Butler County Genealogy Trails Kansas Frank Russell Thompson Bio

BUTLER COUNTY'S EIGHTY YEARS BIOS

FRANK RUSSELL THOMPSON

(Transcribed by Peg Luce)

Frank Russell Thompson, former vice president and junior member of the firm of Thompson Brothers, was born in El Dorado, December 1, 1889. Excepting for brief periods spent in Wichita and Colorado, he lived in El Dorado until December 1934, when he established his home in Redlands, California, where he is engaged in the mining business.

Mr. Thompson was educated in the grade and high schools of El Dorado and Wichita. In 1907-8-9, he played professional and semi-professional baseball in Wichita. In 1909, he secured a position with Wilbur E. Robbins, veteran Santa Fe agent in El Dorado, as a clerk in the freight and passenger departments. Three years later, he was transferred to Lamar, Colorado, where he was tariff and rate clerk in the Santa Fe freight office. On October 1, 1912, he returned to El Dorado and joined with his brother, Roy Arthur Thompson, in the mercantile business.

After October 1, 1912, and for a period of twenty-two years, Frank Thompson was engaged in jointly supervising this concern. He assisted in piloting it from a small book store, through its acquisition of the pioneer Herbert Jewelry Store, and the installation of a printing department, equipped with the best improved machinery. Young Thompson was a director of the Chamber of Commerce for six years, 1917 to 1923, and was a charter member of the Rotary Club, organized in 1920. He affiliated with the local Credit Men’s Association, Kansas Book Dealers, National Stationers and the United Typothetae of America. He has risen to the thirty-second degree in Masonry, with memberships in Patmos Lodge, A. F. & A. M., El Dorado; the Consistory and the Midian Shrine, of Wichita. Politcally, he is a Republican.

On April 9, 1913, Mr. Thompson was married to Ruth Sandifer, who was born in El Dorado, the daughter of William H. and Belle (Friend) Sandifer. The mother was born in Austin, Texas, but was brought by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John S. Friend, to Butler County in 1868, when she was a baby.

William H. Sandifer was born in Liberty, Casey County, Kentucky. The Sandifers have been pioneers, soldiers and citizens of sterling worth in connection with the history of America. The founder of the Sandifer family in America was William Sandifer, who before the American Revolution engaged in the transfer business in his native city, London, England, and during the war with the Colonies, was conscripted and forced into the British army. His sympathies prior to that time had been with the Colonies and this sympathy was strengthened by this act of conscription by the government. However, he served with the English army for a time, his command being located in Carolina, and there he met and became engaged to an American girl, Sally Brockman. Soon afterwards, young Sandifer deserted the English army, enlisted in Washington’s army and fought for the American cause until the close of the war. He was wounded at the battle of Brandywine. After the war he married Sally Brockman and one of the children born to this union was Joseph Sandifer, great grandfather of Mrs. Thompson.

Joseph Sandifer, served during the War of 1812. Later he moved from Kentucky to Missouri. George M. Sandifer, a son of Joseph Sandifer and grandfather of Mrs. Thompson, was born at Hanging Fork Creek, Kentucky, July 21, 1833. While serving in the Civil War, George M. Sandifer was promoted to quartermaster, with the rank of captain. He came to Kansas in 1877 and was an early day photographer in El Dorado. His wife was Keziah Patterson Dutton, a native of Somerset, Kentucky. George and Keziah Patterson (Dutton) Sandifer were the parents of William, Henry and James Sandifer of El Dorado, and of the late Mrs. Granville P. Aikman.

Frank R. Thompson’s ancestral lines are published as a part of the sketch of his father, William A. Thompson, on preceding pages.

Four children have been born of the marriage of Frank and Ruth (Sandifer) Thompson. They are Frank Robert, 19; Barbara, died in infancy; Jack, twelve, and Constance ten years old.