Samuel Melvin THOMSON, was born July 15, 1815, Dhuloch, Kirkcolm, Wigtownshire, Scotland, the son of Hugh THOMSON (ca. 1775-1840) and Ann (MELVIN MILWAIN) THOMSON (1778-1875). [Ann's maiden name was originally MIEWAIN and evolved to MELVIN.]

Samuel Melvin THOMSON married 1st
Elizabeth McROBERT September 5, 1841, Kirkcolm, Wigtown, Scotland.

As a young man, Samuel was a school teacher, then later an engineer on ferry boats. He went to sea in November of 1851, sailing to North America, Valparaisco, Chile, and to Panama. After an absence from his family for three and a half years, Samuel returned to Scotland, discovering that his mother-in-law had died. The THOMSONS departed from Liverpool, England among the 530 passengers aboard the ship "Andrew Foster" on September 23, 1856. Samuel became an American citizen on October 17, 1866, Henderson County, Iowa. The THOMSONS lived at Oquaqaka, Henderson County, Illinois, before moving to Madison County, Iowa in 1867.

Elizabeth (McROBERT) THOMSON was born August 1, 1812, Kirkcolm, Stranraer, Wigtownshire, Scotland, the daughter of Thomas McROBERT (ca. 1774-1841/51) and Mary (BUCHANAN) McROBERT. She died in Madison County, Iowa on February 19, 1879 and was interred at Stringtown Cemetery, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.

Samuel Melvin and Elizabeth (McROBERT) THOMSON were the parents of eight children:

1) Mary Buchanan THOMSON
    born 08 May 1842, Kirkcolm, Wigtownshire, Scotland; died 28 Sep 1920, Winterset IA
    interment Winterset Cemetery, Winterset, Madison Co. IA
    married James Gawn BECK 04 Feb 1864, Henderson Co. IL
                 born 01 Mar 1839, Antrim, Ireland; died 25 Sep 1925, Winterset IA
                 youngest child of John & Ellenor (CRAIG) BECK*
                 ran away from home at early age*
                 Civil War Veteran, imprisoned at Andersonville & later released
    Children of Mary Buchanan (THOMSON) and James Gawn BECK:
      1) Elizabeth Thomson BECK, born 1867, IL
      2) John Craig BECK, born 15 Apr 1869; died 29 Jun 1963
      3) Samuel Melvin BECK, born 13 Dec 1879; died 1932
      4) Meanette Eleanor BECK
      5) Mary Ethel BECK
      6) Clarence Blaine BECK
   *information from William BOYLE, great-great-grandnephew, Nov. 2016

2) Jennette McRobert THOMSON
    born 01 Jan 1844, Straner, Scotland; died 17 Jun 1925, Diagonal IA
    interment Redding Cemetery, Ringgold Co. IA
    married William Brown MEKEMSON 28 Dec 1865, Henderson Co. IL
                 born 28 Aug 1842, Biggsville IL; died 05 Nov 1926, interment Redding Cemetery
    Children of Jennette McRobert (THOMSON) and William Brown MEKEMSON:
      1) Elizabeth Eleanor MEKEMSON, born 1867, IL
      2) Ralph MEKEMSON
      3) Harriet M. MEKEMSON, born 1870, IA
      4) Anna Belle MEKEMSON, born 1872, IA
      5) Jessie Lodena MEKEMSON, born 1874
      6) Jeanette MEKEMSON, born 1876, IA
      7) Maggie Lois MEKEMSON, born 1879, IA
      8) Andrew Thomson MEKEMSON
      9) Zelza Grace MEKEMSON
      10) Archie Raymond MEKEMSON, born 23 Oct 1887, Winterset IA; died 10 Jul 1966, Creston IA
      11) Edna Ethel MEKEMSON

3) Hugh Thomas THOMSON
    born 28 Feb 1847, Greenock, Scotland; died 31 Dec 1923
    interment Stringtown Cemetery, Winterset IA
    married 14 Sep 1871, Winterset IA Cynthia Ann BARD (1847 OH - 1914)
    Children of Hugh Thomas and Cynthia Ann (BARD) THOMSON:
      1) Hugh Caldwell THOMSON, born 1873, IA
      2) William McRobert THOMSON, born 04 Mar 1874, IA; died 25 Apr 1930, IA
          interment Stringtown Cemetery, Winterset IA
      3) Leonard Samuel THOMSON, born 1877, IA
      4) Bessie Agnew THOMSON, born 1879, IA
      5) Nan Bard THOMSON, born 10 Jul 1885, IA; died 26 Oct 1962, Springfield IL
        married Andrew John SURRATT 03 Spe 1912, Winterset IA
                    died 18 Nov 1948, Rolla MO, auto accident, interred Springfield IL
      6) Ray Sherman THOMSON, born 1891, NE

4) Anna Melvin "Annie" THOMSON
    born 21 Jul 1849, Greenock, Scotland; died 30 Jan 1934
    interment Stringtown Cemetery, Winterset IA
    married Andrew "Andy" APPLEGATE 07 Oct 1869, Madison Co. IA
                 born 10 Feb 1844, Youngstown OH; died 01 Sep 1917, Winterset IA
    Children of Anna Melvin (THOMSON) and Andrew APPLEGATE:
      1) Anna Rachel (APPLEGATE) CHASE, born 1872, IA
      2) Robert Thomson APPLEGATE, born 1874, IA
      3) Ralph Earl APPLEGATE, born 05 Apr 1882, IA; died 17 Nov 1893
          interment Stringtown Cemetery, Winterset IA

5) Elizabeth Grace THOMSON
    born 25 May 1851, Dhuloch Scotland; died 12 Jun 1932, Afton, Union Co. IA
    interment Orient Cemetery, Orient IA
    married Samuel Allison GRAHAM 03 Jun 1869, Macksburg IA
                 born 18 Mar 1848, Biggsville IL; died 01 Oct 1931, Afton, Union Co. IA
    Children of Elizabeth Grace (THOMSON) and Samuel Allison GRAHAM:
      1) William Allison GRAHAM, born 30 Dec 1879 Madison Co. IA; died 16 Dec 1959, Spokane WA
          interment Pines Cemetery, Spokane WA
      2) Thomas Edward GRAHAM
          born 03 Mar 1872, Madison Co. IA; died 09 Feb 1943, Long Beach CA
      3) Robert Culbertson GRAHAM, born 18 Aug 1873, Madison Co. IA; died 28 Oct 1948, Creston IA
      4) Lillie Maude (GRAHAM) WIMMER
          born 30 Jun 1877, Madison Co. IA; died 02 Dec 1945, Modesto CA
          interment Fairmont Memorial Park, Spokane WA
      5) Mary Elizabeth (GRAHAM) JACOBSON
          born 13 Jun 1879, Madison Co. IA; died 23 Sep 1956, Creston IA
          interment Paririe Lawn Cemetery, Spaulding, Union Co. IA
      6) Jane Grace "Jennie" (GRAHAM) BISHOP
          born 09 Feb 1883, Madison Co. IA; died 11 Mar 1959, Indianola IA
          interment Orient IA
      7) Walter Nelson GRAHAM, born 13 Oct 1885, Macksburg IA; died 06 May 1979, Vivian LA
          interment Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Spaulding IA
      8) Roscoe Samuel GRAHAM, born 19 Jul 1888, Madison Co. IA; died 02 Feb 1968, Long Beach CA
          interment Masonic Cemetery, Des Moines, Polk Co. IA

6) Samuel THOMSON
    born 21 May 1856, Kirkcolm Parish, Wigtownshire, Scotland
    died 14 Oct 1856, at sea Atlantic Ocean
    burial at sea during crossing of Atlantic Ocean

7) Jane Eleanor THOMSON
    born 27 Jan 1858, Oquawka IL; died 24 Oct 1946, Kansas City MO
    interment Stringtown Cemetery, Winterset, Madison Co. IA
    married Edward Lindsay McCORKLE 28 Oct 1880, Madison Co. IA
                 born 21 May 1854, Carpentersville, Putnam Co. IN; died 20 Oct 1935
    Children of Jane Eleanor (THOMSON) and Edward Lindsay McCORKLE:
      1) Norma Minta (EYERLY) McCORKLE
          born 05 Dec 1881, Madison Co.IA; died 21 Aug 1970, Pasadena CA
          interment Mountain View Cemetery
      2) George Elmer McCORKLE, born Oct 1883, IA
      3) Nina Elizabeth McCORKLE, born Jan 1886, IA
      4) Mable Eleanor McCORKLE, born Jan 1887, IA
      5) Winnie Bell (McCORKLE) LIGHT
          born 01 Nov 1888, Madison Co. IA; died 03 Aug 1966, Kansas City MO
          interment Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Kansas City MO
      6) Edna Mae McCORKLE, born Mar 1891, IA
      7) Harold Edward McCORKLE, born Jun 1895, IA
      8) Jeanette Esther McCORKLE, born Nov 1899, IA

8) George McCaw THOMSON
    born 1863, IL; residence 1880 Jackson Twp., Madison Co. IA

Samuel Melvin THOMSON married 2nd Mary ORR in 1884, Jackson Township, Madison County, Iowa. No children were born to this second marriage. Mary (ORR) THOMSON was born in Ireland, February of 1846, and died after 1900. She was residing in Penn Township of Madison County, Iowa in 1900.

Samuel Melvin THOMSON died June 6, 1903, Redding, Ringgold County,Iowa. He was interred at Stringtown Cemetery, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.

Left to Right: Anna, Jane, and Elizabeth THOMSON

 

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