East Point's "First Historian."
This gentleman loved East Point, Ga. He felt it was his town and his people and there wasn't much he wouldn't do for them and they knew it, everyone called him "Uncle Sam."
Samuel N. Thompson was born January 23, 1863 in Georgia. He was the forth child of 7 born to Dr. and Mrs. James Thompson.
At an early age Sam became intrigued by telegraphy and at 18 became the youngest telegrapher for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. In 1888 he became a railway mail clerk and for the next 9 years he made the run from Atlanta to Nashville Tenn. In 1897 he was transferred to the longer Atlanta to New Orleans route where he remained 14 years.
In all, he was involved in 19 train accidents. Most of these were relatively minor, but in 1911 as he stood at the door of his mail car, his last involvement occurred. In the accident he was thrown from the car and the right side of his head was badly damaged causing him to lose an eardrum.
Civil Service wasn't worth very much in those days and although some civil service unions were formed in the 1890's, they weren't recognized by congress until 1912. The railroad paid his hospital bills but when he was released he was on his own with a wife and four children. His recovery took 6 years.
During World War I, Sam served on the selective service board and was active in war bond drives. After the war he worked with his brother Robert in real estate and in 1923 he became Postmaster of East Point where he served until 1931. In 1933 he was elected Justice of the Peace and served until shortly before his death in 1948 at the age of 85.
In 1933 Sam wrote the history of East Point up to that time. He called it "A Historical Sketch Of Pioneer Days". In 1982 the East Point Historical Society reprinted it under the title "Early History Of East Point" by Sam N. Thompson. It is the "definitive" history of East Point for that period.
This gentleman loved East Point, Ga. He felt it was his town and his people and there wasn't much he wouldn't do for them and they knew it, everyone called him "Uncle Sam."
Samuel N. Thompson was born January 23, 1863 in Georgia. He was the forth child of 7 born to Dr. and Mrs. James Thompson.
At an early age Sam became intrigued by telegraphy and at 18 became the youngest telegrapher for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. In 1888 he became a railway mail clerk and for the next 9 years he made the run from Atlanta to Nashville Tenn. In 1897 he was transferred to the longer Atlanta to New Orleans route where he remained 14 years.
In all, he was involved in 19 train accidents. Most of these were relatively minor, but in 1911 as he stood at the door of his mail car, his last involvement occurred. In the accident he was thrown from the car and the right side of his head was badly damaged causing him to lose an eardrum.
Civil Service wasn't worth very much in those days and although some civil service unions were formed in the 1890's, they weren't recognized by congress until 1912. The railroad paid his hospital bills but when he was released he was on his own with a wife and four children. His recovery took 6 years.
During World War I, Sam served on the selective service board and was active in war bond drives. After the war he worked with his brother Robert in real estate and in 1923 he became Postmaster of East Point where he served until 1931. In 1933 he was elected Justice of the Peace and served until shortly before his death in 1948 at the age of 85.
In 1933 Sam wrote the history of East Point up to that time. He called it "A Historical Sketch Of Pioneer Days". In 1982 the East Point Historical Society reprinted it under the title "Early History Of East Point" by Sam N. Thompson. It is the "definitive" history of East Point for that period.
East Point's "First Historian."
This gentleman loved East Point, Ga. He felt it was his town and his people and there wasn't much he wouldn't do for them and they knew it, everyone called him "Uncle Sam."
Samuel N. Thompson was born January 23, 1863 in Georgia. He was the forth child of 7 born to Dr. and Mrs. James Thompson.
At an early age Sam became intrigued by telegraphy and at 18 became the youngest telegrapher for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. In 1888 he became a railway mail clerk and for the next 9 years he made the run from Atlanta to Nashville Tenn. In 1897 he was transferred to the longer Atlanta to New Orleans route where he remained 14 years.
In all, he was involved in 19 train accidents. Most of these were relatively minor, but in 1911 as he stood at the door of his mail car, his last involvement occurred. In the accident he was thrown from the car and the right side of his head was badly damaged causing him to lose an eardrum.
Civil Service wasn't worth very much in those days and although some civil service unions were formed in the 1890's, they weren't recognized by congress until 1912. The railroad paid his hospital bills but when he was released he was on his own with a wife and four children. His recovery took 6 years.
During World War I, Sam served on the selective service board and was active in war bond drives. After the war he worked with his brother Robert in real estate and in 1923 he became Postmaster of East Point where he served until 1931. In 1933 he was elected Justice of the Peace and served until shortly before his death in 1948 at the age of 85.
In 1933 Sam wrote the history of East Point up to that time. He called it "A Historical Sketch Of Pioneer Days". In 1982 the East Point Historical Society reprinted it under the title "Early History Of East Point" by Sam N. Thompson. It is the "definitive" history of East Point for that period.
This gentleman loved East Point, Ga. He felt it was his town and his people and there wasn't much he wouldn't do for them and they knew it, everyone called him "Uncle Sam."
Samuel N. Thompson was born January 23, 1863 in Georgia. He was the forth child of 7 born to Dr. and Mrs. James Thompson.
At an early age Sam became intrigued by telegraphy and at 18 became the youngest telegrapher for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. In 1888 he became a railway mail clerk and for the next 9 years he made the run from Atlanta to Nashville Tenn. In 1897 he was transferred to the longer Atlanta to New Orleans route where he remained 14 years.
In all, he was involved in 19 train accidents. Most of these were relatively minor, but in 1911 as he stood at the door of his mail car, his last involvement occurred. In the accident he was thrown from the car and the right side of his head was badly damaged causing him to lose an eardrum.
Civil Service wasn't worth very much in those days and although some civil service unions were formed in the 1890's, they weren't recognized by congress until 1912. The railroad paid his hospital bills but when he was released he was on his own with a wife and four children. His recovery took 6 years.
During World War I, Sam served on the selective service board and was active in war bond drives. After the war he worked with his brother Robert in real estate and in 1923 he became Postmaster of East Point where he served until 1931. In 1933 he was elected Justice of the Peace and served until shortly before his death in 1948 at the age of 85.
In 1933 Sam wrote the history of East Point up to that time. He called it "A Historical Sketch Of Pioneer Days". In 1982 the East Point Historical Society reprinted it under the title "Early History Of East Point" by Sam N. Thompson. It is the "definitive" history of East Point for that period.
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