Infant Thompson Sons
1873 and 1875
Rufus and Clarinda had two sons that died in infancy. The first, unnamed, was born in Kansas City Feb 1873 and died about 7 months later. The second, James Spencer Thompson was born in Kansas City in Apr 1875 and lived about 9 months.
John Walter Thompson
(1881-1965)
The youngest son, John Walter was born in Winfield, Kansas on 17 Jul 1881. Walter married Retta Blackwell in 1911 and they had four children: George Sheldon (1913-1987) who married Beulah J Reed (1914-?), Marjorie Helen Thompson (1917-2003) who married Gerald Harwood (1914-1972), Jeanette Elizabeth (1919-2006) who married LeRoy Monroe Silverose (1914-1997) and Charles Vernon (1920-2002) who married Alma Jean Adams. Walter died in Turlock, California on 10 Feb 1965.
As of August, 2024
Bertha Thompson was the daughter of Rufus Sheldon Thompson (1831-1922) and Clarinda Elizabeth Baker (1837-1895). The following photographs (colorized by MyHeritage) were taken at the 90th birthday celebration for Rufus at Graceada Park in Modesto, California, on August 1, 1921.
Bertha Thompson and Siblings
Thompsons: William Orator, Charles Henry, Elsie Jane (Coulthard), Bertha Elizabeth (Gray), John Walter, and Andrew Sheldon
Here are more photographs and information about Bertha’s siblings and their families.
Thompson Cousins
Laurel and Lowell’s Thompson line traces back from their grandmother Bertha Elizabeth Thompson, who married Francis Pinkney Gray on 12 June 1901 in Fresno, California.
Cousin Chart
The following chart shows Bertha (red box), her parents Rufus Sheldon Thompson and Clarinda Elizabeth Baker, and her nine siblings. Bertha and four of her siblings had descendants, which are carried down two generations in the chart.
Thompson Families
Thompson Clan Photographs
Front row - John T Coulthard (husband of Elsie), Marjorie and Jeanette Thompson, (daughters of John Walter), Rufus Sheldon Thompson (90th birthday), Orator Thompson, Henry Thompson. Middle row - Lois and Elva Coulthard (daughters of Elsie), Retta Blackwell Thompson (wife of John Walter) holding son Vernon, Frances Gray (daughter of Bertha), George Sheldon Thompson, Clara Gray (daughter of Bertha), Martha Thompson (wife of Orator) Back row - Johnny Coulthard (son of Elsie), Elsie Thompson Coulthard, Walter Thompson, Francis Pinkney Gray (husband of Bertha), Bertha Thompson, Mattie Thompson (wife of Andrew), Andrew Thompson .
Andrew Sheldon Thompson
(1858-1934)
The firstborn child of Rufus and Clarinda Thompson, Andrew Sheldon, was born in Live Oak, California on 23 Jan 1858, ten months after their marriage. Andrew married Mattie Eudora James (1853-1942) in 1898. They raised two adopted sons Roy George Davis (1898-1967) and Walter Sheldon Thompson (1903-1986). Andrew was a farmer in Atwater for 40 years, and died in Merced on 25 Apr 1934.
Anna Rachel Thompson
(1865-1900)
Anna Rachel, the eldest daughter of Rufus and Clarinda Thompson was born in Live Oak, California on 6 Jun 1865. Anna never married and died in Fresno County on 1 Dec 1900.
Thompson Siblings
George Fayette Thompson
(1860-1906)
The second son, George Fayette, was born in Live Oak, California on 8 Nov 1860. He married Alice Matilda Stolp (1861-1920) in Kansas in 1882. They raised four children: Nellie Lucie (1883-1972) and never married, George Frederick (1885-1920) who married Bella Marie Brooks (1877-1960), Russell Sheldon (1888-1974) who married Carolyn Marie Olive (1888-1985), and Alice Elizabeth (1902-1989) who married Robert Smith Rath (1901-1987). George worked for the Department of Agriculture and was a well-known authority on goat husbandry. He died in Washington, D.C. on 6 Jun 1906.
Elsie Jane Thompson
(1867-1950)
The second daughter, Elsie Jane, was born in San Joaquin County, California on 5 Oct 1867. She married John Thomas Coulthard (1856-1930) in 1887. They raised three children, none of whom married: Elva C (1867-1950), John Thomas (1903-1966), and Lois E (1906-1990). Elsie died in Modesto on 31 Mar 1950. Learn more about the children, who were close to the Klaisner family growing up, on the Coulthard page.
William Orator Thompson
(1862-1936)
The third son, William Orator, was born in Live Oak, California on 14 Nov 1862. Orator married Martha Alma Hanchett in 1903 and did not have children. He died in Chowchilla, California on 25 May 1936.
Charles Henry Thompson
(1870-1931)
The fourth son, Charles Henry, was born in Turlock, California on 23 Jun 1870. He married Bertha Henney (1873-1910) in 1900 and they had three children Frances Clarinda (1905-1999) who married Ralph L. France (1902-1982), Rufus Henney (1908-1980) who married Edna May Old (1907-2000), and Hannah Thompson (1909-1909). After Bertha died in 1910 Charles married Cora J. Hogan (1883-1918). He rose to be a professor of horticulture and expert on succulent plants at the University of Massachusets, and died in Amherst on 23 Jan 1931.
1935-36 Pocket Ledger
Here are selected scans from a remarkable 1935-36 pocket ledger kept by Bertha Thompson Gray. It contains information about Thompson families along with her address book. Click any of the images below to see all the scans.
