Matthew Pearson Thompson was born on 12 Jan 1780[1] in Slingsby, Yorkshire, England as the sixth child of Richard Thompson and Ann Pearson. He had seven siblings, namely: John, Sarah, Ann, Richard, Frances, Elizabeth, and Mary. He died on 09 May 1849[2] in MacDonald River, New South Wales, Australia. When he was about 15, he married Ann Earl, daughter of William Robert Earle and Mary Yeoman, on 02 Sep 1795[3] in London, England.
Matthew Pearson Thompson was baptized on 23 Jan 1780Baptism: see Bible entry in Slingsby, Yorkshire, England. He was employed as a ? (Age 32)? Merchant Clerk before 1813 in London, London, England.
Conviction: 29 Mar 1813[4] in Surrey, England (He was charged at Lent Sessions, Surrey 1813 for 22 counts of stealing money from his employers Sir Robert Burnett KT and others over a three year period. He was sentenced on 29 March 1813 to transportation for 14 years).
He departed on 26 Aug 1813 (The General Hewitt left England) and arrived in Port Jackson, New South Wales, Australia on 07 Feb 1814 (Arrival of convict ship General Hewitt at Port Jackson). In 1814 Matthew Pearson Thompson established a school in Pitt Town and taught there between 1814–1818 in Pitt Town, New South Wales, Australia. He was employed as an (Age 37)? Farmer about 1818. Ticket of Leave: 1822 in Macdonald River, New South Wales, Australia.
He was re-employed as a schoolteacher on 07 Jan 1825 in Wilberforce and owned Free grant of 200 acres of land at Boree swamp promised by Sir Ralph Darling on the 7 Jan as remuneration for services in aiding the capture of bushrangers. on 23 Nov 1830 in Macdonald River area.
He lived in Wollombi in 1841 (Re 1841 Census) and was employed as a Councilor for the Wollombi and MacDonald Council on 14 Oct 1843 in Wollombi.
He signed his will on 15 Sep 1849 in St Albans, New South Wales, Australia (Petition of Probate).
In 1818 he was listed in the Sydney Gazette as "one of the persons who has tendered supplied of fresh meat for the use of His Majesty's stores at Windsor" In 1821 he purchased 50 acres of land in McDonald Parrish from Price Morris/William Melville. This was opposite the present site of St Alban's Township.
In 1823 he purchased a further 100 acres at Womerah for 12pound from Thomas Astbury. A receipt dated 18 March 1829 was issued. The title was queried and Thompson had to appeal to Governor Bourke in a "Memorial." This was upheld and legal title granted 1834. This was further up the river in an area later known as "Fernances."
Census of 1828 shows him as aged 47, Free by servitude, farmer of Lower Portland Head with his wife Ann (aged 45) and children William 20, Elizabeth 13, George 8, John (or Jane) 6 and Thomas 3. In 1830 he was granted a further 200 acres "for help in capturing bushrangers" (possibly Jack Donohoe and his gang) - this was along the Boree swamp in Auburn Parrish.
When local government came to the Valley Matthew Pearson Thompson was one of the three Valley men appointed to the seven-man District Council for Wollombi and McDonald. he was a keen supporter of the Hawkesbury Benevolent Society.
Burial: He died on 10 March 1849 and was buried on 12 May 1849[5][6] in St Albans, New South Wales, Australia (St Albans Old Cemetery and his wife Ann, who died 17 Aug 1868 is buried with him.
Matthew Pearson Thompson and Ann Earl had the following children:
Thanks to Kev Thompson for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Kev and others.
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Matthew is 16 degrees from Herbert Adair, 17 degrees from Richard Adams, 23 degrees from Mel Blanc, 24 degrees from Dick Bruna, 23 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 26 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 24 degrees from Sam Edwards, 21 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 25 degrees from Marty Krofft, 21 degrees from Junius Matthews, 21 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 24 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
T > Thompson > Matthew Pearson Thompson
Categories: St Albans Old General Cemetery, St Albans, New South Wales