Father: Julius Thompson
Mother: Sarah Stephens
Spouse: James M. (Mallard or
Mallory) Johnson
m: 10/Apr/1849 - Van Buren Co., IA
Child-1: Sarah Jane
2: James
Alan
3: John
Andrew
4: Francis
E. - b: Sep/1858
d: 5/Oct/1858 - bur: Lafayette Cem., Nodaway
Co.
5: Mary
E. - b: 1860/1861 - Gentry Co., MO
d: 1/Jan/1866 - Gentry Co., MO - bur: Lafayette
Cem., Nodaway Co.
6: George
Leamon
7: Hiram
A. - b: ~Jul/1863 - Gentry Co., MO
d: 21/Dec/1865 - Gentry Co., MO - bur:
Lafayette Cem., Nodaway Co.
8: Charles
R. - b: 1866 - Gentry Co., MO
d: 21/Nov/1872 - Gentry Co., MO - bur:
Lafayette Cem., Nodaway Co.
9: William
E. - b: 1868 - Gentry Co., MO
d: 1872 - bur: Lafayette Cem., Nodaway
Co., MO
10: Cyrus - b:
Nov/1869 - Gentry Co., MO
d: 3/Dec/1873 - Gentry Co., MO - bur: Lafayette
Cem., Nodaway Co.
11: Almira
12: Julius - b:
1875 - Jackson Twp., Gentry Co., MO
d: 10/Mar/1877 - Gentry Co., MO - bur:
Lafayette Cem., Nodaway Co.
13: Turrissa
Ann
14: Laura - b:
15/Feb/1878 - Jackson Twp., Gentry Co., MO
d: 23/Nov/1878 - Gentry Co., MO - bur:
Lafayette Cem., Nodaway Co.
Biographical Details:
According to family tradition and the date inscribed on her tombstone, Sarah Ann Thompson was born to Julius and Sarah Stephens Thompson on August 18, 1833, in Pennyslvania.1 This is supported by the population schedule of 1830 US Census for Erie County, Pennsylvania, which indicated that the Thompson family was resident in Harbor Creek Township at that time. It is further supported by 1860, 1870, and 1880 Gentry County population schedules, which also indicated her birthplace, as well as that of her sister, Elizabeth, as Pennsylvania. In contrast, the 1850 US Census for Van Buren County, Iowa, indicated Ohio as the birthplace for both sisters. Within this context, it is known that Julius Thompson was associated with the Mormon settlement at Kirtland, Ohio, probably about 1835, therefore, it is possible that their places of birth were given in error, perhaps, by their husbands, but this is merely speculation. After her marriage to James M. Johnson on April 10, 1849, Sarah Ann Thompson Johnson apparently traveled with him and other relatives to the region of the Great Salt Lake, but upon returning, settled with them near the village of Island City in Gentry County, Missouri, before 1860.2 She lived the remainder of her life in this locality and died on July 16, 1889. Sarah Ann was buried in the Lafayette Cemetery. She was a charter member of the Island City Christian Church when it was organized in 1878.Source Notes and Citations:
1. Nadine McCampell, Johnson Family History, The Printery, Albany, MO, 1982: pg. 12.
"Sarah Ann was the daughter of Julius and Sarah Thompson. She was born in Pennsylvania on August 18, 1833. Her father, Julius Thompson, was born in New York and her mother, Sarah, was born in Virginia. Julius Thompson was a carpenter and coffin maker. He was also Postmaster in Island City from July 1, 1862, to September 13, 1863. Julius and Sarah were of the Mormon faith. Both are buried in the Lafayette Cemetery.
Sarah Ann married James Mallard Johnson supposedly in Dubuque, Iowa in 1848 or 1849. To this union were born 14 children. In the early years of their marriage they did a lot of moving about. They didn't seem to stay in one place very long, judging by where their first few children were born and the trip to the goldfields in California. Sarah Ann was a charter member of the Island City Christian Church. James Mallard's name is not on the present available church charter list and the original list got burned many years ago, so it isn't sure if he was a member or not. The available list was put together at the time of the fire by older church members and other sources.
Sarah Ann had an older sister, Elizabeth who married John Alford Johnson, an older brother of James Mallard, Sarah Ann's husband.
Sarah Ann died on July 16, 1889 and is buried in the Lafayette Cemetery located west of Island City, just over the County Line into Nodaway County, Missouri."
According to census records, Julius Thompson was born in Connecticut, not New York, and his wife was born in New York, not Virginia. Similar errors as to the birthplaces of James M. and Sarah Ann Thompson Johnson themselves are made in the published History of Daviess and Gentry Counties. Also, there is good evidence that James Mallard or Mallory Johnson and Sarah Ann Thompson were married in Van Buren County, Iowa, and not Dubuque. One can only speculate as to why this error was made by later members of the family; however, a possible explanation is that they were married in the small town of Bonaparte in Van Buren County, which perhaps, was subsequently confused with the more prominent city of Dubuque because they both have French sounding names.
back to bio.2. Robert Birbeck, "Along the St. Joe Trail - History of the Johnson Family", unpublished.
"According to Geo. L. Johnson, his mother, Sarah Ann Thompson-Johnson must have been born about 1835 or 1836, for she was about 14 years of age when she married in 1849 or 1850 at Dubuque, Ia. to James Malard Johnson."
Sarah Ann Thompson was, in fact, fifteen years old when she married James M. Johnson. She turned sixteen the following August. As noted previously, the location of the marriage was almost certainly Van Buren County rather than Dubuque.
back to bio.
Additional Citations:
3. 1850 US Census Population Schedule for Van Buren County, Iowa, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 287B, (microfilm: roll M432_189; img. 87).4. 1860 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 688, (microfilm: roll M653_620; img. 43).
5. 1870 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 623B, (microfilm: roll M593_776; img. 466).
6. 1880 US Census Population Schedule for Gentry County, Missouri, National Archives, Washington DC: pg. 530B, (microfilm: roll T9_687; img. 392).
7. Marriage Records, Van Buren County, Keosauqua, IA. ("Early Van Buren Co IA Marriages", Van Buren County IAGenWeb Archives, 2002.)
8. List of Charter Members - Island City Christian Church, Centennial Homecoming Booklet - June 11, 1978, Stanberry, MO, unpublished.
9. John C. Leopard and Buel Leopard (Daviess Co.), R. M. McCammon and Mary McCammon Hillman (Gentry Co.), History of Daviess and Gentry Counties, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, KS, 1922: pg. 821. (Reprint available from the Higginson Book Co., 148 Wash. St., P. O. B. 778, Salem, MA, 01970)
10. Lafayette Cemetery, Nodaway County, Missouri (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=179853&CScn=Lafayette&CScntry=4&CSst=26&CScnty=1470&, continuously updated).