Thompson, Daniel P. (Daniel Pierce), 1795-1868

Variant names

Hide Profile

Daniel Pierce Thompson was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, October 1, 1795, the son of Daniel and Rebecca (Parker) Thompson. When he was five years old the family moved to Berlin, Vermont. He entered Middlebury College, ca. 1817 and graduated in 1820. Upon graduation he spent several years in Virginia working as a tutor and studying law. He was admitted to the bar in 1823 and returned to Montpelier, Vermont, to practice law. Additionally he became active in local and state government serving as judge of probate for Washington County, 1837-1842; clerk of the county court, 1844-1846; secretary of state for Vermont, 1853-1855.

While involved in politics and law Thompson was also pursuing a career in writing which he probably began while a student at Middlebury College. The first piece attributed to him was an article on Montpelier, published in 1824 by Zadock Thompson in his Gazetteer of Vermont. His next writing project was the compilation of The Laws of Vermont Including the Year 1834, published for the state in 1835. The publication in 1835 of May Martin, or the Money Diggers, established Thompson as a popular fiction writer. He continued to produce novels sporadically through 1864.

In 1831 Thompson married Eunice Knight Robinson (1814-1894) and they had six children. George Robinson, 1834-1871; Alma, b. 1837; William P., b. 1839; Frances, b. 1842; and Daniel Greenleaf, 1850-1897. Daniel P. Thompson died June 6, 1868 and is buried in Green Mountain Cemetery, Montpelier, Vt.

From the description of Daniel P. Thompson manuscripts, ca. 1841-1866. (Vermont Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 34774407

Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bailey, Horace W. (Horace Ward), 1852-1914. person
associatedWith Follen, Charles, 1796-1840. person
associatedWith Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 1807-1882. person
associatedWith Parker, Isaac. person
associatedWith Pease, Calvin. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, fl. 1852. person
correspondedWith Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874 person
associatedWith Thompson, Daniel G. person
associatedWith Thompson, Zadock, fl. 1845. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Montpelier (Vt.)
Subject
Authors
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1795-10-01

Death 1869-06-06

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ht3v6x

Ark ID: w6ht3v6x

SNAC ID: 55060997