Genealogists have different locations as to where they think that William Tompkins was born, some say Rowan County, North Carolina others say Wilkes County, North Carolina and still others say Carter County, Tennessee.

Genealogists also have different information as to whom William Tompkins' parents were but most believe that they were James Tompkins and Elizabeth Jackson.

There was a William Tompkins born Oct. 3, 1795, who died on March 4, 1882. He is the son of Joseph Tompkins, according to the Clear Fork Baptist Church Records in Cumberland County, Kentucky. (Joseph Tompkins is the brother to William Tompkins b. 20 Nov. 1772 d. 1834 and this William Tompkins is his nephew) This William Tompkins is buried in the Tompkins Cemetery which was part of the Wolf River United Baptist Church, Byrdstown, Tennessee. F.A.G #32455553. He also was married to an Elizabeth, her maiden name was Elizabeth Morley.

There was also another William Tompkins born in 1772 and died on Oct. 25, 1816, and is buried in Varysburg Cemetery, Wyoming County, New York. F.A.G. #48977497. He is not related to this William Tompkins.

It is believed that Elizabeth Owens and William Tompkins were married about 1796 or 1797 in Carter Co. Tenn.

William and his family are listed in the 1820 census in Overton, Tennessee. His youngest son Elijah Tompkins was born there in 1822.

William Tompkins death date comes from the book History of Bureau County, Illinois by H.C. Bradsby 1885. page 487... It says, In 1834, while returning to this county (meaning Bureau County, Illinois) from Tenn. William died in Champaign Co. Illinois. (It is possible that he was returning from Tennessee after visiting his brother Joseph Tompkins who died in 1834 in Overton County, Tennessee) (I wonder if his brother may have been ill, and William became ill too on his return trip from Tenn. to Illinois)

Book - Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County, by Milton W. Mathews and Lewis A. McLean Pub. by Champaign County Herals, Urbana, Illinois. (1888?)
Page 112.. Settling on the west side of the grove, Wm. Tompkins who built his cabin on the creek, near where Halberstadt's mill is, afterwards, in 1828, entering the land which he sold to Isaac Busey in 1830. Tompkins had a son living in a cabin near the Harvey cemetery, who was also a squatter for he never owned any land. In his cabin, it is said, was born the first white child in the county.

Book - Images of America Urbana, by Ilona Matkovszki and Dennis Roberts. Pub. by Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
Page 13... The first cabin in what is now Urbana was built in about 1822 by William Tompkins along the Boneyard Creek behind the present Courier Cafe'. The cabin was a small, one-room dwelling built of hewn logs. In 1830, Tompkins was bought out by Isaac Busey, who moved into the cabin with his family. After's Busey's death, the cabin was moved to West Main St. a few yards south of it's original location and was sided. In 1902, the cabin was moved to Crystal Lake Park where it burned down in the 1950's.

Around 1831 William moved to Bureau County, Illinois.

William's burial location is unknown, but if he is buried in Champaign County, Ill. He may have been buried in Harvey Cemetery, in Champaign County, Illinois, in an unmarked grave. Or he may have been buried in Leal Park, in Urbana, Ill. Leal Park is a remnant of the Big Grove, where the early pioneers settled. It is a former Native American and pioneer burial ground, with unmarked graves. Or his children may have taken his body back to Henry or Bureau County, Illinois, to an unknown burial location. There weren't many cemeteries in 1834, so he may have been buried on one of his children's farm.

If anyone has proof of any of the above information, or pictures, please let me know.

There are captions under the pictures which describe them, if you click on the photo tab above, you can read them.

Thanks,
Jan
[email protected]
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