This historic home was built around 1740, and purchased in the 1750s by John Thompson, an American patriot during the Revolutionary War. The home is located on Second Street Pike (Rte. 232), just north of Richboro, near Chain Bridge, Northampton Township PA. Often described as the Hip Roof House, the house is actually an elongated gambrel roof design. The home is on the National Register of Historic Properties.

John Thompson was of Scottish descent but born on November 16, 1726 in County Tyrone Ireland to parents Hugh and Elizabeth McGraudy Thompson. Thus, he was an Ulster-Scot or Scots-Irish. After father Hugh passed away, the family of Elizabeth and her four sons (Hugh, Robert, William, John) emigrated to the American Colonies between 1735 and 1740.

John became a miller, an entrepreneur, and a farmer, owning several farms in Bucks County PA. In 1762, he married Mary Huston (1738-1803), twin sister of John’s brother William’s wife Elizabeth. John and Mary Thompson had nine (9) children!

John was a patriot and enlisted as an Ensign in the Northampton Company of Associators. He became Bucks County’s first sheriff under Pennsylvania’s first Constitution (September 28, 1776), and served two terms from March 1777 through October 1779. During the Revolutionary War, he filled multiple roles, including appointment on January 1, 1778 as Wagon Master for the Continental Army (responsible for procuring horses and wagons for the troops), appointment on July 13, 1779 as Sub-Agent grain-Purchaser for the allied French Naval Fleet, and appointment on October 20, 1783 as collector of excise taxes for Bucks County PA.

As a commissioner officer for the Continental Army and holder of funds for the patriot’s cause, John Thompson was a robbery target by the British-loyalist Doan Gang.

At the time of his death in 1799, John and Mary owned nearly 1,000 acres of prime farm land and therefore they were one of the largest landowners in Bucks County. John is buried at the Old Presbyterian Church’s cemetery on Sycamore, Avenue Newtown, PA.