San Diego County Biographies

J. W. THOMPSON

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
one of San Diego's respected citizens who was directly instrumental, through his 
telephone system, of connecting the business interests of all San Diego County, 
was born in Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, in April, 1842. He was one of a 
family of three children, all of whom are living, he being the only son. His two 
sisters, now widowed, reside in San Diego. His father was a newspaper man, being 
editor and publisher of the Pontiac Gazette; he was also quite a politician, and 
was a delegate at the Baltimore Whig Convention, which nominated General Scott 
for President in 1852. In 1853 the family removed to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where 
his father died in 1854, the family removing soon after to Omaha, Nebraska, the 
subject of this sketch being an eye witness to the erection of the first house 
at Omaha, July 4, 1854. A legislative hall was soon built, and he was then 
appointed page to the first Nebraska Legislature. He was in the vicinity of 
Omaha until 1861, getting an education, which he had to work for as opportunity 
afforded. During the years 1859�'60, he was employed at the trading store of the 
Omaha Indian Reservation. In 1861 he began the study of telegraphy at Omaha, in 
the office of Colonel Clowry, then superintendent, but now vice-president of the 
 Western Union system. On completion of the first overland telegraph, in the 
fall of 1861, on the line of the old stage route, Mr. Thompson came across the 
plains locating telegraph stations, which took about two years, and on his 
arrival in California he opened the first telegraph office at Petaluma, Sonoma 
County, in 1863, and then located offices through Oregon and Nevada. In the 
winter of 1866 he went to Yreka, Siskiyou County, California, as superintendent, 
remaining until 1874.
        Mr. Thompson was married in 1873, at Yreka, to Miss Hortense Eubanks. In 
1874 he came with his wife to San Diego as manager of the Western Union, holding 
the position until 1886. He was also manager of the Military Telegraph running 
to Arizona and New Mexico, which has since been abandoned. In 1878 he was 
appointed agent for the Wells-Fargo Express Company, holding the appointment 
until February, 1887. In 1881 Mr. Thompson started the San Diego Telephone 
Company, and began laying wires the same year. He is still president. They have 
suspended over 600 miles of wire, and cover Oceanside, Campo, El Cajon, 
Stonewall, and all the western part of the county. They have about 350 
subscribers, which is said to be the largest number of subscribers to the 
average population of any office in the country. In January, 1889, he organized 
the Diamond Carriage Company, doing a livery and hack business, and controlling 
the hack system of the city; they have forty horses, nineteen hacks, and an 
outfit valued at $35,000, situated on First street, between C and D. He is also 
president of the Excelsior Paving Company, macadam system, having a plant near 
Sweetwater dam, and supplying the broken rock for all the concrete work of the 
city. He owns a large amount of improved property, and occupies a handsome 
residence at 1457 Fourth street. They have five children, all of whom are living 
at home.
        Mr. Thompson is Past Master of San Diego Lodge, No. 35, and Past High 
Priest and Secretary of San Diego Chapter, No. 61, R. A. M., and Past Chancellor 
of Knights of Pythias. Mr. Thompson is a man of great enterprise and keen 
foresight, very progressive, and is ever ready to advance systematic 
development.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  116-117