The William Sparks Thomson family tree in America begins with Anthony Thompson’s arrival in Boston in the summer of 1637 on the ship “Hector.” Anthony was born on August 30, 1612, the sixth child of Henry Thompson of Lenham, England. He died March 1648. Anthony sailed with his wife, two young children and two brothers, John and William. They joined Rev. Davenport, Mr. Eaton and other London merchants, all dissenters from the Church of England, fleeing the persecutions of King Charles I.
The group’s destination was Connecticut, where they found suitable lands in Quinnipiac (now New Haven). Anthony had original shares of the settlement in the first and second divisions of land. Both Anthony and his brother John signed the Colony Constitution on June 4, 1639 at New Haven.
Anthony’s eldest son, John (1632-1707), made his living from the sea, thereby being known as “Skipper” and “the mariner.” Skipper John’s fourth son, Samuel (1669-1749), was a successful merchant in New Haven and a captain in the militia.
Three sons of Captain Samuel (Samuel, Amos and Gideon) left New Haven to carve out land in the thick forests of Goshen, CT, which was Indian territory.
Gideon (1704-1759) was a very prominent man in the church and in village activities. In January 1741, Deacon Gideon was elected one of the first deacons of the new (First) Congregational Church. He was also Goshen’s first representative to the Connecticut General Assembly, where he was elected a total of five times.
The dropping of the ‘p’ in Thompson began with Gideon. However, writers, journalists and court clerks frequently return the “p.”
Deacon Gideon’s second child, David (1731 – 1807), is the next ancestor. He followed his father’s footsteps with an active life in village politics. David’s son and namesake, known as General David (1766-1827), was a partner in the mercantile firm Wadhams & Thomson in Goshen.
Two of General David’s sons, Eben Norton (1795-1856) and Henry William (1804-1840), would carry on and grow the mercantile business.
Eben married Sarah Parmalee Meriman on August 24, 1817 and fathered seven children: Cornelia Sara/Sarah Cornelia, Juliet Mayer, William Sparks, Mary N., Charles, Eliza Lyman and Charles Henry. In 1827, Eben moved the family to New Haven where he became a successful grocer. Eben died on July 18, 1856.
William Sparks Thomson (3/22/1823-11/27/1907) was born in Goshen, CT, the eldest son of Eben and Sarah Thomson. Eben moved the entire family about 45 miles south to New Haven when William Sparks was just four years old. Eben’s grocery store would expand and thrive long after Eben passed away. Aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and in-laws were all involved in the family business, either joining Eben or starting their own stores nearby.
Physically, we know that William Sparks Thomson was 5’8” tall with grey eyes. His hair was a dark brown before turning white.
William Sparks Thomson, age 78 [32]
William Sparks Thomson, the eldest son of Eben and Sara Thomson, most likely spent his youth in his father’s grocery store in New Haven before moving to Hartford to open his first business venture. A younger brother, Charles Henry (1837-1884), joined him at his first New York dry goods store in 1856. Charles Henry would spend most of his adult business life in Europe.
They married sisters. William Sparks married Jane Trumbull Lewis at the First Church of Christ (Congregational) in Farmington, CT on January 8th, 1850. She was 5’5” tall and had brown hair with blue eyes set in an oval face. Charles Henry married Cecile (Celia) Maria Lewis on November 23, 1858. Sadly, Cecile died on December 14, 1860 at the age of 26. They had one son, Arthur Cecil Thomson.
William Sparks Thomson died on November 27th, 1907 at his home, Sidmouth Lodge, The Boltons, London, England. He was 84 years old. Jane may have spent most of the 1880s and 1890s living in New York, yet traveling back and forth to London for extended trips. In 1902, she was living at Sidmouth Lodge, London. She died on January 5th, 1909 in London. The William Sparks Thomson family is buried in the Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven, CT., which is the final resting place for the extended Thomson family.
Jane and William Sparks had three children: William, Annie Lewis and Charles Ernest. None of the children married and none had children.
The eldest child was William, born in Brooklyn on January 14th, 1855. A middle name was not listed on passport applications, on his death certificate, nor on his Last Will and Testament. He is William Thomson.
William Thomson, age 61 [33]
William was 5’ 10 ½” tall with grey eyes. Except for two advertisements for Matsukita perfume which may bear his signature, nothing has been found to substantiate his active involvement in his father’s companies.
1894 [34] 1895 [35]
William exhibited his artwork at several prestigious events.
The Royal Society of British Artists
1880-1881. The bridge of the Romolo Torrent at San Remo
1890-1891. A Grey Day: Mistley
The Royal Academy of Arts
1893. Portrait of a lady
1894. The old gateway at San Remo
The World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago
1893. Study of a head, a pastel drawing
William died on October 20th, 1945 in England, at the age of 90, outliving both of his younger siblings.
Annie Lewis Thomson was born on July 28th, 1857 in New Haven, Connecticut and died on March 11th, 1935 in London. She was 5’8” with blue eyes like her mother. For many years Annie taught at the Eaton School in New Haven, Connecticut.
Annie Lewis Thomson, age 59 [36]
Born in Irvington, New York, Charles Ernest was the youngest child of William Sparks and Jane Lewis Thomson. He was 5’ 8 ½” with blue eyes. He was the child most involved with his father’s businesses, managing The Crown Perfumery Company. He died on December 15th, 1924 in London.
Charles Ernest Thomson, age 54 [37]
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[32] “Founder of the Crown Perfumery Company.” American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record. 13 January 1902, 8.
[33] Thomson, William. U.S. Passport Photograph. 6 November 1916. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC.
[34] The Christian Work. Illustrated Family Newspaper. 13 December 1894, 970.
[35] Century Magazine. April 1895.
[36] Thomson, Annie Lewis. U.S. Passport Photograph. 6 November 1916. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC.
[37] Thomson, Charles Ernest. U.S. Passport Photograph. 6 November 1916. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC.
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