William Reed Thompson was the first of eight children born to Reverend Andrew Purdy Thompson and Elizabeth Donaldson. While quite young, his parents took him on a missionary trip to Trinidad, West Indies. This stimulated his strong interest in the anti-slavery movement and his unceasing activity in assisting slaves to reach Canada by the "underground railway". Because of the limited finances of his parents, his formal education ended at age 12, and he became an errand boy and salesman for a United Presbyterian book store. In 1865 at the age of 20, he enlisted in the Civil War. He then entered the banking business as a clerk and advanced to become president of the Mechanics National Bank in Pittsburgh. Subsequently, he bought a banking house and renamed it the William R. Thompson & Company, which he owned until April 1990. In 1879 at age 34, he married Mary Thaw, daughter of William Thaw, one of the wealthiest men in the world at that time. They had six children. As for public service, Mr. Thompson served for eight year as president of the Arts Council in Pittsburgh, forerunner of the Pittsburgh Orchestra. He was treasurer of the Charleston Earthquake Fund, the Johnstown Flood Relief in 1889, the Russian Famine Fund, and of the Relief of the Unemployed in the city parks in 1893 and 1894. He was a trustee of Washington & Jefferson College, and he built a library there, The Thompson Memorial Library, as a memorial to his mother. His other activities are almost too numerous to mention.
William Reed Thompson was the first of eight children born to Reverend Andrew Purdy Thompson and Elizabeth Donaldson. While quite young, his parents took him on a missionary trip to Trinidad, West Indies. This stimulated his strong interest in the anti-slavery movement and his unceasing activity in assisting slaves to reach Canada by the "underground railway". Because of the limited finances of his parents, his formal education ended at age 12, and he became an errand boy and salesman for a United Presbyterian book store. In 1865 at the age of 20, he enlisted in the Civil War. He then entered the banking business as a clerk and advanced to become president of the Mechanics National Bank in Pittsburgh. Subsequently, he bought a banking house and renamed it the William R. Thompson & Company, which he owned until April 1990. In 1879 at age 34, he married Mary Thaw, daughter of William Thaw, one of the wealthiest men in the world at that time. They had six children. As for public service, Mr. Thompson served for eight year as president of the Arts Council in Pittsburgh, forerunner of the Pittsburgh Orchestra. He was treasurer of the Charleston Earthquake Fund, the Johnstown Flood Relief in 1889, the Russian Famine Fund, and of the Relief of the Unemployed in the city parks in 1893 and 1894. He was a trustee of Washington & Jefferson College, and he built a library there, The Thompson Memorial Library, as a memorial to his mother. His other activities are almost too numerous to mention.
Bio by: Reid Crookston
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WILLIAM R THOMPSON
MARCH 30, 1845
JUNE 18, 1906
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