Brick walls. John Thompson (Ireland)

Question

John Thompson born Jan 1862 in Ireland. Spouse: Sarah Smith, born in Ireland, died in Portland, Oregon on Feb. 8, 1908.

John's parents were possibly John (born 1821) & Mary (born 1816) Thompson, both born in Ireland.

Eric Thompson (my dad) > George Thompson > Henry Thompson > John Thompson > John Thompson

Hope someone knows something!! And I hope I did this right.

Comments

Was your dad son of John Thompson and Sarah.???

How do you know he died in Oregon,

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My dad: Eric Thompson (born in Humboldt, SK Canada in 1947) - Fact.

My grandfather: George H. Thompson (born in Moosomin, SK Canada  in 1916) - Fact.

My great-grandfather: Henry G. Thompson (born in Hull, Quebec, Canada in 1868, died in North Battleford, SK Canada) - According to a relative.

My 2nd great grandfather: John Thompson (born in Ireland & died in Moosomin, SK Canada) - According to a relative.

It was Sarah Smith that died in Oregon, my 2nd great grandfather John's supposed wife. I don't even know where I got that info from anymore!! 

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Thompson is such a common name for Anglicans and possibly Catholics and  Presbyterians. It conjures up Viking origins from Scotland and Ireland. Do not rely on the the Thom(p)son "p" it may be changed by an English scribe as my family records. You are getting to dates when records fail. It may pass down the oldest males line.

1. Perhaps you need a DNA tests so you can triangulate a common ancestor with known 2nd cousins etc.

2. It is luck alone that provides a birth place in census records. They normally just show born in Ireland as being Irish in England was equivalent to be black in the US. An Army record could be helpful, just do not rule anything out. You cannot really dig up your My 2nd great grandfather and check the isotopes in his bone to estimate where he grew up. 

3. Have you tried contacting relatives to see if a Thompson family bible exists with a family Tree.

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2 years later I'm back. lol I did end up doing a DNA test through ancestry, but am completely clueless on what to do with it.

Answer 1

Ample info on John  J. Thompson and Sarah on Ancestry,com

Comments

I've never looked on .com only .ca!! I pretty much suck at all the online records stuff. Still trying to learn.

Answer 2

Two problems tracing Irish ancestry... Hall of Records burned, moved what was left...and... hall of records burned to the ground in 1922... you get to a certain point and then there is nothing.  Parish to parish is what can be found, but as it turns out Ireland is not that small.  We have one tree line going back to 1814 but then... nada.  There are a few fragments of the Irish censuses for 1821, 1831, 1841, and 1851.  Over 1/2 the Anglican Church of Ireland registers were deposited so they are lost as well.

Comments

Omggg..

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A lot of early records were destroyed at Dublin Castle.

My Thompsons I believe were Viking Irish because a lot of them settled in the West and south West of Ireland 1000 years ago. So I cannot say how many lineages they had because the name was used often in the British Isles and Scandinavia. They appear indigenous because Thompson occurs in Catholic Congregations.

I did get back to 1723 with a footnote a list of 3 members of Anglican Diocese of Ardagh.  But they are unconnected to my family tree.

If you want a scientific approach to Y-DNA transfer your results to Family Tree DNA they have specialist groups / experts who are on the leading edge. You need a male to trace Y-DNA back. It is quite reliable back to fifth cousins. Then it is luck or waiting for a really good match. The Big 700 is the definitive test.

I have much the same problem with my great grandfather who I have no surname. But I have matched with other close lineages so I know the area to look.