Isaac Thompson
Isaac Thompson - Son of Ezra and Cynthia Gifford Thompson, was born in Bristol County, Massachusetts, *January 16,1824. When he was quite young his parents moved to New Bedford, same county. He was educated at the Middleborough Academy, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. When he was fourteen years old he began as clerk which he followed for six years. In 1843, he began the ship chandlers and grocery trade for himself in New Bedford, which he followed until 1851. In October, 1852, he sailed from New Bedford on board the ship "Rainbow," and arrived in San Francisco in May, 1853. In August of the the above year, he moved to Waldo, Josephine County, Oregon where for two years he was superintendent of a mining water ditch. He then, in 1855, opened a general mercantile store in the above place, and continued in that business until his removal to Napa County in 1876. He first purchased the place now owned by Mr. Sharp, two miles east of Napa, upon which he resided until February, 1879, when he moved to Napa City, and in August, 1880, began the hardware business under the firm name of Thompson & Shurtleff. He was married November 1,1869, to Miss Elizabeth Briggs, a native of New York, born July 28, 1848. Their children are, *Rosetta, born August 20,1870; *Elizabeth Daisy, born in October, 1875, and *Frank, born January 31,1881
History of Napa and Lake Counties,: San Francisco, Cal.: Slocum, Bowen & Co., Publishers, 1881
Transcribed by Julie Appletoft, February, 2007 Page 570
*Through family members the following corrections to the above biography are made:
Isaac Thompson was born in 1823
Elizabeth Briggs Thompson was born July 25, 1848 in Port Townsend, NY.
His oldest daughter's name was Rouetta
Elizabeth Daisy Thompson's birth date was October 19, 1875 in Kerby, Oregon.
Son Frank was born January 31, 1880 (not 1881).
Florence Ethel Thompson was born in Napa on December 12, 1881. She was born after the biography was written and the History of Napa and Lake Counties was published, so obviously did not appear in the biographical sketch.
Isaac Thompson died January 15, 1883 a few hours shy of his 60th birthday. He and his family are buried in Tulocay Cemetery in Napa. After his death his widow and family continued to live in Napa until about the 1890's. They lived in San Francisco for awhile and finally moved back to Kerby (Josephine Co.), Oregon about 1903. The oldest daughter Rouetta married Harry B. Lawley (son of the John Lawley listed in the biographies)http://www.napacountygenealogy.com/Biography/LawleyJohn.htm). They married in 1891 in Napa. Rouetta died in October 1895 at the home of her mother in San Francisco.
Here is a brief article and picture of Isaac Thompson's winery. My mother wrote "1878" on the article. This is the first place he lived in when he moved to Napa in 1876. He bought the property, house and all the furnishings from Wells and Lydia Walbridge on June 5, 1876. The sale is recorded in Book V of Napa County Deeds, pages 260 and 280. My grandmother (Isaac's daughter) and later my parents had some of the furniture and a silver service that came from this property. In 1879 Isaac sold the property and moved into to town.
Corrections, articles and pictures were donated by Elizabeth Werner and are very much appreciated. 
[Return to Napa County ] [Biography Index ] This Web page is sponsored on behalf of the California portion of The USGenWeb Project by Richard S. Wilson. Although believed to be correct as presented, if you note any corrections, changes, additions, or find that any links provided on this page are not functioning properly please contact the County Coordinator for prompt attention to the matter.
Last updated August 2007