W. C. Thompson, born March 23, 1840 in Monroe County, Georgia. Married Martha Greer, born 1846 in Mississippi, died 1948, Nevada County, Arkansas at age 102. Her obituary was published in the Nevada County News on December 23, 1948 and states she was blind for 30 years and survived by three daughters and two sons.

One daughter, Fannie Bell, born October 31, 1884, married William Seaborn Martin, grandson of Seaborn Jones Martin, leader of the Martin Wagon Train that came from Georgia to Arkansas in 1854.

One Civil War record shows:

THOMPSON, W.C. CPT -Enl 3 Mar 1862 at Caney, AR. Captured 17 May 1863 at Big Black, MS & sent to MP Ft Delaware, DE. Died of erysipelas at Chester, PA hospital 26 Jul 1863. Grave 78, Chester, PA Cemetery. Commanding. Was a Pvt in Col Dockery's State Troops under Gen Ben McCulloch.

This shows the problem with many Civil War records. Many were burned or destroyed. I contacted the staff at Fort Delaware Prison who found no record of W. C. Thompson. They referred my query to a member of the museum's board of directors who sent me an extensive email about research that was done fruitlessly trying to find W. C. Thompson on any record at Fort Delaware.

Then, of course, there's his daughter Fannie Bell who was born 21 years after "his death." Fannie Bell (Thompson) Martin is the only living grandmother I had, and I spent days and weeks at the Martin homeplace near Waterloo in Nevada County. I suppose the resolution of this issue lies with the Arkansas History Commission who has a copy of Martha Greer's Civil War Pension Application showing her husband's death in 1912.

These markers are located in Ebenezer Cemetery near the old Gooseankle Church in southern Nevada County, Arkansas about four miles west of Bluff City.

Martha Isabelle Thompson
1846 - 1948

W. C. Thompson's Letter

I, W. C. Thompson, was born in Monroe County, Georgia, March 23, 1840. Moved with my father to Tallapoosa County, Alabama, in December 1852 and came to Arkansas October 1859.

Enlisted in Tom P. Dockery Company from Ouachita County Arkansas. Went from Camden, Arkansas, in May 1861 to Little Rock where we swore into the Arkansas State Troops.

We went from there to Fort Smith and from Fort Smith to Wilson Creek in Missouri. Was in the Battle of Oaks Hill in the 5th Regiment of the Arkansas Volunteers.

Was disbanded after the Battle of Walnut Springs and came back to Ouachita County after being paid off in Arkansas State Scrip.

Enlisted in the J. L. Cook Company in Duvalls Bluff in March 1862. We organized a Regiment known afterwards as the 19th Arkansas. We were sent to Fort Pillow.

From there to Shiloh near Corinth, Mississippi. When we got there the battle was over. We fell back to Corinth and was in the battle there. Cable Brigade was in the battle of Iuka, Mississippi.

We drifted south to Jackson, Mississippi and from there we went to Vicksburg, Mississippi.

After the surrender I was ordered to report at Washington, Hempstead County, Arkansas. We reorganized the 3rd Consolidated Regiment by taking the 18th, 19th, 20th and 15th Regiments and consolidating them. The Regiment was commanded by H.G.P. Williams as Colonel, Lard Mathews as Lieutenant Colonel and Jolly Stuart as Major. We were in the battle of Jenkins Ferry in the McNair Brigade.

We surrendered at Marshall, Texas, disbanded and came home today. I know of but four of our old company that are living today: myself, Tom Alsobrook, John G. Purifoy and the two that came to our company as recruits, Dempsey Hazzard and Ephrim Cook." --- Capt. W. C. Thompson

Read about Martha Greer's brother. Alexander Pringle Greer - Sheriff of Integrity