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Local figure

William F. Thompson

William F. Thompson, said to be a native of Connecticut, was ordained at New Hope church in November 1795 and became its first pastor. He resigned the charge in November 1799 and left the presbytery's bounds, and in April 1802 Orange Presbytery suspended him from the ministry for false charges he had made against it.

Source: NC Digital Collections: D. I. Craig, Historical Sketch of New Hope Church in Orange County, N.C. (1891), p. 22

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Life and Orange County connections

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 6 dated events in the chronology →

  1. A school begins to be kept at New Hope church Thompson urged the congregation to take up schooling, and after his time the church generally kept a school for many years. His successor James H. Bowman is said to have taught school there while supplying the pulpit. People: William F. Thompson Place: New Hope · Also named: James H. BowmanSearch the index · NC Digital Collections: D. I. Craig, Historical Sketch of New Hope Church in Orange County, N.C. (1891), p. 23
  2. New Hope builds a parsonage with a farm on the church tract At William F. Thompson's urging the congregation built a parsonage where William C. Claytor later lived and laid off much of Gilbert Strayhorn's two-hundred-acre gift as a farm to go with it. People: William F. Thompson Place: New Hope · Also named: William C. Claytor, Gilbert StrayhornSearch the index · NC Digital Collections: D. I. Craig, Historical Sketch of New Hope Church in Orange County, N.C. (1891), p. 23
  3. Orange Presbytery holds its earliest recorded meeting at New Hope The oldest surviving Orange Presbytery minutes record a meeting at New Hope church, the first after Concord Presbytery was set off. James Bowman was moderator, William McGee was ordained with William F. Thompson, John Gillispie was licensed, and two candidates, Robert Foster and Robert Tate, sat part of their trials. People: William F. Thompson Place: New Hope · Also named: James Bowman, William McGee, John Gillispie, Robert Foster, Robert TateSearch the index · NC Digital Collections: D. I. Craig, Historical Sketch of New Hope Church in Orange County, N.C. (1891), p. 22
  4. William F. Thompson is ordained at New Hope as its first pastor Thompson, said to be a native of Connecticut, was ordained at New Hope and apparently installed as its pastor at the same meeting, the first pastor the church had. Earlier ministers had served it as supplies alongside the Hawfields and Eno. People: William F. Thompson Place: New HopeSearch the index · NC Digital Collections: D. I. Craig, Historical Sketch of New Hope Church in Orange County, N.C. (1891), p. 22
  5. William F. Thompson deeds a hundred acres of New Hope church land to John Strayhorn As he was leaving, Thompson sold about a hundred acres of the church tract to Gilbert Strayhorn's son John, stating that Gilbert had conveyed the land to him. No such conveyance was ever seen or recorded, and Craig judged the deed a forgery; the land left the church's hands. People: William F. Thompson Place: New Hope · Also named: John Strayhorn, Gilbert StrayhornSearch the index · NC Digital Collections: D. I. Craig, Historical Sketch of New Hope Church in Orange County, N.C. (1891), p. 23
  6. William F. Thompson resigns as pastor of New Hope Thompson gave up the charge at a called meeting of Orange Presbytery at Cross Roads church and left the presbytery's bounds. In April 1802 the presbytery suspended him from the ministry for false charges he had made against it. People: William F. Thompson Place: Cross Roads churchSearch the index · NC Digital Collections: D. I. Craig, Historical Sketch of New Hope Church in Orange County, N.C. (1891), p. 22

Places in this person’s story

Buildings, schools, churches and other sites named in the dated events on this page, the most often named first. The map shows the 1 with a known location.

Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Site locations from the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office survey, Open Orange, Orange County GIS, OpenStreetMap and a few other published sources named on each site’s page; town and community pins show approximate locations.

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  • NC LIVE: prepared search for William F. Thompson Library card Search NC LIVE for this subject and Orange County. You can change the search terms. Sign in through your North Carolina library to access the materials.
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