Author. He grew up in Berlin, Vermont, graduated from Middlebury College in 1820, and became a Montpelier attorney. Thompson was Washington County Register of Probate from 1825 to 1830, and Engrossing Clerk of the state House of Representatives (1830-1833, 1834-1836). He was Probate Judge from 1837 to 1842, and compiled 1835's "Laws of Vermont." In 1838 he was a founder of the Vermont Historical Society. He served as county court Clerk from 1844 to 1846, and from 1849 to 1856 edited the anti-slavery Green Mountain Freeman newspaper. From 1853 to 1855 he was Vermont Secretary of State. In 1835 he authored "May Martin, or the Money Diggers." Its favorable reception established his popularity, and he specialized in Vermont during the Colonial and Revolutionary War eras. His writings include a satirizing of Antimasonry, "The Adventures of Timothy Peacock" (1835); "The Green Mountain Boys" (1840); "Locke Amsden, or the Schoolmaster" (1845); The Shaker Lovers, and Other Tales (1848); "Lucy Hosmer, or the Guardian and the Ghost (1849); "The Rangers, or the Tory's Daughter" (1850); "The Tales of the Green Mountains" (1852); "Gaut Gurley, a Tale of the Umbagog" (1857); "The Doomed Chief, or King Philip" (1860); and "Centeola" (1864). He authored 1859's "History of Montpelier" and was a noted orator. New England's most famous novelist before Hawthorne, his work planted Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys in the public's consciousness. Thompson's ability to tell action-filled stories plainly and quickly made his books standard reading well into the twentieth century, and his works are still in print.
Author. He grew up in Berlin, Vermont, graduated from Middlebury College in 1820, and became a Montpelier attorney. Thompson was Washington County Register of Probate from 1825 to 1830, and Engrossing Clerk of the state House of Representatives (1830-1833, 1834-1836). He was Probate Judge from 1837 to 1842, and compiled 1835's "Laws of Vermont." In 1838 he was a founder of the Vermont Historical Society. He served as county court Clerk from 1844 to 1846, and from 1849 to 1856 edited the anti-slavery Green Mountain Freeman newspaper. From 1853 to 1855 he was Vermont Secretary of State. In 1835 he authored "May Martin, or the Money Diggers." Its favorable reception established his popularity, and he specialized in Vermont during the Colonial and Revolutionary War eras. His writings include a satirizing of Antimasonry, "The Adventures of Timothy Peacock" (1835); "The Green Mountain Boys" (1840); "Locke Amsden, or the Schoolmaster" (1845); The Shaker Lovers, and Other Tales (1848); "Lucy Hosmer, or the Guardian and the Ghost (1849); "The Rangers, or the Tory's Daughter" (1850); "The Tales of the Green Mountains" (1852); "Gaut Gurley, a Tale of the Umbagog" (1857); "The Doomed Chief, or King Philip" (1860); and "Centeola" (1864). He authored 1859's "History of Montpelier" and was a noted orator. New England's most famous novelist before Hawthorne, his work planted Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys in the public's consciousness. Thompson's ability to tell action-filled stories plainly and quickly made his books standard reading well into the twentieth century, and his works are still in print.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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