Standard History of Adams & Wells Counties, Indiana – 1918
Tyndall & Lesh, Pages 530 & 531

WILLIAM H. THOMPSON

Actively and industriously engaged in the prosecution of a calling upon which not only our own country, but nations abroad are largely dependent, William H. Thompson is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits in Wells County, having a well improved and well managed farm in Liberty Township. A native of Indiana, he was born in Henry County, December 14, 1853, coming of old Virginia stock on both sides of the house.

His father, Nathan Thompson, was born and reared in Virginia. Following the march of civilization westward, he came with his young wife to Indiana soon after his marriage, and after living a while in Henry County located in Wells County, where he remained until the close of the Civil war, in which he served for a year, belonging to an Indiana regiment. He then spent a short time in Henry County, but returned to Wells County and engaged in general farming. He died at the Soldiers’ Home, in Marion, Indiana. He married Amanda Showalter, a native of Virginia, and to them eight children were born, as follows: William H., of this brief sketch; Bathena Ellen, wife of Thomas McCormack; J. Henry, living in Michigan; Effie Jane, wife of Edward Smith, of Warren, Indiana; Charles Franklin, of Illinois, and three children that have passed to the life beyond.

Brought up in Wells County, William H. Thompson obtained his early education in the district schools, and early in life engaged in farming. He began farming for himself in Harrison Township, Wells County, but subsequently bought forty acres of land in Liberty Township, where he has since been pleasantly and profitably engaged in agricultural pursuits, making a specialty of truck farming in which he is an expert.

Mr. Thompson married, February 15, 1874, Mary B. Sark. She was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, October 3, 1855, a daughter of Jacob Sark who came with his family to Wells County, this state, in 1864, settling in Nottingham Townships. Nine children have been born of the union of Mr. And Mrs. Thompson, namely: Cora Alice, wife of William Timmons; Bruce A., of St. Louis Missouri; William Edward, living in Kansas, Fred A., of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Verna M., living at Fort Wayne; Elyie E., also of Fort Wayne; Bessie B., wife of Raymond Kiser, of Michigan; Arlie C., deceased, and Della, who died in childhood. Politically Mr. Thompson is identified with the republican party. Religiously both he and his wife are members of the German Reformed Church at Bluffton. Fraternally he belongs to Bluffton Lodge, Improved Order of Red Men.