52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 3
Prompt – Longevity
When I think of longevity the first person to come to mind is Lawrence Thompson. He lived to be 108 years old. Lawrence is my 5th great grandfather on my maternal side.
He was born in Shenandoah Co, Virginia; Lawrence served in the Revolutionary War enlisting in 1777. At the time of his enlistment he lived in Rowen Co NC. He was a 1st Sergeant under Capt. Alfred Moore.
What is more remarkable is that his wife, my 5 times great grandmother lived past 100 too. She lived to be 105. They shared 81 years of marriage. #marriagegaols
Stephen and I will be married 9 years this coming September. Only 72 years to go!
Can you imagine what all you might see in the course of 100+ years? For the fellow history nerds out there here is a short list of historical events that occurred during Lawrence and Martha’s life.
- 1764-1765: Sugar Act and Stamp Act Controversies
- 1770: Boston Massacre
- 1773: Boston Tea Party
- 1775: Revolution begins with fighting at Lexington and Concord
- 1776: Declaration of Independence
- 1778: French join the war against the British
- 1783: Peace signed in Paris
- 1789: George Washington inaugurated as President of the United States
- 1800: Jefferson elected
- 1803: Louisiana Purchase
- 1808: Slave trade ended
- 1812: War with England
- 1820: Missouri Compromise
- 1820s Romanticism flourished in America
- 1823: Monroe Doctrine
- 1828: Andrew Jackson elected
- 1830s: Railroad era begins
- 1835: Texas Revolution, Republic of Texas established
- 1840s
- Manifest Destiny
- Telegraph and railroads create a communications revolution
- 1846: Mexican War begins
- 1849: Gold discovered in California
- 1858: Lincoln-Douglas Debates
- 1859: John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry
- 1860: Abraham Lincoln elected 16th President of the United States
- 1861: Confederate States of America formed and Civil War begins at Fort Sumter
- North is defeated at the first battle of Bull Run
- 1862
- Battle of Antietam
- Morill Tariff, Homestead Act
- Emancipation Proclamation issued (effective January 1, 1863)
I am sad to say that Lawrence and Martha passed away before seeing the Union righted. To be passionate enough to enlist in the Continental Army only to see, just a short 100 years later it all seemed to be falling apart.
Lawrence and Martha are buried in Zenor Cemetery North , Prairie City, Clay County, Indiana USA.
