Obit. of Col. Pike Thomson

 

Photo courtesy of Cousin Jim Thomson

The Slater Rustler, Friday, Aug. 8, 1902
pg. 5, col. 4-5

Col. Pike M. Thomson

Col. P.M. Thomson, one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Saline county, died at his home two miles southeast of Slater, last Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Funeral services conducted by Rev. J.P. Hicks were held at the Cumberland Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock and his remains interred at the city cemetery. A large number of friends and relatives were present to pay the last sad tribute of respect.

For one of his age, Col. Thomson was a remarkably strong and vigorous minded man and until the 2nd day of last April made frequent visits to Slater. On that date he was thrown from his buggy and sustained injuries from which he never recovered. He realized his condition and was resigned to his fate. At the time of his death he was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of this city.

His career has been a long and successful one. He was born August 20th, 1819, near Lexington, Ky., and was the son of John and Nancy B. Thomson. He came with his parents to Howard county when he five years of age, making the journey in a boat. His father was accidentally killed, and his mother returned with her children to Kentucky, after having lived at Ft. Hemstead, Howard county, for one year. After returning to Kentucky, Col. Thomson attended the country school, and learned the saddler's trade in Lexington. On Oct. 15th, 1843, he was married to Miss Elizabeth E. Goodwin and during the same year he moved to Saline county, Missouri, and rented what was then known as the Lewis farm, near Gilliam. After remaining here a year he returned to Kentucky and remained two years. In 1846 he and his wife returned and located at the present site of his splendid residence, where they have since lived and raised a family of four sons and three daughters, John W., Lloyd G., Lucian M., Pike M., Thomas, Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson, wife of Richard Richardson, Laura, wife of S.R. Saltonstall and Mrs. Ruth Bush, wife of Judge W.D. Bush, all of whom live in Saline county. In addition to his immediate family he leaves 26 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, in 1861, he raised a company of volunteers and entered the Confederate army as a captain, under command of General Sterling Price, and took part in the battle at Lexington, Mo. He was afterward promoted to Col. During the latter part of the war he was captured by McQueen's men, of Sedalia, while in this county on a recruiting expedition. He was paroled and ordered to leave the country. He then took his family to Kentucky, where he had two brothers and a sister, Wm., John and Ann Thomson, and two half brothers, Mark and Cicero and a half sister, Louisa Coleman. While on his way to Kentucky peace was declared and he soon returned to Missouri where he and his wife, who survives him, have lived for almost 60 years.

The honorary pallbearers were selected from among his oldest friends, some of whom had known him for over 50 years. They were James Bridges, who is 79 years of age, Andrew W. Bridges, 75, Daniel McCormack, 72, Elisha Ancell, 76, Isaac Sponsler, 77, L.C. Helm, 77. The acting pall-bearers were S.B. Burks, C.D. Rogers, James Parks, J.R. Soper, Geo. W. Baker, and Asa Thomson.

(Note: Asa Thomson was probably Asa T. Thomson, son of Rev. Robert Y. and Lucy Thomson.)