Monday Mumblings - The Tompkins Family (Post 3 of 3)

My first post on the Tompkins family listed the first 5 generations of Tompkins families in the U.S. from Ralph to John Tompkins.  The second post gave some additional history on the first 5 generations in the U.S. and then listed the Canadian families, generations 6 through 9, John Roger through James Bedford Tompkins.   This third post will provide a brief history of John Roger Tompkins and links to some family grave-sites.  It will also bring the Tompkins family up to modern times with information on my grandfather Harold Tompkins.  Harold through his marriage to Alice Milligan links this post with the previously posted Milligan family.

The Canadian Years - The Tompkins of Peel, Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada

Six Tompkins brothers of the 6^th generation fought in the Loyal American Regiment on the side of England during the American Revolutionary War.  Muster records (see page 15 of linked pdf) show that John (corporal), Joseph, Elijah, and Roger (drummer) served under Captain Randle.  Edmund served under Captain Hatch and Obadiah under Captain Finlay.  John enlisted in the Loyal American Regiment on the 27th March 1777 and became a soldier of the Queen’s Rangers.  John, along with 546 other soldiers, was taken as a prisoner of war (see page 15 of linked pdf) at the Battle of Stony Point, NY.  Stony Point, 14 miles south of West Point, is now a state historic site.  For information about Stony Point historic site, click here.  John was a prisoner of war from 16 July 1779 - 1 Dec, 1782 at Easton, PA.  For source information on John's imprisonment, see The Royal Army in America During the Revolutionary War The American Prisoner Records pdf page 28 (George Washington Papers, Series 4, General Correspondence “Return of Prisoners Taken at Stoney Point on July 17th, 1779”) and pdf page 37 where John Tonkins is listed. After the war, John married Abigail Brewster.  Shortly thereafter, John and several of his brothers made their way to Canada, arriving in New Brunswick in 1783 from Westchester County, New York. 

At the close of the war the Tompkins came to New Brunswick and received grants of land in parish of Queensbury, named for the Queen's Rangers.  John and Roger were given grants in Nackawick, NB, Canada in 1784.  In 1786 John Roger and Roger Tompkins were given land grants in the present parish of Southampton.  In 1787, Elijah, Obadiah, John Jr. and Edmund Tompkins were granted Lots 20, 21, 23, and 25 respectively, north of the Shogomoc River.  Having become dissatisfied with their lands down the river, they all moved up the St John River, to Carleton County, where they received land grants in Wakefield. 

The following great grandparents are buried in the Lower Baptist East Florenceville Cemetery, Rte 105, Florenceville, Peel Parish, Carleton County, NB, Canada:

• Roger and Elizabeth (Guiggy) Tompkins (7^th generation) gravestone
• John and Jane (Finn) Tompkins (8^th generation) gravestone
• James Bedford Tompkins (9^th generation) gravestone

Harold Frederick Tompkins (10^th Generation)

Harold was born May 1, 1893 in the Parish of Peel, Carleton County, New Brunswick, CAN and he died August 28, 1953 in Reading, MA.  He married Alice Bernice Milligan (see post on Alice for list of residences) on July 7, 1921 at Machias, ME. 

Harold and Alice had 10 children:

Vera Milligan (1922 – 2010)

Daughter (abt. 1923)

Harold (1924 – 1924)

Milton Bedford (1925 – 2008)

Viola Mae (1929 – 2007)

Alice Lorraine (1933 – 1981)

Thomas Herbert (1936 – 1994)

Donald Freeman (1939 – 2010)

Richard (1942 – living)

Wayne (1948 – 1981)

During the First World War, Harold enlisted in the Canadian over-seas expeditionary force on November 5, 1915.  He served as a private in the 104^th Battalion in Canada, England, and France.  He received the British War and Victory Medals.  He was discharged on June 6, 1919 in Saint John, NB.

Harold Tompkins in WWI Uniform

Enlistment in Canadian Over-Seas Engagement Force

Discharge Papers

Harold and Alice moved to New York City after Easton, ME in around 1922.  My mother Vera told one story about there time in NYC.  Alice was pushing Vera on a walk through the city and she stopped to watch a movie being filmed.  She was asked if she and Vera wanted to be in the movie.  When she told Harold about this experience and he got mad.  Apparently, movies were not well thought of at the time.

Harold and Alice (Milligan) Tompkins

The family may have moved to Methuen, MA before 1925 as son Milton was born there.  According to birth records and stories from daughter Vera, they also lived in Charlestown, Somerville, Medford, and Woburn, MA before moving to Reading, MA in 1942.  In Charlestown, they lived at the foot of Bunker Hill on Monument Ave.  

Harold, Vera, and Sam (Harold's brother) in Charlestown, MA

Harold and Alice lived on Village St. after 1942 in a two family house.  The Arnold family lived on one side of the house from 1937 until the late 1940s.  Elizabeth (Dewey) Arnold was Donald Lester Dewey's sister. Elizabeth's daughter Jeanette played matchmaker and got her uncle Donald Dewey and neighbor Vera Dewey together.  Donald and Vera married in 1947.  

Front: Alice Lorraine, Harold, Tom, Alice, Don; Back: Vera, Milton, Viola (Photo about 1940)

Naturalization Certificate March 1, 1943

Harold worked as a pipe fitter for Hood Ice Cream.  His daughter Vera remembers Hood advertizing the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the "Hoodsie Cup" in 1997.  Vera was upset because she remembers Harold bringing home Hoodsie Cups to the neighbor kids much earlier than 1947, so she informed Hood that Hoodsies were older than 50 years.  Harold later worked for North Woburn Chemical Company.  He died of esophagus cancer.


Stories and memories of Harold:

Eileen (granddaughter):

"Alice saying of Harold, if his pants were on the bed post, she got pregnant".  Harold was a hard worker and always had a job. He was also generous to neighbors.  When he worked at Hood, he always brought dairy products and ice cream home and passed it out to all the neighborhood children. He would come home on a Friday night and get everyone all together and go out partying (and dancing).
 
Don (grandson):
Harold, his sons, and sons-in-law made beer. I remember playing in the Village St., Reading attic and finding a fiddle.  I believe that Vera said that Harold played the fiddle.  I heard that during World War II, Harold was a neighborhood warden.  One of his duties was to walk his neighborhood at night to ensure blackout, meaning that no lights were visible from the outside.

Bob (neighbor at Village St., Reading):
We lived next door til '48...I remember Harold as a truly nice man and his home was always full of warmth...