San
Joaquin County
Biographies
WILSON HENRY THOMPSON
It is interesting to chronicle the
life history of the successful business man who has risen by his own individual
efforts from the bottom rung of the ladder, step by step, until after years of
honest endeavor and well-directed energy he has acquired not only an affluence
but a rich experience and far-reaching influence, making him a leader both in
his own line and in the affairs of his community. Such a man is Wilson Henry Thompson, the
genial and popular vice-president and one of the organizers of the Citizens
National Bank of Lodi, which has its home in a new $100,000 structure on a site
he selected on School and Oak streets.
Mr. Thompson was born near Lawrence,
Kansas, September 27, 1868, a son of John and Catherine (Shank) Thompson, the
former a native of Pennsylvania. The
parents brought their family to California in 1874 and were pioneer farmers and
fruit growers near Lodi until their passing.
Coming to California in his sixth year, Wilson H. Thompson was educated
in the public schools of San Joaquin County, and supplemented his secondary
schooling with a three-year course in Woodbridge College. His first business experience was gained as a
clerk in Bentley’s general merchandise store at Woodbridge, where he remained
for one year. He then became associated
with A. L. Cowell, and together they conducted a general merchandise store and
hotel at Woodbridge for the next four years.
Selecting Lodi as his future place
of operations, Mr. Thompson came here in 1896 and started a grocery store. In 1899 F. W. Beckman became his partner, and
the firm was known as Thompson & Beckman; but shortly afterwards they took
in H. E. Welch, their bookkeeper, as a third partner, and on February 24, 1904,
were incorporated as Beckman, Welch & Thompson, Inc., and thereafter
branched out into the various lines of general merchandising. Mr. Thompson was president of the company,
and his years of experience and wide acquaintance enabled him to build up a
business second to none in the county in this line. In order to provide larger and more suitable
quarters, Mr. Thompson erected a brick business block 70 x 160 feet on South
Sacramento Street. He continued as
president until 1918, when he sold his interest. With Mr. Beckman, Mr. Thompson also erected
the Beckman & Thompson Building on School Street. In 1910, with others, he established the
Pacific Fruit Exchange, with headquarters in Sacramento, and became vice-president
of the company and local manager of the Lodi district.
Recently Mr. Thompson disposed of
his interest in the First National Bank, in which he had been vice-president
and director for some years, and with others organized the Citizens National
Bank of Lodi, being elected its vice-president.
He saw a splendid location for the new bank and business houses on the
corner of Oak and School streets; so he purchased the three corners and turned
them over to the City Improvement Company, which was organized for the purpose
of building up all the corners with substantial two-story store and office
buildings and the bank home. The bank
building is a Class A concrete and terra cotta building 50 x 75, and is devoted
entirely to the use of the bank. The
City Improvement Company also built the new post office building on Oak
Street. Mr. Thompson’s associates are
all local men, like himself acknowledged for their
integrity and worth, and represent a diversity of interest and wide experience,
their influence being of especial value to the institutions with which they are
associated. Mr. Thompson is interested
in viticulture, his holdings being principally in the vicinity of Lodi. He is a director of the Stockton Home
Builders’ Association, and the Masonic Temple Association in Stockton; is
president of the Lodi Investment Company, which erected the Lodi Hotel and Lodi
Theater; is president of the Lodi Public Library Board; and was formerly a
member of the Lodi Board of Education.
Mr. Thompson was first married on
November 11, 1892, to Miss Mary Eliza Fowler, a native of this county and the
daughter of Joseph and Eliza Fowler, pioneer farmers near Lodi. She passed away in February, 1900; and on
December 9, 1903, at Crocker Station; he was united in marriage with Miss Celia
M. Crocker, a native of that place, the daughter of Henry and May (Hall)
Crocker, natives of Massachusetts and pioneers of California. Mr. Crocker came here in 1853 and engaged in
mining until he established Crocker Station, on Big Oak Flat Road, leading into
the Yosemite Valley. There he continued
until his passing away. He was survived
by his widow. Mrs. Thompson was reared
at Crocker Station and received her education at Woodbridge College. They have a son, Henry Allen, a graduate of
the Lodi high school, class of 1922.
Fraternally, Mr. Thompson was made a
Mason in Lodi Lodge, No. 256, F. & A. M., and is a member of Stockton
Chapter No. 28, R. A. M., Stockton Council, R. S. M., Stockton Commandery No.
8, K. T., and Ben Ali Shrine, A. A. O. N. M. S. of Sacramento; and with his
wife he is a member of the Eastern Star, of which he is a past patron. He is also a member of the Knights of
Pythias, Woodmen of the World, and Elks, and was a charter member of the Lodi
Rotary Club. Naturally progressive, Mr.
Thompson has engaged in many enterprises looking to the development of the
city, regardless of pecuniary benefits to himself.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1055-1056. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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