T. C. Thompson
Thomas Carlyle Thompson (born June 22, 1850 in Oak Bowery, Chambers County; died October 5, 1922 in Siluria) was a building contractor, founder of the Siluria Cotton Mill, and namesake of Thompson High School.
Thompson was the second son born to of builder Jesse Samford Thompson, and his wife, the former Henrietta Collins. He was raised in Coosa County and attended public schools there. He came with his family to the new city of Birmingham in October 1871 and assisted in his father's contracting business until the elder Thompson died in July 1872. As one of the new city's eligible young men he attended Charles Linn's "Calico Ball" at the newly-completed National Bank of Birmingham building on New Year's Eve in 1873.
Burgess and his brother, Burgess partnered in the continuation of their father's business as T. C. Thompson & Bros. Burgess left construction in 1875 to become a foundry worker. They renewed their partnership in December 1883 with the formation of the Thompson Brick Company, which later operated as the Riverside Brick Company.
On October 11, 1883 Thompson married the former Julia Nancy Seamann. Their first daughter, Lurline, died in infancy. Their second, Bessie, was briefly married to William Weller Jr, during which time she bore a son, Thomas Carlisle Weller.
Thompson, along with Solon Jacobs and Frank Ellis, founded the Southern Club in 1886. In 1896, Thompson founded the Siluria Cotton Mill on Buck Creek in Shelby County.
In 1905 the Thompsons lived at 2212 6th Avenue North. In 1910 the Thompsons resided in Birmingham in a house at 2708 Highland Avenue with four servants. By 1915 he had relocated to Siluria.
In 1921 Thompson donated land to Shelby County for development of a new high school, which was named in his honor.
Thompson died in 1922 and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.
External links
- T. C. Thompson at Findagrave.com