Kimberly McCarty
Curator
Washington Crossing Historical Park
1112 River Road
Washington Crossing, Pa 18977
Dear Ms. McCarty,
It was very nice meeting you several weeks ago after your presentation of October 20 at the Washington Crossing Visitor Center on “Who Were the Thompsons.” My wife Barbara and I enjoyed your presentation and found it informative. We love digging into our family’s histories. So, thank you for putting it together, and continued good luck with your work! I would like to share two thoughts as a follow-up to your presentation if I might, each related to questions that arose during the Q&A session.
First, a member of the audience asked “What was the connection between the Thompson-Neely House and the nearby Thompson Memorial Presbyterian Church?” Here’s an answer, albeit a lengthy one.
As you know, Robert Thompson expanded the Thompson-Neely House around 1757 (he built a 2 story west end addition to a John Simpson-built central section and later a 2-story addition to the east end for son-in-law William Neely). Robert was one of four sons (Hugh, Robert, William, John) of Hugh and Elizabeth McGraudy Thompson (1695-1768). Elizabeth was originally from Scotland, married Hugh Thompson in Ireland, and had the sons while in Ireland. Hugh passed away, but she and the boys came to America (she must have been a pretty strong and brave individual). They settled in Bucks County.
Three of the four Thompson boys trained as millers (Robert, William, John). Evidence shows that they were industrious. Robert Thompson married the widowed Hannah Delaplaine Simpson in 1748. Robert had the good fortune of inheriting the Simpson grist mill, the saw mill, and farm. The marriage also benefitted Hannah, as she gained a knowledgeable, hardworking miller who could continue her father’s work. Robert and Hannah had one child, Elizabeth (1748-1834). Elizabeth married William Neely (1742-1818).
Robert’s son-in-law William Neely was also a miller. William and Elizabeth Thompson Neely raised money to build a church in the area, as the nearest Presbyterian churches were in Newtown, Doylestown, or New Jersey. One of William and Elizabeth’s children, another Robert (1769-1848) and his wife Sarah Beaumont, inherited the Thompson-Neely farm and sold a small piece of the property to the Presbytery for the construction of the church in 1811. The church was originally titled the Solebury Presbyterian church. But that’s not the end of the story.
Going back to the four Thompson brothers for a moment, Robert Thompson’s younger brother was John (1726-1799). John and wife Mary Huston Thompson (1738-1803) had a son, Thomas Mifflin Thompson. As the Solebury Presbyterian church was being constructed, Thomas Mifflin Thompson (1775-1847; nephew to Robert Thompson) was named as one of the four founding Elders of this new church. Thomas Mifflin Thompson and wife Elizabeth (Betsy) Wilson Thompson (1779-1859) had a son William Neely Thompson (1819-1897). Around 1875, the church had fallen on hard times financially. William Neely Thompson (grand-nephew of Robert Thompson) donated a sizeable amount for the remodeling, expansion, and to keep the church alive in memory of his father Thomas Mifflin Thompson. In appreciation of William’s financial support, the church renamed the Solebury Presbyterian church to the Thompson Memorial Presbyterian Church. So that’s how the Thompson Memorial Presbyterian church is connected to the Thompson-Neely House. Sorry for the lengthy answer to the question.
The second question coming from the audience was “Why did Washington choose this farm for his encampment?” I recall that you answered that it had some geographically positive characteristics, such as being close to the river and on the Pennsylvania side, was a large expanse of property, had a working grist mill to grind corn and small grains, had a working saw mill to repair and prepare boats for the crossing, etc. You were absolutely correct in your response. The Thompson-Neely farm fit the bill for the reasons you stated. It also did not hurt that the area was a hotbed of supportive and revolutionary-minded patriots. And the Thompsons were emblematic of that patriotic spirit. Allow me to add a bit to that discussion.
As you know, Washington and his troops had suffered defeats in recent months. He had retreated from losses in Battles of Long Island, White Plains, and Fort Washington. His supplies, food, clothing, and ammunition were limited, the troop morale was low, and troop pay was in arrears. He needed to rest his troops and to find the appropriate staging area for the attack on Trenton. His decision to attack Trenton was bold and timely, and just what the war effort needed.
The patriotic spirit was high within the Thompson family, and with their in-laws, their cousins, their descendants, and their fellow church members: e.g., the Simpson, Neely, Keith, Slack, Torbert, and Wilson families. These families were living relatively close to each other, were intermarrying, and were no doubt influencing each other’s political thought. Washington and his lieutenants had support from the Thompsons and their relatives, perhaps making the choice to encamp at the Thompson-Neely farm a bit easier. The choice of the Thompson-Neely farm was a good one (although Washington could have chosen any one of several places for sure).
Here are some additional facts about the Thompsons that may be of interest to you:
At the time of the war, all of the Thompson’s were members of the Newtown Presbyterian Church (the Newtown Presbyterian Church preceded the Thompson Presbyterian Church as cited above). As you know, churches had a very strong influence on the thinking of the congregation, and this was particularly so with the leadership within the pro-Revolution leaning Newtown Presbyterian church.
Many of the citizens in the area were first or second generation Scots-Irish Presbyterians, having traveled to America from Scotland, departing through Northern Ireland. Many of them came to the Colonies either together or about the same time. They came with the same background, lived near each other in Bucks Co, went to the same church, and had many of the same political and religious views.
This past Saturday, December 15, 2018, the Newtown Presbyterian Church participated in the national Wreaths Across America day; a salute to the fallen heroes in American wars buried in the historic Newtown Presbyterian Church cemetery. They laid wreaths on the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers who were past members of the church, including Robert Thompson, Hugh Thompson, John Thompson, and relatives James Torbert; William and John Keith; Abraham, Cornelius, and James Slack; John Wilson, and William Simpson. See attached for full list printed on program handout, entitled “Wreaths Across America”.
Records show that the Thompsons were active in civic, military, business, and educational interests in the county:
Throughout the encampment period, Robert’s wife Hannah Thompson visited the encampment to care for the troop’s sick, while Robert operated the grist mill to grind corn and wheat into flour for food for the troops. Although Robert was not enrolled as a member of the Solebury Associated Company, possibly due to age (54 years old in 1776) , he assisted in the war effort through the operation of his mill.
Robert and Hannah’s son-in-law, William Neely, was a captain in the Solebury Company of Bucks County Militia.
Robert’s brother, John (my 8th grandfather), was a very active patriot during the Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Northampton Company of Bucks County Associators, was a captain in the Wrightstown Company of the Bucks County Militia, and later elected Sheriff of Bucks County (Penna Archives, Second Series, Volume 3, pp 713,728,730). He served with William Keith (of the Headquarters’ Farm) on the Oyer and Terminer Court in 1774. At the time of his death, John was one of the largest land owners, and his house is currently on the National Register of Historic Places (info attached).
Brother Hugh was a teacher, ran the local school, and was a member of Captain Thomas’ Solebury Company of the Bucks County Militia (Penna. Archives, Fifth Series, Vol 5, p.445)
Robert’s nephew John Thompson (son of Hugh Thompson) was commissioned in 1777 as Captain of the First Co, Fifth Battalion, Bucks County Militia (info attached).
Brother William, also a miller, owned three mills and two farms at one point during his life; he was also a Trustee in the Newtown Presbyterian Church.
Ms. McCarty, I apologize for not writing you sooner (life gets in the way). I apologize for the length of this letter but wanted to provide you with some additional background information regarding the Thompson's. Once again, thank you for your presentation, and best wishes in the future.
Sincerely,
John (Jack) C. Thompson III, PhD
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Presbyterian Historical Society, National Archives of the PCUSA, “Presbyterians and the Revolution”, page 1: “As `Dissenters` from the established Church of England, Presbyterians mistrusted British colonial power—and were not afraid to assert a right to religious freedom when it was threatened. Presbyterian influence in the colonies grew markedly in the middle decades of the 1700s, shaped by the Great Awakening and an influx of Scottish and Scots Irish immigrants, most of whom were Presbyterian. With words and actions—and sometimes with violence—these religious dissenters challenged colonial rule, and many felt moved to defy the status quo in the name of God.
…the majority of Church leaders supported the rebels. Twelve of fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were Presbyterian, including the only clergyman, John Witherspoon. George Duffield of Philadelphia’s Third Presbyterian Church (today’s Old Pine Church, next door to the Presbyterian Historical Society) served as chaplain to the Continental Congress, and patriot pastors supported the war effort from their pulpits in every state. Everyday Presbyterians felt the war’s impact in their communities and houses of worship. British troops occupied Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, and Savannah. From New England to the Carolinas Presbyterian churches were seized to quarter troops or damaged by forces loyal to the Crown who saw the revolution as primarily a `Presbyterian Rebellion.’ ”
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