The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

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THOMPSON, Jesse (1795-1858) and Nabby Maria (1805-1866)

Born in Andover, New Hampshire, Jesse Thompson was ordained as an “evangelist” for the Christian Connection in 1821. He married Maria Gilbert in 1822. By the late 1820s they had settled in Ballston, New York, where they lived for the remainder of their lives. According to Ellen White, Jesse Thompson “preached twenty years” with the Christian Connection “before he embraced the second advent doctrine.” In 1840 he was a delegate to the first Millerite General Conference and was listed among the “ministers” attending the 1841 General Conference. Through the preaching of George W. Holt in early 1851, Jesse and Maria connected with the Sabbatarian Adventists. Shortly thereafter, during the summer of 1851, they extended their hospitality to James and Ellen White, who stayed in their home for several weeks before moving to nearby Saratoga Springs. An important conference dealing with the future of the publishing work was held in the Thompson house in 1852. The last mention of Jesse Thompson in the Review was in 1854. 1EGWLM 898.4

See: John R. Eastman, History of the Town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906 (Concord, N.H.: Rumford Printing Co., 1910), p. 401; Francis Bacon Trowbridge, The Champion Genealogy: A History of the Descendants of Henry Champion of Saybrook and Lyme, Connecticut, Together with Some Account of Other Families of the Name (New Haven, Conn.: the author, 1891), p. 295; Dave Bixby, “Briggs Cemetery, Town of Ballston,” n.d., http://saratoganygenweb.com/brigscem.htm (Sept. 13, 2011); Geo. W. Holt, “Letter From Bro. Holt,” Review, March 1851, p. 56; Gerald Wheeler, James White, p. 66; “The Conference,” Review, Mar. 23, 1852, p. 108; Ellen G. White, Lt 7, 1851 (July 27); “Conference. Names of Members and Contributors,” Signs of the Times (Himes), Nov. 1, 1840, p. 120; “General Conference,” Signs of the Times (Himes), Dec. 1, 1841, p. 131; search term “Thompson” in Review and Herald online collection, www.adventistarchives.org. 1EGWLM 899.1