Sources: Viola Thomas; Arthur Thomas; Enid Thomas; Eulelie

Thomas. ‘Zhomson Family

James and DavidJohn Thomson were brothers. James was the first brother to come to PEI from Campsiefell, Scotland. In correspondence dated 2 March 1833 and in the possession of Ethel Thomson, James strongly suggested to DavidJohn that he should make the journey.

James b. 12July 1783, d. 28 Oct 1846, bur. Tryon Peoples Cem., m.

by license issued 21 Feb 1806 Sarah Leard, b. 1781, d. 1865, bur. Tryon Peoples Cem., daughter of Samuel Leard and Margaret Rogers. See Leard history.

The Charlottetown Guardian in its weekly column Across the Island written by Neil Matheson, told about James Thomson from Campsie— fell, Scotland, a former British Army Officer who left his homeland before 1833 and settled in North Tryon. The article described how James planted flax seed, harvested and processed the flax into linen thread and wove the thread into linen tableclothes, all of this being done on his farm, Pleasant Vale, where he moved in 1809. James presented the tableclothes to Government House in Charlottetown in 1840. They were so lovely that it was disputed they were Island made and a newspaper controversy arose over their origin. Like many resi— dents of that era, James wrote letters, some of which have been preserved and have provided information for this history. He also derived enjoyment out of writing poetry that described community happenings.

James set up Pleasant Vale as an entailed estate, leaving it to his son Dudley John Ready Thomson and his male heirs, begotten in lawful wedlock, always to remain in the Thomson name. If the estate passed to a daughter, she was to adopt the Thomson name.James’ will stated that the farm was never to be morgaged nor to have any debt. It was never to have less stock than 1 pair of oxen under 5 years old; 1 breeding mare, not less than 4 years old; not more than 10 or less than 2 cows; 18 sheep; and 2 pigs. The owner was always to have a decent buriel at the expense of the next heir. The Oxford Dictionary defines “entailed” as “a settlement of succession of landed estate so that it cannot be bequeathed at pleauire or sold.”

The farm passed through several generations of Thomsons, ending

with Stanley Thomson. Richard Newsome now owns and farms the land. The house was demolished in 1985.

James Thomson and Sarah Leard had 13 children: James b. 5 Aug 1807, d. 12June 1882, bur. Miminegash Cem., m.

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