THOMPSON, Edward Fleming^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]}

1870 - 1931  (61 years)  Submit Photo / Document

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• Name	THOMPSON, Edward Fleming
  Birth	15 Apr 1870	Plains, Lanarkshire, Scotland   [3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9]
  Gender	Male
  WAC	10 Apr 1901	SLAKE
  _TAG	Reviewed on FS
  Death	20 Oct 1931	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States   [8, 9]
  Burial	23 Oct 1931	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
  Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
  Person ID	I43593	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
  Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

  
  

  Family ID

  F23250

  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	ALLAN, Annie Jane ,   b. 27 Aug 1875, Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United Statesd. 5 Oct 1957, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	11 Jan 1901	Bluff, San Juan, Utah, United States   [6]
  Children	+ 1. THOMPSON, Max Allan ,   b. 28 Jan 1912, Grayson, San Juan, Utah, United States Grayson, San Juan, Utah, United Statesd. 3 Mar 1995, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 83 years)
  Family ID	F13695	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2022

  
  

• Photos		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

• Notes

  The following memories from Geneva come from a letter written to her nephew, Kent Thompson, 20 November 1977 "Its difficult to write in a letter or even remember back so long ago. Saturday night was our cleaning and bath night. Always [on] Sunday everyone went to church. Dad attended Priesthood and all other meetings required of him. He served in Sunday School and in the Bishopric. We had family prayer together. I remember he helped the little ones say the blessing and it went something like this: 'Father in Heaven, bless the food. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.' I always thought that was cutting it a little short, but I guess he had to get going with the day's business. "Dad would go out early in the morning hours with his shovel on his shoulder and irrigate the may rows of orchards and garden and lucerne fields. We had quite a bit of singing in our home; our mother always pushed us in this direction and dad had such a fine bass voice. "Dad loved to wrestle with his boys. First he wrestled Clyde and Wallace together, then just one at a time and finally gave it up all together. I don't know how he had the strength to wrestle at all because he always laughed so hard. What a rough house we had at times. We all worked around the house and garden." Grandpa Thompson was numbered among the first families called to Blanding, Utah. Edward Thompson was six feet one inch tall and weighed over 200 pounds. He had wavy brown hair when young and a crown of wavy thick gray hair in his golden years. When he first came from Scotland at age 19, he had a Scotch brogue. He had an Uncle Jim and Aunt Kate (Fleming) Crum in Idaho. He came all alone. He told his Grandpa William Fleming he wanted to come to America and his grandpa cried and had a sad heart. He met Miss Allan and pleaded and admired her. He was well-informed, had language to express the desires of his heart in a very convincing, honest way. For five years, she argued, was staunch in her beliefs. Finally, he was converted to a Creator. He was going to investigate every religion before he joined the Mormons. The result, he became convinced that Mormonism was the truth and never tired of bearing that testimony. Edward was baptized 6 December 1900, by Wayne H. Redd. One month later he and Annie were married, 11 January 1901. They were sealed in the Temple on 10 April 1901. Their first child, Clyde Fleming Thompson, was born 8 November 1901. Less than one year later, Edward was called to serve on a mission to England and Scotland, 2 September 1901, leaving his wife to support him and care for their baby son. A baby girl, Nellie, was born a short time after he left on his mission, 11 April 1903. While on his mission, he met his father for the first time since they had parted when Edward was a baby. His father, Edward Thomson, had come to Great Britain from Australia for a shooting contest. He also became acquainted with his father's brothers, Robert and George, and his sister, Anne, and many Thomson cousins. He preached the Gospel to them wile laboring in Scotland. He had a fine sense of humor like his boys do now. He was a fine stone craftsman and built the fine buildings in Bluff and Blanding--the courthouse, bank, church and his own home. Clyde worked with his father all summer long. He was very exacting in the work he did and was a perfectionist in his work. Clyde said he had more money in his pocket that summer than any kid in town. Grandpa worked in Monticello and paid tithing in Blanding. Grandpa built his own home in exchange for masonry work for carpenters. He lived in Bluff before Clyde was born. Edward Thompson was second counselor in the Bishopric. Clyde helped his father pioneer in Blanding, put up an old cedar post fence and corrals made with quaking aspen poles. The following is taken from a letter written by Edward to his wife, Annie, while he was serving his mission and was stationed in Scotland. He had met with many of his Thomson and Fleming relatives and had presented the Gospel to them. "I wouldn't change my humble position in the Church of Christ for all the combined wealth and position of the whole Thomson tribe. . . .I can't be too grateful for the testimony of the Gospel and the opportunity held out to me, that of being a Savior on Mount Zion to my kindred You can't imagine the hope and faith all such promises inspire within me, It isn't only for a moment either, but an everlasting source of joy, for the Gospel is all to me now." The following brief history was written by Edward's wife, Annie Jane Allan Thompson. Parts of it are similar to other histories of Edward on this Family Tree Memories Site, but since this is in Annie's own words, I will add it here. (Sue Anne B. Thompson) "Being desirous of preserving for the benefit of our family and our posterity some of the interesting items in the life and labors of my husband, I, Annie Allan Thompson, make the following record from what information is available to me, trusting that this narrative may prove both interesting and instructive to those who may hereafter peruse it. "Edward Fleming Thompson was born at Plains, Lanarkshire, Scotland, April 15th, 1870, the son of Edward Thomson and Jessie Fleming. When Edward was nine months old, his mother passed away and he was raised in the family of his grandfather Fleming who had a large family of boys [there were also three girls--Edward's mother, Aunt Kate and Aunt Agnes], all of whom seemed to love and look after him. Edward had a great love and respect for this family all his life. His father, still a young man, had some misunderstanding with his father-in-law and, leaving his infant son with the Fleming family, left his home in Scotland and emigrated to Australia, and many years passed away before Edward again saw his father. "Referring in later life to his tender recollections of boyhood in Scotland, Edward wrote: 'I received word of Uncle John's death. This sad news has affected me more than any misfortune yet. As I look back on former years, many are the pleasant recollections associated with this memory. Many happy days we spent together. Christmas and he said, 'A bonnet.' This he received. The raw, wintry winds had caused him suffering from cold ears.' "Edward's uncles and Aunt Kate all came to America settling in Idaho and they seemed to prosper in this wonderful land, which left Edward and his Grandfather alone in the old home. They shared everything alike until Edward was nineteen years old, when receiving such glowing letters from his uncles of the prospects of success in the West, he decided to cast his lot with them. The deepest emotions of his soul were awakened in saying "good-bye" to the dear old grandfather who had taken care of him since he was an infant. He wept at the parting and years after, when referring to this early loved parent the tears would [come], his white hair showing, his hat in hand and saying, 'Well, Eddie, good-bye. We'll meet again.' Grandfather's family had all come to America: John, Peter, Hughie and his daughter Kate [there was also William, Walter and James]. "The Flemings had settled on the Snake River country in Idaho, engaging in sheep raising and it was here that Edward became acquainted with life in the West--it was his time caring for the flocks. His uncles had a comfortable sheep wagon. He had a good deal of time to study his dictionary and other books. In his studies he came in contact with some of the writings of Darwin and the theories of evolution, which had a great influence on his thinking and caused him to question some of the fundamental principles of the Christian religion. "At this time a great tragedy came for the family. A bitter range war was at its height between the cattle men and the sheep men. Edward's uncles had been warned to get out of the country and take their sheep off the range. Their Scotch blood awakened in their hearts a sense of justice and right and they decided to ignore the threats of their enemies. Hughie, who was not much older than Edward, was left to bring in the sheep. They waited for his appearance. . . .? They investigated and found the sheep scattered and the form of Hughie stretched out on the ground with a bullet in his back. The shock and grief of this tragedy remained with them throughout their lives. Investigating the cause of the murder, Edward traced the tracks of two men who had left their horses down a ravine and, putting gunny sacks on their feet, had crept up to where Hughie was and shot him and then made their escape to their ranch. Their names were McGattin. Evidence of their guilt was produced in court, but they were never convicted. "Soon after the foregoing incident, the Fleming brothers sold their sheep and decided on a move that was to greatly influence the future life and destiny of Edward. It seemed that a kind destiny led them to the little town of Bluff, in San Juan County, to buy sheep and it was here that the writer first met Edward F. Thompson who was introduced to me as "My future Husband." A warm friendship was formed that very evening. the fact that both of my parents were born in Scotland, the land of his birth, no doubt contributed to a kindred friendship." The history goes on, but I don't have the next pages. Reading the other life stories associated with Edward's Memories, we know that Edward, after five years of study and prayer, turned his questions into a testimony of Christianity and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized in 1900 and he and Annie were married shortly after. He served a mission to his native land where he was able to introduce the gospel to his Fleming and Thomson relative in Scotland. (Sue Anne B. Thompson) Edward Fleming Thompson (Thomson)* was born 15 April 1870, at Plains, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His father was Edward Thomson and his mother was Jessie Fleming. When Edward was nine months old, his mother died and he was raised in the family of his Grandfather William Fleming. His grandmother, Janet McIndoe Fleming, died 5 December 1872, so Grandfather Fleming had the care of a large family. Eight children were born between the years of 1845 and 1862 to William and Janet Fleming and then a grandchild, Edward, born in 1870. Edward had a great love and respect for this family all his life. Edward's father, when still a young man, left his infant son with the Fleming family and immigrated to Australia. Grandfather Fleming cared for Edward through his childhood to maturity, teaching him the trade of a stone mason. Many years passed away before Edward saw his father again. Edward's Fleming uncles and his Aunt Kate (Catherine Fleming) all immigrated to America and settled in Idaho. They seemed to prosper in this wonderful land. They sent glowing letters telling of the prospects of success in the "West" and Edward decided to cast his lot with them. (Edward was about 19 years old when he emigrated from Scotland.) The deepest emotions of his soul were awakened in saying "goodbye" to the dear old Grandfather who had taken care of him since he was an infant. Edward had a rugged time after coming to America. He suffered with rheumatism which was made worse by the cold and exposure. He rode coal cars and freight cars making his way from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He went to Oregon and then to Idaho. The Fleming brothers and Kate settled in the Snake River country in Idaho (Pocatello area). They engaged in sheep raising. It was here that Edward became acquainted with life in the West, spending his time caring for the flocks. His uncles had a comfortable wagon. He had a good deal of time to study his dictionary and other books. In his studies he came in contact with some of the writings of Darwin and the theories of evolution. They had a great influence on his thinking and caused him to question some of the fundamental principles of the Christian religion. At this time, a great tragedy came to the family. A bitter range war was at its height between the cattlemen and the sheepmen. Edward's uncles had been warned to get out of the country and take their sheep off the range. They decided to ignore the threats of their enemies. Edward's Uncle Hugh (who was not much older than Edward) was left to bring in the sheep. The family waited for Hughie to appear but he never came. They investigated and found the sheep scattered and the form of Hughie stretched on the ground with a bullet in his back. Edward traced the tracks of two men who had left their horses down a ravine. They had put gunny sacks on their feet and had crept up to where Hughie was and had shot him. They made their escape to their ranch. Evidence of their guilt was produced in court, but they were never convicted. Soon after this incident, the Fleming brothers sold their sheep and decided on a move that was to greatly influence the future life and destiny of Edward. It seemed that a kind destiny led them to the little town of Bluff in San Juan County, Utah, to buy sheep. It was here that Edward first met Annie Jane Allan. He was introduced to her as "her future husband." The fact that both of Annie's parents were born in Scotland, the land of Edward's birth, no doubt contributed to a kindred friendship. (This is the end of Annie's history of her husband, Edward). Edward and Annie courted for five years. Edward was finally converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on 6 December 1900, He freely acknowledged that in the gospel as revealed through Joseph Smith, he had found the wondrous love which had been drawing him from the time he left his home in Scotland. As he looked back over the hard path he had followed, he considered the perils he had endured and the fortunate ending to which he had come--the plan of eternal life. He said, "It was like a lost star finding its proper orbit." One month after his baptism, Edward and Annie were married on 11 January 1901 in Bluff. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple a few months later on 10 April 1901. Their first child, Clyde Fleming Thompson, was born 8 November 1901. Less than one year later, 2 September 1902, Edward was called to serve a mission to England and Scotland. He left Annie to support him and to care for their new baby. A baby girl, Nellie Helen, was born a short time after he left on his mission, 11 April 1903. Edward and Annie kept in touch with letters and Annie sent pictures of the children. Edward expressed often his joy in teaching the gospel. He wrote, "When I look at the benighted nations and their downward course, it gives me cause to rejoice that the Lord has picked me, a wondering waif, and given me the coronet of a king. Surely the way of God is not the way of man." Edward loved the gospel. He lived it and taught it with every breath. He declared, "I love the joyful sound of the Gospel,." After Edward finished his mission, he and Annie were called by the leaders of the Church to help settle Grayson (now Blanding), Utah. Wallace was born in Bluff on 28 November 1905, before they settled in Grayson. Geneva and Max were born in Grayson (20 June 1908 and 28 January 1912 respectively). Dean (7 July 1914), Francis (30 November 1916), a stillborn boy (about 1918), West (2 May 1921) and Afton (16 December 1923) were all born in Blanding. While Edward was on his mission, he met his father for the first time since they had parted when Edward was a baby. His father, Edward Thomson, had come to Great Britain for a shooting contest. Edward also became acquainted with his father's brother, Robert and George, sisters Anne and Helen, and many Thomson cousins, as well as many of his Fleming family members. Edward preached the gospel to them while laboring in Scotland. Edward and Annie later moved to Salt Lake City. Edward died in Salt Lake City on 20 October 1931. *The surname was Thomson in the Scottish records and Edward's father carried the same spelling when he immigrated to Australia. Edward changed the spelling to Thompson when he immigrated to America in 1889. Most of this history was written by Annie Jane Allan Thompson. A few details were added by Sue Anne B. Thompson as it appears in "Histories of the Ancestors of Clyde Kent Thompson and Sue Anne Beckstrand Thompson, Who Converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints", 1997, The Pioneer Sesquicentennial Year. By Geneva Thompson Coy When my father died, he left mother with a young family. Mother had been a busy housewife and church worker attending to the physical and spiritual needs of her large family of eight children. When Dad died, the needs of providing for the family was so much of an added burden that she felt frustrated and unable to face her problems. Her prayers seemed unanswered until one night she had a dream. [In the dream] she was learning how to drive a car. She had never driven, so in her dream she was having a good deal of trouble. My father's voice came to her saying, "Take hold of the wheel, Annie. Take hold of the wheel." When mother awoke, she applied this lesson to her life realizing that she could not go forward and take care of the needs of her family without "taking hold of the wheel." From that time forward she had a more positive attitude toward life.

  
  

• Sources

  [S46] GEDCOM File : Alice Ann Kimball Smith 2003.ged, 30 Jun 2003. [S32] Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), Ancestry Family Trees. http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=32128504&pid=515 [S232] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Wa), Year: 1910; Census Place: Grayson, San Juan, Utah; Roll: T624_1604; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0146; Image: ; FHL microfilm: 1375617. Birth date: abt 1870 Birth place: Scotland Residence date: 1910 Residence place: Grayson, San Juan, Utah, USA Arrival date: 1889 Arrival place: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1910uscenindex&h=28792212&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt [S192] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Rec), Year: 1920; Census Place: Blanding, San Juan, Utah; Roll: ; Page: ; Enumeration District: ; Image: . Birth date: abt 1871 Birth place: Scotland Residence date: 1920 Residence place: Blanding, San Juan, Utah, USA Arrival date: 1889 Arrival place: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1920usfedcen&h=36915694&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt [S164] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626,), Year: 1930; Census Place: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah; Roll: 2419; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 24; Image: 126.0; FHL microfilm: 2342153. Birth date: abt 1871 Birth place: Scotland Residence date: 1930 Residence place: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Arrival date: 1890 Arrival place: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1930usfedcen&h=5698849&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt [S163] Web: Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011, (Online publication - Brigham Young University–Idaho.). Marriage date: 1901 Marriage place: San Juan, Utah http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=structuredcrawledsites-17&h=1624592&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt [S231] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1), Year: 1900; Census Place: Bluff, San Juan, Utah; Roll: T623_31077_4115260; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0117; FHL microfilm: 1241685. Birth date: Apr 1870 Birth place: Scotland Residence date: 1900 Residence place: Bluff, San Juan, Utah, USA Arrival date: 1889 Arrival place: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1900usfedcen&h=71099522&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt [S429] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Original data - Bureau of Vital Statistics. Utah Death Index, 1847-1966. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Utah Department of Health. View Complete Source List.Original data: Bureau of Vital St). Birth date: abt 1870 Birth place: Death date: 20 Oct 1931 Death place: Salt Lake Residence date: Residence place: Utah, United States http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=utahdeathindex&h=134685&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt [S170] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.Original data - Find A Grave. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi: accessed 23 March 2012.Original data: Find A Grave. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-). Birth date: 15 Apr 1870 Birth place: Death date: 20 Oct 1931 Death place: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=websearch-4111&h=53284&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt