Father: Samuel Thompson
Mother: Rebeckah Bishop

Spouse: Lydia Punderson - b: 1/Mar/1707(1708) - New Haven, New Haven Co., CT
  d: 1802 - Goshen, Litchfield Co., CT
  m: 9/Jan/1728(1729) - New Haven, New Haven Co., CT

Child-1: Elisha
          2: David - b: 1/Dec/1731- New Haven, New Haven Co., CT
                          d: 1/Dec/1807 - Poultney, Rutland Co., VT
                         m: Hannah Griswold - 20/Nov/1760 - CT
          3: Daniel - b: ~1732
          4: Stephen - b: 20/Apr/1734 - New Haven, New Haven Co., CT
                             d: 25/Feb/1823 - Hudson, Summit Co., OH
                            m: Mary Walter - 2/Jan/1760 - New Haven, New Haven Co., CT
          5: Lydia - b: 16/Oct/1736 - New Haven, New Haven Co., CT
                         m: Timothy Gaylord - 1756 - Wallingford, New Haven Co., CT
          6: Gideon - b: 5/Apr/1739 - New Haven, New Haven Co., CT
                            d: 7/Jul/1810 - NY
          7: James - b: 17/Mar/1740(1741) - Goshen, Hartford Co., CT
                          d: 7/Nov/1817 - Goshen, Litchfield Co., CT
                         m: Ruth Benton - 1/Jun/1767 - m: Ruth Guild
                         m: Esther Rice - Nov/1814
          8: Chloe - b: 11/Aug/1743 - Goshen, Hartford Co., CT
                          d: 24/Dec/1814 - Goshen, Litchfield Co., CT
                         m: Elisha Hurlburt, Herbert or Hurlbut
          9: Lois - b: 6/Mar/1746(1747) - Goshen, Hartford Co., CT
                       m: Jared Abernathy - 26/May/1766

Biographical Details:

Gideon Thompson was born December 25, 1704, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Samuel and Rebeckah Bishop Thompson.  Presumably, he grew up in this locality and married Lydia Punderson on January 9, 1728 (1729 N. S.).  It appears that he, along with his wife, children, and other family members (in particular, his older brothers Amos and Samuel and, perhaps, his father Captain Samuel Thompson, Sr.) moved from New Haven to the new township of Goshen in Hartford County, Connecticut, early in its settlement, probably sometime about 1739 or 1740.^1,2,3  This chronology implies that James was the first child of Gideon and Lydia Punderson Thompson to be born in Goshen.⁴  Moreover, it has been reported that the Thompson house in Goshen was fortified for protection from Indian attack by a log palisade from eight to twelve feet in height with the logs sharpened at the top.  Obviously, this reflects the frontier nature of this area at that time.  At least one early town meeting was held at Gideon Thompson's house in May of 1741.  Similarly, he was one of the first deacons of the church, appointed when it was organized in November of 1740.  In this regard, he was known in his lifetime by the formal title of "Deacon", which indicates his prominent position in the church and participation in church affairs.⁵   In particular, during the 1740's Gideon Thompson seems to have become deeply involved in a controversy surrounding Mr. Heaton, who was the pastor of the local congregation at that time.  Within this context, during the colonial period church and governmental affairs were not nearly as separated as they are in the present day.  Therefore, it was natural that Deacon Gideon was not only an active member of the church, but also an active citizen of the local community.

Goshen was officially incorporated as a town in 1749.  Subsequently, Litchfield County, Connecticut,  was organized on October 14, 1751, from the western portion of Hartford County and portions of Fairfield and New Haven Counties and included the town of Goshen.  Moreover, historical sources indicate that Gideon Thompson was the first representative from the town of Goshen to the Connecticut General Assembly and that he died at Hartford on May 21, 1759, while serving as a member of the Assembly.  Presumably, his body was brought back to Goshen, but his burial place is not definitely known.

1. John Warner Barber, Connecticut Historical Collections: History and Antiquities of Every Town in Connecticut, Durrie and Peck, New Haven, CT, 1837.  (Reprint available from the Bibliopola Press, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269)
      "The township of Goshen was sold at New Haven, in December, 1737, and its settlement commenced in one or two years afterwards.  The first inhabitants were principally from New Haven, Wallingford, and Farmington.  It is stated that the houses of Gideon Thompson and John Beach, who were among the first settlers, were palisaded in, for a defense against the Indians.  Mr. Beach's house was situated on East street, about 2-1/2 miles from the present South Congregational church; the house of Mr. Thompson, stood on West street, near a mile to the southwest.  Goshen was incorporated as a town in 1749.  It is bounded N. by Norfolk, E. by Torrington and Winchester, W. by Cornwall, and S. by Litchfield; it is 9 miles in length and 4-1/2 in breadth.  The central part is 6 miles from Litchfield, 32 west from Hartford and 42 from New Haven.  It is the most elevated township in the state, but not generally mountainous; the surface being undulating, affording an interesting diversity of hills and vales.  The soil is a gravelly loam, deep, strong and fertile, admirably adapted for grazing.  This is one of the best towns for the dairy business in the state.  Large quantities of cheese are annually made, the fame of which is widely and justly celebrated, and the inhabitants are generally in prosperous circumstances. In neatness, in and about their dwellings, and in the appearance of general comfort and prosperity, they are not exceeded, if equalled, by any town in the state."  (Litchfield County CTGenWeb Archives, www.rootsweb.com/~ctlitch2/goshen/goshen-history1.htm, 2003.)
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2. Anonymous, History of Litchfield County, Connecticut, J. W. Lewis & Co., Philadelphia, PA, 1881.
      "North of the house of Grimes, and about sixty rods south of the house long owned and occupied by Deacon Augustus Thompson, but now owned by Abraham Norton and his son William, stood the house of Gideon Hurlbut, from Wethersfield on the east of the road."
      "A little north of this, on the same side of the way, and a little north of the Woodruff'house, stood the house of Deacon Gideon Thompson, from New Haven.  This house was palisaded against the Indians.  The manner of fortifying a house was this: they dug a deep ditch around the house, placed logs perpendicularly in it all around the house, leaving a space only for a gate.  The logs were placed close together, sharpened at the top, and extended eight, ten, or twelve feet above the ground.  The earth taken from the trench was then returned, and beaten down until the logs stood firmly; and this, with a gate well secured, was a tolerable defense against a sudden attack from the Indians.  It is needless, perhaps to say, that the Indians did not deal in artillery.  At this house a town-meeting was held in May, 1741.  He was one of the first deacons in the church, being appointed at the time of the organization of the church, in November, 1740, before the ordination of Mr. Heaton, or very soon afterwards.  He was the first representative from this town to the General Assembly, 1757, and in 1759, he died at Hartford while a member of the Assembly.  He was the grandfather of Jonathan Thomson and Deacon Augustus Thomson.  From this house of Deacon Gideon Thomson there was no road open either north or west in 1745, but all was forest, with the exception of a settlement in Canada Village, so called.  Death also recorded as in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut."  (Keith Thompson, "Thompson ka.ged", www.gencircles.com/users/katman01/1/data/6, 2003.)
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3a. "He [Samuel Thompson] removed from New Haven to Goshen, Litchfield Co., CT in 1740, where he lived for ten years, removing to Dutchess Co., NY in 1750.  He sold his property in Goshen on 23 August 1750, and it is supposed moved soon after to NY."
(Keith Thompson, "Thompson ka.ged", www.gencircles.com/users/katman01/1/data/6994, 2003.)

b. Amos Thompson "With his brothers Samuel and Gideon, he removed to Goshen, CT in 1740, where he was elected Town Clerk and Treasurer in 1741 and each year thereafter until 1750 when he declined re-election.  It was at this time that he and Samuel moved to Dutchess Co., NY."
(Keith Thompson, "Thompson ka.ged", www.gencircles.com/users/katman01/1/data/6996, 2003.)
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4. A. G. Hibbard, History of the Town of Goshen, Connecticut With Genealogies and Biographies Based Upon The Records of Deacon Lewis Mills Norton, Goshen, CT, 1897.  (Reprint available from the Higginson Book Co., 148 Wash. St., P. O. B. 778, Salem, MA, 01970)
     "James Thompson was born in Goshen March 1, 1741, and must have been very nearly the first white child born in the town.  He built and occupied for many years the house situated on the west side of West Street, facing the road which leads from that point to the residence of Mrs. Moses Lyman.  The dwelling has been recently torn down.  What follows relating to his life is compiled from the recollections of those who knew him, and found in letters addressed to his children after his death.
      He was above the average in size of men, say six feet high, and well formed.  He was quick in action, cheerful in habits, kind in his attentions of children, winning their gratitude and confidence.  Although a farmer, he was often engaged in building grist and sawmills.  He owned and improved large tracts of land.  He owned more horses than any other man in town, introduced the first pleasure wagon, and, I think, the first wagon of any kind in the town.  He was active in town and society affairs, He was a slave-owner.  He liberated 'Old Hess' and his wife, built them a house and barn and gave them the use of as much land as they could cultivate, and always overloooked and advised them.
      He was an earnest and consistent Christian, distinguished for his hospitality to ministers of the Gospel, and a pioneer in regard to Christian benevolence.  He was a liberal contributor to the Connecticut Missionary Society, the oldest missionary society in the country, sending the Gospel to the 'new settlements'.  His wife was in complete sympathy with him in Christian benevolence and work.  She was a woman of a degree of intelligence not common in those days, and as a result of the parents' teaching and prayers, all their children have had a place in the visible church of Christ, or have died in the hope of the believer in Christ."
      Although this short biography does not state categorically that James Thompson was the son of Gideon Thompson, the coincidence of his name, location of his home, and his date of birth makes this very likely.  (Although, the birth date of James Thompson is stated here as March 1, 1741, and March 17 is the commonly accepted date, it is probable that the discrepancy is due to an error in transcription.)  (Litchfield County CTGenWeb Archives, www.rootsweb.com/~ctlitch2/goshen/goshen-bios.htm, 2003.)
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5. ibid.: pg. 80.  (Exerpt appears in Beach Family Journal, Vol. I, No. 1, pg. 9, Spring 1993.)
     "As early as 1745 there had come to be opposition to Mr. Heaton in the parish and in Jan., 1746, Deacon John Beach, Deacon Gideon Thompson, Deacon Nathaniel Baldwin, Lieut. Samuel Pettibone, Mr. Samuel Thompson, Ensign Moses Lyman, and Amos Thompson were chosen a committee 'to treat with our Revd. Pastor about some reasonable and loving terms of agreement, so that the door may be opened if he in his wisdom shall think fit to seek for an orderly dismission from the work of the ministry in this place: - or to treat with him about making some suitable alterations'."
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Additional Citations:

6. Ancestral File: J8JL-TJ, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, UT, continuously updated.

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