Thompson - Maurice
Source: New Richmond Record 21 Feb 1901 p 1
Maurice Thompson, the distinguished author, died at his home in Crawfordsville at 3:25 a.m. Friday, February 15, 1901. He was 66 years old. He was a Hoosier by birth, but when quite young his father moved with his family and settled upon a plantation in the Coosawattoe Valley in northern Georgia. Mr. Thompson served faithfully the southern confederacy; but shortly after the war upon the advice of a friend he came to Indiana, in 1868, and settled in Crawfordsville and where he subsequently began the practice of law. His love of letters was his higher attainment and thus crowded his time until in 1884, though successful as a lawyer gave up its practice. He was an author of great repute and his first book the “Hoosier Mosaic” which appeared in 1875 was followed closely by the “Witchery of Archery” which stormed the literary world. Mr. Thompson confined his labors to his literary work and “Alice of Old Vincennes,” which came out last fall and proved to be his last, is possibly to be classed as the best gift of Hoosier novel writers. All of Mr. Thompson’s literary efforts were strangely but proudly pure Indianian. Mr. Thompson’s funeral occurred Monday afternoon, conducted by Dr. W. H. Kane of Wabash college. Interment was in Oak Hill cemetery. - kz
Source: Indianapolis Journal Sun 17 Feb 1901 p 3
Crawfordsville Feb 16 – The funeral of James Maurice Thompson will be held on Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock at Sherwood Place, his late home. The Rev. WP Kane, president of Wabash College will conduct the services and interment will be made at Oak Hill cemetery near this city. The local post of the GAR and other soldiers will attend the funeral of Maurice Thompson in a body next Monday. Mr. Thompson served in the Confederate army and this action is in token of the esteem in which he was held in the community. The Montgomery County Bar Association held a memorial meeting this morning in tribute of Maurice Thompson. The meeting had the largest attendance of any held by the association in years. Judge JM Seller read the memorial which was prepared by a committee. It reviewed the life of Mr. Thompson and closed with a high tribute to his worth. The memorial was made a part of the bar records. There were a number of speakers heard during the morning. Among them were Judge Thomas; ME Clodfelter; Peter S. Kennedy; Charles Johnson; MD White; Judge West; Judge Harney and others. The presiding judge, Jere West studied law under Mr. Thompson and his tribute to the dead author was beautiful. ME Clodfelter also had studied law under Mr. Thompson and several years ago visited that part of Georgia where Mr. Thompson had spent his youth. He said he was astonished to find that the people there remembered him perfectly and with the kindliest feeling although he had parted from them 30 years ago. Judge Sellar recalled that Mr. Thompson had while studying law been active in the country debating society of which he was a member and that he was a most formidable opponent always seasoning his arguments with a genial charm that robbed them of any sting and at the same time rendered them irresistible. Judge Thomas paid a glowing tribute to Mr. Thompson as a man and scholar. – kbz