Alexander Thomson, Jr.

Alexander Thomson, Jr., the only son of Alexander and Lucy (Fontaine) Thomson, was born on 29 August 1785, in St. Matthew’s Parish, South Carolina. He lived for a while in Georgia, and then moved to Giles County, Tennessee, where he rented land from Sterling Clack Robertson, with whom he later formed a partnership for taking families to Texas. The partnership became “The Nashville Company”. Alexander and his son, William Dowling Thomson, arrived in Nacogdoches, Texas, Mexico, on 28 October 1830. Although Alexander had mastered several different trades, his work as a surveyor was the most important in introducing colonist into Texas. He was the principal surveyor of Robertson’s Colony, “The Nashville Company”, of the land north of the old San Antonio – Nacogdoches Road and along the Brazos River. Alexander Thomson represented the Mexican district of Hidalgo at the Convention of 1832, and in 1835 was a delegate from Viesca to the Consultation in which he introduced the resolution of 26 December 1835, which changed the name of his municipality from Viesca to Milam in honor of Benjamin R. Milam. He continued as a member of the General Council. In 1835, he was chairman of the quarterly conference of the Methodist Church and as such was instrumental in raising $300.00 for the pastor’s salary; which was probably the first effort in Texas to raise money for a Protestant minister. Mexican law required all colonists to be Catholic.

Alexander Thomson, Jr. married Elizabeth Dowsing on 31 July 1805, in Lincoln County, Georgia, and they became the parents of thirteen children: William Dowsing Thomson, Frank Thomson, George Russell Thomson, Elizabeth Maury Thomson, Mary Ann Thomson, Martha M. Thomson, Jasper Newton McDonald Thomson, twins Thomas Coke Thomson and Francis Asbury Thomson, Martha Thomson, John Fontaine Fletcher Thomson, Susanna Caroline Thomson, and Alexander Josiah Randle Thomson. Mrs. Elizabeth Dowsing Thomson was born 14 March 1790, died 24 December 1849, and was buried in the Thomson Family Cemetery on Yellow Prairie in Burleson County, Texas. Alexander married Mrs. Elizabeth Hill, widow of Asa Hill, on 28 May 1850. Alexander Thomson, Jr. died on 1 June 1863, and was buried in the Thomson Family Cemetery on Yellow Prairie in Burleson County, Texas.

Children of Alexander Thomson, Jr. and Elizabeth Dowsing Thomson are:

1.     William Dowsing Thomson was born 14 November 1806, in Tennessee. He came to Texas with his father arriving in Nacogdoches on 28 October 1830. He assisted his father in surveying and they were prominent in the affairs of the Nashville Company’s colony. In 1836, William was Captain of a company of Volunteers and later served as Quartermaster in the 1^st Regiment of Rusk’s Brigade in the Volunteer Texas Army. In 1837, he served as the first County Clerk and County Recorder of Milam County, Republic of Texas. From 3 November 1851, through February 1852, William served in the 4^th Texas Legislature representing Milam and Williamson counties. William had married Permelia Ann Evans on 25 October 1831. She was born 1 January 1811, in Tennessee. William and Permelia Thomson had nine children: Alexander Cromwell Thomson IV, Daniel Dunbar Thomson, Ann Elizabeth Thomson, Louisa Roxanna Thomson, Kemper McDonald “Mac” Thomson, Elizabeth Isadora Thomson, Leonora Lucinda Thomson, Jasper N. Thomson, and Fremont Knox Thomson.  William Dowsing Thomson died 4 November 1866, and Mrs. Permelia Thomson died 2 August 1888. William was buried in the Thomson Family Cemetery on Yellow Prairie in Burleson County, Texas.

2.     Frank Thomson was born 2 December 1808, in Tennessee, and was reported to have died 19 December 1826.

3.     George Russell Thomson was born 24 December 1810, in Tennessee, and was reported to have died 26 December 1826.

4.     Elizabeth Maury Thomson was born 3 January 1813, in Tennessee, She married John M. Burton on 12 January 1832. John Burton was born 22 March 1806, in Green County, Georgia. Elizabeth and John had eleven children: Elizabeth Jane Burton, William C. Burton, Travis J. Burton, Permelia Ann Burton, Jasper Alexander Burton, Francis Coke Burton, Susanna Medora Burton, Laura Virginia Burton, Josephine Edwina Burton, Mary Eliza Burton, and Emma Katherine Burton. Mrs. Elizabeth Burton died 7 September 1871, and Mr. John Burton died 27 August 1877. They are buried in Oakhill Cemetery at Burton, Washington County, Texas.

5.     Mary Ann Thomson was born 12 January 1815, in Tennessee, and died in November 1834.

6.     Martha Maury Thomson  was born in 1817 and died in 1818.

7.     Jasper Newton McDonald Thomson was born 10 December 1819, in Tennessee. He was in J.G.W. Pierson’s Company D, in Col. William S. Fisher’s command when they surrendered to the Mexican Army at Mier. He was on of the seventeen who drew a black bean and was shot by order of General Santa Anna on 25 March 1843. In 1848 the bodies were returned from Mexico to be buried at Monument Hill, near La Grange, Fayette County, Texas. Serving with J.N.M. Thomson in the same company and surrendering at Mier was Thomas A. Thomson who was not shot but was held in Perote Castle in Mexico.

8.     Thomas Coke Thomson and Francis Asbury Thomson, twins, were born 20 August 1822, in Giles County, Tennessee. In 1846, probably in Milam County, Texas, Thomas Coke Thomson married Mary Jane Chriesman, a daughter of Horatio and Augusta Chriesman. Mary Jane was born 11 August 1830, in Texas and died 7 February 1877. Thomas and his family lived in western Burleson County, Texas, and received their mail at the Sand Fly, Texas, Post Office on August 21, 1860. Thomas C. Thomson served as a private in Company G, 2^nd Texas Infantry, C.S.A. Thomas and Mary Jane has at least four children: Horatio Thomson, Rector McDonald Thomson, Thaddeus Austin Thomson, and Francis F. Thomson. Thomas Coke Thomson died 11 October 1901, and was buried in the Chriesman Cemetery on Yellow Prairie in Burleson County, Texas.

9.     Francis Ashbury “Frank” Thomson was born on 20 August 1822, in Gilles County. Tennessee, and died on 20 September 1867. In June 1860, Frank Thomson age 37, his wife Lucy age 24, their son Matthew age 10, and their daughter Mary age one year, were living in Washington County, Texas, and received mail at the Gay Hill, Texas, Post Office.

10.  Martha Thomson was born 31 October 1824, in Giles County, Tennessee and died 3 November 1824, in Giles County, Tennessee.

11.  John Fontaine Fletcher Thomson was born 3 January 1826, in Giles County, Tennessee. On August 21, 1860, John lived with his brother Thomas C. in far western Burleson County, Texas and received his mail at the Sand Fly, Texas Post Office, now in Bastrop County, Texas.

12.  Susanna Caroline Thomson was born 26 June 1829, in Giles County, Tennessee, and married Eli Williams on 20 April 1851, in Burleson County, Texas.

13.  Alexander Josiah Randle Thomson was born 31 January 1832, in Robertson’s Colony in Texas, Mexico. On 27 June 1860, A.J. Thomson was a surveyor living in Milam County, Texas, and received his mail at the Nashville, Texas, Post Office. He is reported to have died 27 November 1862.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexander Thomson, Jr.; FamilySearch.org; Genealogical Society of Utah; February 2010.

Alexander Thomson, Jr.; Patriot Ancestor Album; Daughters of the Republic of Texas; Turner

      Publishing Co.; 2006.

Alexander Thomson, Jr.; the Handbook of Texas Online; Accessed August 5, 2001.

Alexander Thomson; 1850 Census of Burleson County Texas.

Cemeteries of Burleson County, Texas; Burleson County Historical Society; May 1988.