William Thompson. Origin: Old Inhabitant

William Thompson received a grant of 580 acres in the Gordons area of Long Island.

The Thompson family has had a long history in the Bahamas, dating back at least as far as 1722. There are a handful of early records for the name Benjamin Thompson in the Dolly Mae records, in the Wyannie Malone Collection in the Hopetown Museum in Abaco, but the earliest familial reference was when a “Captain Thompson” was assigned land on “Providence Island,” Bahamas, between 1719 and 1722. We also have confirmation that Thompsons were present in the Bahamas as early as 1723, per the Assessment for the Maintenance of a Minister, during Governor Phenney’s administration. Thompson babies were being born and baptized in 1722. An Ann Thompson married William Sands of Eleuthera Island on 16 June 1758, and an Ann Thompson was born on New Providence in 1772. A Benjamin Thompson was born on New Providence on 17 April 1765 to John and Alice Thompson; a Benjamin Thompson married Sarah Frith 9 April 1761 on New Providence; and there was a Benjamin Thompson born on Harbour Island as early as 1732. And finally, a William Thompson was married in New Providence 21 June 1762. So while we cannot say with certainty that this William was the same person as the Long Island grantee, we presume that William was an Old Inhabitant.

However, it should be noted that there was also a William Thompson who was a Private in Captain Joseph Smith’s Company, King’s Rangers of Savannah, Georgia, who served with another possible Long Island land grantee, Private James White. However, the large size of Thompson’s grant is a strong indication that this was likely far too large a parcel to have been given to a Loyalist private.

References: DM, LSC