First-arriving family member John Thompson (1726-1799) was a Wagon Master for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He was appointed Wagon Master January 9, 1778. Simultaneously, he served as Sheriff of Bucks County PA from March 1777 to October 1779, and Sub-agent for purchasing flour for our allies’ the French Navy Fleet. Immediately following the Treaty of Paris signing (which ended the Revolutionary War), he was appointed Tax Collector of Excise Tax for Bucks County. The Excise Tax was needed to raise money to pay off debts of the newly independent Thirteen Colonies (aka the United States). Thompson did all of this while 1) becoming one of the largest landowners in Bucks County, 2) owning and operating a successful grist mill operation in Northampton Township, and 3) starting an all-purpose store near Chain Bridge. Busy guy, eh? So, what is a Wagon Master?

For much of the war, the Continental Army units received wagons, horses, food, supplies through Wagon Masters. Most often these vital supplies were purchased from local citizens, farms, and granaries. The troops were desperate, malnourished, short of adequate clothing and munitions, under paid, and under supplied in just about all categories. Wagon Masters were key to the survival of the army, and for the continuance of the `war for independence’ effort. In 1777, a Continental Wagon Department was created to dela with the increasingly complex supply and transportation needs. The Wagon Master General headed this department. Deputy Wagon Master Generals were assigned to the main army and to each regional military unit.

As historian Erna Risch noted in her book Supplying Washington’s Army, “These officers received all horses, oxen, wagons, and carts that the Continental Army required…The 1777 regulation establishing the Wagon Department remained in effect until 1780, when Congress drastically reorganized the department following the adoption of the system of specific supplies supplied by state governments. At the time of this reorganization, the Wagon Department had eleven Deputy Wagon Masters General, one hundred and eight men specifically enlisted as Wagon Masters...”

The following is a copy of an original receipt (and supporting documentation) from Wagon Master John Thompson for a purchase of a horse for Washington’s Continental Army in August 17, 1780 from Sarah McHenry of Hilltown Township, Bucks County. The Wilson-Thompson Family Association possesses at least one additional such receipt for another horse purchase issued by Thompson. It is housed in the Research Center of the Newtown Historic Association in Newtown PA. We suspect there were many more.