Saturday, March 10, 2018

1880s Autograph Album of Croft Thompson, Presumably of Dubuque, Iowa


Note of 3/11/18 - Be sure to scroll down to the comments for a reader's research of Croft Thompson, who was John Croft Thompson, and his niece Dorothy Ann (Dawson) Ballschmidt, "Dosy"

Autograph album kept through the 1880s by Croft Thompson, presumably of the Dubuque, Iowa, area, where most of the inscribers resided.  Croft may have been a middle name.


The album measures approximately 7" by 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of eleven of Croft's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album
  • ?  [2]
  • Cragin  [2]
  • Dawson  [2]
  • Ireland
  • McCraney
  • Thompson   [3]
  • Waldron

Clues to Croft's identity:
  • Dorothy A. Dawson; inscribed on February 8, 1892.  Croft's niece.  She was identified by a reader as Dorothy Ann (Dawson), "Dosy", whose married surname would become Ballschmidt; see the comments below. 


  • Adelia Thompson; inscribed on August 21, 1881.  Croft's cousin; sister to inscriber Hannah Thompson.  Daughter of English immigrants Mathias Thompson and Marie Ann (Gooding) Thompson.  Read Adelia's own words here.


  • Hannah Thompson of Dubuque, Iowa; inscribed on December 25, 1880.  Croft's cousin; sister of inscriber Adelia Thompson.  Daughter of English immigrants Mathias Thompson and Marie Ann (Gooding) Thompson.  Read Hannah's own words here.  


The Thompson cousins mentioned in their stories - links provided above - that their father Mathias Thompson came from Lincolnshire, England to Iowa.  Presumably Croft's father was a brother to Mathias.

I found a death record for a Croft Thompson who died at Chicago, Illinois, in 1924. The record noted that his father was King Thompson and that his wife was Dora Thompson, but whether this is album owner Croft, I don't know.  It's also possible that Croft was a middle name, leaving many possibilities.

If you have a theory as to Croft's identity, please leave a comment or contact me directly.   A reader has identified Croft as John Croft Thompson, born about November 1850 in Iowa, son of John Thompson and Dorothy (Dring) Thompson.  Croft would marry Amy L. Ridler on January 28, 1883 at Richardsville, Dubuque, Iowa. 

Inscribers in the Album
  • Effie's Fathers - unfinished note
  • Unfinished sentiment "To Croft"
  • Alice L. Cragin of Dubuque, Iowa; inscribed on December 22, 1880
  • M. Grace Cragin of Dubuque, Iowa; inscribed on December 21, 1880.  Presumably Mary Grace Cragin
  • Dorothy A. Dawson; inscribed on February 8, 1892.  Croft's niece
  • Phoebe C. Dawson; inscribed at Dubuque, Iowa, on August 21, 188x [possibly 1881]
  • Sarah J. Ireland of Dubuque, Iowa; inscribed on April 5, 1881
  • S. M. H. McCraney of Eagle Point, Dubuque, Iowa.  Dedicated her sentiment to Croft Thompson
  • Adelia Thompson; inscribed on August 21, 1881.  Croft's cousin.  Sister of inscriber Hannah Thompson and daughter of English immigrants Mathias Thompson and Marie Ann (Gooding) Thompson.  Adelia would marry George Greenley.  Read Adelia's own words here.
  • Croft Thompson of Dubuque, Iowa; album owner
  • Hannah Thompson of Dubuque, Iowa; inscribed on December 25, 1880.  Croft's cousin.  Sister of inscriber Adelia Thompson and daughter of English immigrants Mathias Thompson and Anna Maria (Gooding) Thompson.  Hannah would marry James Ford.    Read Hannah's own words here. 
  • J -anna or I-anna Waldron of Dubuque, Iowa; inscribed on August 12, 1888

3 comments:

  1. I started with Dorothy Dawson and worked from there, but here is the tl;dr "too long;didn't read" version.
    Crof Thompson:
    https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-40001-459809668/john-c-thompson-in-familysearch-family-tree?s=422936951
    scroll down and find sibling Sarah Ann Dawson (born Thompson), click on her to get
    https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-40001-1309696047/sarah-ann-dawson-born-thompson-in-familysearch-family-tree?s=422936951

    Just realized you might not have myheritage,com. My sister, whose subscription I'm using, switched to them from ancestry, when she retired.

    John C Thompson
    Deceased
    Birth names: Crof Thompson
    John C Thompson
    Gender: Male
    Birth: Nov 1850
    Iowa, United States
    Marriage: Spouse: Amy L Ridler
    Jan 28 1883
    Rickardsville, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1860
    Jefferson Township, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1880
    Jefferson, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1900
    Taylor Township Epworth & Farley towns, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1910
    Cass, Clayton, Iowa, United States
    Parents: John Thompson
    Dorothy Thompson (born Dring)
    Wife: Amy L Thompson (born Ridler)
    Children: Effie A. Connell (born Thompson)
    Lois Pauline Graham (born Thompson)
    Siblings: Sarah Ann Dawson (born Thompson)
    Robert D Thompson
    Source: Click here to view record on FamilySearch

    and for Sarah, including Dorothy, Crof's niece:
    Sarah Ann Dawson (born Thompson)
    Gender: Female
    Birth: Sep 18 1848
    Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Marriage: Apr 24 1869
    Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1850
    Dubuque county, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1860
    Jefferson Township, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1880
    Jefferson, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1885
    Jefferson Township, Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1895
    Dubuque, Iowa, United States
    Residence: 1910
    Silver Creek, Stephenson, Illinois, United States
    Residence: June 18 1919
    LENA, STEPHENSON, ILL
    Death: June 18 1919
    Lena, Stephenson, Illinois, United States
    Burial: June 20 1919
    Freeport City Cm., Freeport, Stephenson, Illinois, United States
    Parents: John Thompson
    Dorothy Thompson (born Dring)
    Husband: Thomas Dawson
    Children: Dorothy Ann "Dosy" Ballschmidt (born Dawson)
    John W Dawson
    Thomas E Dawson
    Mary Dawsen

    here is Crof on familysearch
    https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KHRV-8Y6

    and his sister Sarah with daughter Dorothy "Dosy"

    https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LT1K-6K4?1=1&parents=M771-V6B_M771-VX8

    "last remembered, first forgotten", I like that, but not this time. Dosy was the key to putting it all together.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gobsmacked, I am! I saw John C. and he seemed to fit, but I didn't find the corroboration you did. Great sleuthing!

      Delete
  2. John Croft Thompson was my great grandfather. His daughter Loie Pauline was my grandmother. Do you know where this book is located now? Thank you.

    ReplyDelete