Thompson - Taylor
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Indianapolis: A W
Bowen, 1913, P 1110
Many elements contribute to the development of a new country,
but no one thing plays so large as sterling worth and character.
It is to the rugged, steadfast men and women who come into its
domain that the new land must look, and it is most often the
plain, blunt men of business and everyday affairs who most affect
a new country's history. Among the families of Montgomery County
who have contributed their share of influence and labor toward
its development is the Thompsons, members of which family came
here in an early day, and throughout the years passed since then
they have played an important part in the affairs of the
community of their residence during the most momentous period of
this locality's development, and one of the best known of the
family of the present generation was Taylor Thompson of
Crawfordsville, the secret of whose popularity lay in the fact
that he was always allied with those things which tended toward
the advancement and betterment of his native county. While a
careful and straightforward business man, he was never a dollar
worshipper or permitted the lust of greed to eradicate his higher
ideals, believing that life held much of greater value than mere
wealth of estate.
Mr. Thompson was born on December 31, 1854, in
Ripley Township, Montgomery County. He was a son of William and
Margaret (Mumfort) Thompson. They were both natives of Ohio,
from which state they came to Montgomery County, Indiana, when
children, and here they grew to maturity and were married.
William Thompson learned the carpenter's trade when a young man,
which he continued to follow in connection with farming in this
county. His earlier life was spent in Ripley Township, and his
later days in Crawfordsville, in which city his widow is still
living, he having passed to his eternal rest on March 10, 1890.
He and his wife had only two children--Taylor, of this review:
and Anna, who married A. E. Livengood, he being now deceased; she
was born in 1864, and is living in Crawfordsville. William
Thompson was a Democrat and was more or less active in public
affairs. He was a trustee of Ripley Township for a period of
four years. He was a member of the Horse Thief Detective
Association. Taylor Thompson grew to manhood, on the home farm
in Ripley Township, and there assisted with the general work when
a boy, and received his education in the common schools;
however, his education was limited and had to be made up in
after life by miscellaneous home reading, but this and close
observation and actual contact with the world, supplied well the
deficiency.
Mr. Thompson was twice married, first, on November
25, 1874, to Ida M. Sidle, who was born May 28, 1854, in this
county, a daughter of Joseph and Matilda (Taylor) Sidle. Her
death occurred on February 20, 1906, leaving three children, one
having died, namely: Cora, who married George F. Anselm, was
born on August 12, 1876; they live in Indianapolis and they have
one child, Elizabeth, born September 3, 1910; William Lee, born
November 24, 1880, married Catherine Holmes, and they live in
Indianapolis; they have one child, William Holmes Thompson, born
June 30, 1905; Harry died in infancy. Mr. Thompson was married a
second time on November 15, 1911, his last wife being Catherine
Kelley, who was born in Fountain County, Indiana, in 1863, and
she grew to womanhood and was educated in her native community.
She is a daughter of John and Catherine (Down) Kelley. Mr.
Thompson made his start in life on the farm, carrying on a
general farming business with success until March 3, 1893, when
he retired from active agricultural pursuits and moved to
Crawfordsville, where he entered business. After coming here he
became active in politics and held the position of bailiff of the
court here for the past sixteen years. He was connected with the
Democratic County Committee since 1888, and his influence and
counsel contributed much to the success of the party here.
Shortly before his death he was in the race for postmaster at
Crawfordsville, and, owing to his general popularity and peculiar
fitness, his appointment was regarded by his friends as most
probable, seventeen hundred representative voters of
Crawfordsville having endorsed his candidacy. Mr. Thompson owned
a substantial residence in Crawfordsville, also several valuable
pieces of property in the same section of the city. On May 6,
1913, Mr. Thompson was called to his Maker, at the age of
fifty-eight years. The Crawfordsville Journal, of May 7, speaks
briefly: "Taylor, as he was known by hundreds of personal
friends, has been a leader in Democratic politics for the past
fifteen years. He was County Chairman at one time several years
ago, and since that time has had more to do with the success of
his party than any other man in it. His active Political career
and his work as court bailiff gave him a wider acquaintance
perhaps than any man in Montgomery County. He knew everybody in
the county. He was an excellent judge of human nature, and few
men were able to run the gauntlet of his inspection without being
accurately weighed."