Business, industry and institutions:

The evidence

• “JOHN THOMPSON, firm of J. Thompson & Co., manufacturer of plows, wagons, cultiva. tors, etc.; was born in Norway and came to Wisconsin in 1850 ; remained in the vicinity of Whitewater the first winter, and came to Beloit in 1851, and worked as journeyman in shops here until 1860, when he established the manufacturing business in which he is now engaged. Mr.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/18-bios-beloit.md, PDF p. 764 / book p. 768

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources

  

• “In 1860 Mr. John Thompson, carrying on a general blacksmithing trade, manufactured three plows ; this was the beginning of the business of J.”

  1908-brown-rock-county/06-history-of-beloit.md, Vol. 1, PDF p. 187 / book p. 169

  Brown, William Fiske, editor. Rock County, Wisconsin: A New History of Its Cities, Villages, Towns, Citizens and Varied Interests, from the Earliest Times, Up to Date. Chicago: C. F. Cooper & Co., 1908. 2 vols. archive.org/details/rockcountywiscon01brow, archive.org/details/rockcountywiscon02brow.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources