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THOMAS. THOMPSON. 599 compelled to resign on account of bron- chial troubles. He immediately devoted himself to authorship and editorial work. He edited the " Home Monthly " several years, then the "Nation," a temperance paper, while he was secretary of the Temperance Alliance. He wrote much, also, for the religious and secular press. Mr. Thayer was secretary of the Temperance Alliance fourteen years, usually visiting the various churches on Sunday to speak in behalf of the temperance cause. In 1S76 he returned to authorship, his present vocation. He was married in Franklin, October 19, 1845, to Rebecca W., daughter of Calvin and Lucinda Richards, of Dover. Of this union were five children : two died in infancy, and one at five years of age. The living children are : Eugene R. and Addi- son Monroe Thayer. Mr. Thayer has published ill all thirty- live volumes. Ills principal works are: " I he Poor Boy and Merchant Prince," "The Good Girl and True Woman," "From Poor House to Pulpit," "The Pioneer Boy," "Youth's History of the Rebellion," " Life at the fireside." "The Bobbin Boy," "The Printer Boy," " Life of Charles Jewett," "From Log Cabin to White 1 louse," " from Pioneer Home to White Mouse," "From Tannery to White House," and " Marvels of the New West." Ills books were written mostly for the young, he being one of the few whose books of this nature are of the Style and matter to interest both youth and age. Mr. Thayer was a representative to the General Court from Ashland in 1 S 5 6 , and from Franklin in 1 863. THOMAS, REUEN, son of William and Ann Cotton (Wilkins) Thomas, was born in Walmlv, Warwickshire, England, June 14, 1840. 11 is ancestors were repre- sentatives of old Warwickshire families, lie was first in educational training in the grammar school, Sutton, Cohllicld, War- wickshire ; then in University College, London, [862, M. A. and Ph. 1 >., by exami- nation (Rostock U.), 1865. He received in 1N.S7 the honorary degree of 1 >. I'. from Bowdoin College, Maine. Dr. Thomas began the ministry as as- sistant to Rev. Newman Hall, 1. 1.. P., of Christ church, Loudon, afterwards was pastor of Berkley Street church (Cong.) Liverpool, whence he was called to suc- ceed Rev. Dr. Andrew Reed, the great phil- anthropist, at Wycliffe chapel, London. He was called to the Harvard church, Brook- line, in 1875, where he has since ministered. Dr. Thomas married Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth (James) Cotton, but is without children. He is the author of "Through Death to Life," " Divine Sovereignty," " Grafen- burg People," and several pamphlets. Dr. Thomas was for several years a gov- ernor of the London Hospital, and is a life-member of several literary and benev- olent societies in Europe and America. He is a frequent contributor to leading religious newspapers and reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. THOMPSON, Charles P., son of Frederick M. and Susannah (Cheeseman) Thompson, was born in Braintree, Norfolk county, July 30, 1827. He is a lineal de- scendant of John Thompson, who came from England and landed in Plymouth in 1621 or 1623, and married Mary Cook, daughter of Francis Cook, who was one of the original settlers of Plymouth in 1620. His father was born in Middleborough, but resided for the greater part of his life in Braintree. His mother also was of Brain- tree. He received his early education in the public schools and in the Hollis Institute, located in his native town. He studied in the office of Hon. Benjamin F. Hallett, Boston, a prominent lawyer at that time, and United States district attorney. Mr. Thompson was admitted to the bar in Suf- folk county in 1854, remained in Mr. Hal- lett's office until 1857, and during that time served as second assistant to the United States district attorney. In 1857 he located in Gloucester, where he has since resided. Until his appointment in 1885, by Governor Robinson, as a justice of the superior court, he devoted himself to the practice of his profession, having offices in both Gloucester and Salem. Politically Mr. Thompson is a Democrat. He was elected from Gloucester to the General Court, and served in the House of Representatives in 187 1 and '72, the latter year performing conspicuous service on the judiciary committee. In 1874 he was elected to Congress from the 6th district, comprising Gloucester, Haverhill, New- burvport, Salem, and twenty-three towns in Essex county. Llis opponent was Gen- eral Benjamin F. Butler, who received 7,731 votes as against 8,703. In Congress he was upon the committee on elections, and was chairman of the " select committee on the recent elections in Florida." In the fall of 1876 he was candidate for re-elec- tion to Congress. His opponent, Dr. Ceorge B. Loring, had about 1,200 plural-