Author. He with John McKinney Cooper received notoriety as the co-founders of the Georgia newspaper, the “Savannah Daily Morning News,” with the first printing on January 15, 1850. Thompson served as founding editor and served at that position for thirty-two years according to his grave marker. At the end of the American Civil War, United States President Andrew Johnson pardoned Cooper for his support of the Confederate Army during the war, which allowed him to retain the ownership of the paper. At this point, the name was changed to the “Daily News and Herald.” In 1867 Thompson left the newspaper for a year traveling around Europe to do research for book that was never published. When he returned, the newspaper's name was changed to “Savannah Daily Morning News” for one day, and then changed again to “Savannah Morning News,” which is the name it uses in the 21 st century even after being purchased and merged with other newspapers by a host of owners. Although born in Ohio, he left Philadelphia after working for a newspaper to come south as on orphan. He first came to Tallahassee, Florida working as secretary for the assistant secretary of the territory, where he visited a Seminole reservation at least twice. In 1834 he came to Georgia to study law as a young man, becoming part of the Southern society and a die-hard Democrat politically supporting states rights. He returned to Florida in 1836 to serve in the Second Seminole War. In 1837 he married Caroline Carrie and they had six children that lived to adulthood. Instead of law, he entered a career in journalism starting at the “Augusta States Right Sentinel,” and studying under August Longstreet before moving to the position of editor of the “Augusta Mirror” by 1842. Thompson authored the 1843 epistolary novel, “Major Jones' Courtship,” which became a classic antebellum saga written in a Southern dialect with wit and humor. The novel consisted of 29 letters penned over two years by Major Joseph Jones, who was a true Southern gentleman, poorly educated, yet a large plantation owner with slaves. The first of these letters were published in the Madison, Georgia newspaper, the “Southern Miscellany.” He unsuccessful worked for three magazine publication: in Macon and Madison, Georgia and one in Baltimore, Maryland. He wrote three plays with the first being published and performed in 1850 in Baltimore, “ Adventures of a Christmas Eve, a Domestic Comedy,” a Major Jones saga in two acts. “Major Jones's Sketches of Travel ,” originally published as humorous letters in the “ Western Continent,” describes the Major's adventures on a tour from Georgia to the North and Canada. A work on Major Jones touring Europe was started but never published. A less popular writing of Thompson's was “ Chronicles of Pineville ,” a volume that portrays a small antebellum Georgia community. During the American Civil War, Thompson is credited with designing the second Confederate national flag, which was adopted in May of 1863, and the first use was the draping of Lt. General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson's casket. The flag was a white field with the original Confederate battle flag or “Stars and Bars” in the upper left-hand corner. Although the white field was said to symbolize “purity, truth, and freedom,” yet it was later named the “Stainless Banner” and “The White Man's Flag.” Being outspoken of his political thoughts, Thompson wrote several editorial stating his reasoning for the design and many quotes from these have stood the test of time. One of these flags can be found at the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin. At the town square in Madison, Georgia, a State of Georgia historical marker was erected telling of Thompson's literary achievements. As a memorial, his daughter selected a collection of writings and publishing them in 1883 as “John's Alive” or “The Bride of a Ghost .” His large upright grave marker was dedicated my the “Savannah Morning News” for his many years with the newspaper.