I’ve been at this family history business long enough, six years (the equivalent of 56 years in Internet terms), to be considered something of an expert. So I thought I’d jot down some of the worst advice I received during my quest, for the benefit of neophytes who want to embark on a family history […]
TFH Exclusive: Owners Provide Inside Tour of Rancho Joaquina
Marc and Karen Goldblatt, the current owners of Rancho Joaquina, the estate built by my great grandfather in 1924-5, recently treated thompsongenealogy.com to an exclusive insider tour of the historic home, highlighting their extensive preservation efforts. OK, it was really like they were just nice enough to show me around. Maintaining the 6,709-square-foot home, much […]
New Discovery Confirms Rancho Joaquina’s Status as Historic Treasure
Why is Rancho Joaquina, my great grandfather’s 6,709-square-foot Adobe Revival home built in 1924-5, worthy of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places? Because it was built by my great grandfather J.E. Thompson, of course! No, seriously, what criteria had to be satisfied to list the gorgeous Phoenix home in 1984? An ideal […]
J.E. Thompson Brought Indoor Plumbing to Greer, Ariz.
Locals remember the scene when J.E. Thompson first visited Greer, Arizona, on his way from New York to Phoenix. He arrived in 1919 with his clan in a Twin 6 Packard touring car, which was about the grandest thing that many residents had ever seen. He was referred to as the local millionaire. But the […]
J.E. Thompson’s Greer Cabin Went Up in Flames!
Great-Grandfather J.E. Thompson (1875-1950) used to vacation at a cabin in the White Mountains on a plateau about 1,000 feet above Greer, Ariz. Great-grandfather called the small, one-room building far from civilization his “hunting shack.” It’s unclear how much hunting he did there. There will be no opportunity for forensics. The cabin burned a few […]
Thompson Family History: The First Chapter
The project started out innocently enough. I merely wanted to confirm some of the often bizarre stories my parents and grandparents had told me at family events, typically after a few drinks.