Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

James "Judge" Thompson

Male 1784 - 1863  (79 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name James "Judge" Thompson 
    Born 1784  , Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3
    Gender Male 
    Race black  [3
    Name Judge Thompson 
    Occupation 1851  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Barber 
    Residence 1851  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Baptist 
    Occupation 1861  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Barber 
    Residence 1861  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Baptist 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-159556 
    Died 12 May 1863  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Person ID I159556  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Family 1 Lucy,   b. 1803, near, Geneva, Ontario, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Jun 1850  (Age 47 years) 
    Children 
     1. James H. "Judge" Thompson,   b. 1835, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Mar 1899  (Age 64 years)
     2. William Thompson,   b. 1838, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Martha Thompson,   b. 1840, , USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. John Thompson,   b. 1841, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. Robert Thompson,   b. 1844, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. Angeline Thompson,   b. 1845, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     7. Clarissa A. Thompson,   b. 1847, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     8. Archibald Thompson,   b. 1849, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F39886  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Ellen,   b. 1816, , USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Children 
     1. Andie Thompson,   b. 1844, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Bettey Thompson,   b. 1855, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F228796  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Sudden Death in Galt. Mr. James Thompson, Barber, of Galt, died suddenly on Tuesday evening last. The deceased was familiarly known as "Judge" Thompson, and was very much respected. He was born in Virginia, in 1788, and was 75 years of age. He was born a slave, but his master dying, he was set at liberty. He lived in Niagara for some time, and was one of the ring-leaders in the riot at that place (about 1836), by which a slave was taken from the officers of justice, and prevented from being given to an American who wished to take him back to slavery. The slave was secreted in his house for some days. He resided in Galt about 20 years, and acted as ruling elder in the Baptist church, which was built principally through his instrumentality.


      The Dumfries Reformer 13 May 1863.

      ___________________________

      The Public Schools of Galt

      By James E. Kerr

      The first school in Galt of which I can find any authentic record was a small roughcast building at the corer of Wellington and Main Streets. It was erected in 1832 and was used as a school until about 1850. The name of the teacher which became indissolubly connected with this little school was John Gowanlock. The Hon. James Young who was one of his pupils thus describes him: "He was an excellent specimen of the old fashioned dominie before the days of county boards and periodical examinations. His teaching was eminently practice. He knew what the birch was for and he applied it, He frittered away no time on physiology, botany, or philosophical abstractions. He professed to teach the R's and he did it and did it well."

      In the 30's the common schools were maintained by the fees obtained from the parents of the children and by supplementary government grants. By the Common School Acts of 1841 and 1843 the townships were divided into districts or sections, trustees were elected, the legislature's grants were greatly increased and municipal councils were empowered to raise for school purposes an amount which would at least be equivalent to the government grant. In the Act of 1850 permission was given for the freeholders of any school section to determine whether their school should be maintained by a monthly fee in addition to a tax on the ratable property of the section, or whether rate bills should be abolished ad the school declared free. When by the Act of 1871 free schools were made compulsory most of the public schools of the province had already become free.

      In Galt and throughout the township there was a great difference of opinion and a great deal of heated discussion on the subject of free schools. Mr. Wm. Dickson, Mr. Shade and other leading men in the village were opposed to being taxed for the education of the children of other people. As the two gentlemen named had no children of their own the benefit to themselves of the proposal was not at first obvious. On the other side "Judge" Thompson, the coloured barber and preacher of the village who had his quiver full of children, was a strong advocate of free schools, In course of time, the villagers all came round to the liberal view.


      Fourteenth Annual Report of the Waterloo County Historical Society 1926

  • Sources 
    1. [S313] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1851, Pg.41.

    2. [S1838] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1861, Galt 1861 Div. 1 Page 3.

    3. [S31] News - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Dumfries Reformer (1850-1892), Obituary of James Thompson - 13 May 1863.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1784 - , Virginia, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Barber - 1851 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Baptist - 1851 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Barber - 1861 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Baptist - 1861 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 12 May 1863 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth