of Andrew and Grace (Nicholson) Thompson, was born September 19, 1767, died June 22, 1806. Under the will of his grandfather, Joshua Thompson, he became owner of the Elsinborough homestead farm when he reached legal age in 1788. He died intestate in 1806. His real estate passed to his three minor children, subject to their mother's dower claim. He married, May 1, 1793, Rebecca Allen, born March 21, 1772, who survived him and married (second) Benjamin Griscom, to whom she bore two children, Beulah and George. She died August 24, 1853, aged eighty-one years. Children of Joshua and Rebecca (Allen) Thompson:
- Andrew (4), see forward.
- Ann, born May 5, 1797, died March 26, 1870; married (first) Caleb Lippincott, in 1826; (second) Joseph Bassett.
- David Allen, born June 4, 1803, died August 13, 1847, at Lockport, New York, unmarried.
(VI) Andrew (4), eldest son of Joshua (2) and Rebecca (Allen) Thompson, was born August 12, 1795, died August 11, 1869. He married (first) Rebecca, daughter of Samuel and Mercy (Gill) Abbott. The marriage was conducted under Friends' discipline, and the committee, April 27, 1818, reported that it was orderly accomplished. Child of first marriage:
- 1. Hannah Ann, born October 21, 1819, married, April 17, 1843, Elisha Bassett (2), died July 27, 1903, children:
- Rebecca, married, February 24, 1870, S. Preston Carpenter.
- Henry, married Rebecca Lawrence; (second) Mrs. Mary Noble Lippincott.
- Anna, married, November 6, 1901, William T. Hilliard.
- Clement.
Two other children died in infancy.
Andrew Thompson married (second), November 8, 1827, Ann Dallas Clark, born June 10, 1806, died July 7, 1839, daughter of John and Ann Elkinton, of Port Elizabeth, New Jersey. Children:
- Joshua, born January 17, 1829, died June 11, 1887; married, March 11, 1852, Mary Jane Pancoast; children:
- Anne E., married Smith Bassett.
- Sarah, married Smith Bassett (second wife).
- Emma, married George Acton.
- Andrew J., died young.
- Caroline, died young.
- John Elkinton, September 10, 1830, died April 11, 1907; married, March 6, 1856, Mary C. Davis; children:
- Ella, married Samuel Griscom.
- Mary Davis.
- Elizabeth Davis, married Joseph L. Nicholson, M.D.
- Clark Holmes, September 7, 1832; married, January 1, 1857, Anna Test; children:
- Hannah Bacon, married Frank Pettit.
- Lucy Mulford, married Wyatt Acton.
- Mariana, married Josiah Miller.
- Elizabeth Holmes.
- Alice Elkinton, died young.
- Cornelia, married Harry Finlaw.
- Andrew, March 19, 1835, died February 16, 1909, unmarried.
Andrew Thompson married (third), August 8, 1843, Mary Thompson Tyler, widow of Charles B. Harmer, of Greenwich, New Jersey, and daughter of Benjamin and Ann (Thompson) Tyler. Her mother, Ann, born May 8, 1787, died in 1818, was daughter of Butler and Ann Thompson of Allowaystown, New Jersey. Mary Thompson Tyler was born October 25, 1809, died September 15, 1907, at the great age of ninety-eight years. She married (first) February 8, 1826, Charles B. Harmer, who died February 8, 1828. Their son, Charles B. Harmer (2), was born April 15, 1828, died September 21, 1907; he married Emeline Scattergood, and had children:
- Mary T., married Benjamin T. Walker.
- Charles R., (2), unmarried.
- J. Barton, married Julia Homer.
- Susan S., married W. Harris Seltzer, and has sons George A., W. Harris (2) and Frank Harmer.
The children of Andrew Thompson and his third wife, Mary (Tyler) Thompson Harmer, were:
- David Allen, see forward.
- Richard, born February 6, 1846; married October 6, 1870, Elizabeth W., daughter of Richard and Charlotte (Acton) Wistar; children:
- Charlotte, born February 20, 1874, married October 25, 1904, George D. E. Mortimer.
- David A., July 19, 1876.
- Mary T., April 20, 1879.
- Cornelias W., March 17, 1884.
- Caroline McIntyre, October 16, 1888.
- Anne, November 8, 1847; married, October 22, 1868, Louis M. Hall; children:
- Clement Harwood, born April 12, 1870.
- Frank Thompson, born August 23, 1872.
- Walter, born February 1, 1878, married Frances T. Carpenter, October 19, 1909.
- Rebecca, August 24, 1849; married, February 18, 1869, Clayton Wistar; children:
- Richard Wyatt, February 7, 1870, married, October 25, 1899, Mary Acton Rumsey.
- Arthur Thompson, November 1, 1886.
(VII) David Allen, sixth child of Andrew Thompson and eldest son of his third wife, Mary Harmer, was born at Mannington, Salem county, New Jersey, May 29, 1844. He was educated at the Friends' school, Salem, New Jersey, and the Salem Academy, graduating from the latter in 1864. He entered Haverford College, but after a year spent there entered Princeton University, where he was graduated A. B., 1868. Deciding upon the profession of law, he entered Albany Law school, where he was graduated in 1869, and was at once admitted to the New York bar. He became managing clerk for the law firm of Shepard and Stedman, Albany, New York. In 1871 he began practice in his own office, continuing alone until 1879, when the firm of Thompson & Andrews was founded, and as such did a successful law business. In 1885 a third partner was added, and the firm became Stedman, Thompson & Andrews. In 1896 Mr. Stedman withdrew and the firm reverted to its former personnel, Thompson & Andrews, continuing until 1902, when it was dissolved. Since that year Mr. Thompson has continued in practice alone. He is a lawyer of high standing, and is highly regarded as a citizen. He is a trustee of the Home Savings Bank of Albany, the Mutual Insurance Company, and has other business interests. He is interested in church and benevolent work, serving as president of the Albany Orphan Asylum and of the Home for Aged Men. He is a member of the University Club. He is a writer of ability, and is deeply interested in historical and genealogical research. It is to his painstaking and careful investigation that this history of the Thompsons of Salem county, New Jersey, is due, being compiled from his recent book (1910), Andrew Thompson, the Emigrant of Elsinborough, Salem county, New Jersey, and one line of his descendants. He married, October 4, 1871, Margaret, daughter of Dr. James and Caroline (McIntyre) McNaughton, of Albany, New York. Children:
- James McNaughton, born November 17, 1872, died December 26, 1908. He married, November 12, 1902, Florence J. Jones.
- Andrew (5), August 13, 1877, married, January 25, 1908, Mary B. Easton.
- Margaret, September 1, 1881.