Shelby  County,  Indiana

John  B. Thompson

          John B. Thompson, chief of police of Shelbyville, is one of the most capable police officers in Southern Indiana.  He has had many years of experience in police administration, and took up that work after he had been in business for himself for several years at Shelbyville.
          Mr. Thompson was born in Shelby County, March 8, 1877.  The Thompson family were settlers in Virginia in the early Colonial period, and he had ancestors in the Revolutionary war.  His grandfather, Charles Thompson*, was a native of Virginia and came to Indiana as early as 1817, his parents and other members of the family settling at Richland in Rush County.
          Chief Thompson's father was  John G. Thompson, who was also born in Shelby County.  He was a citizen well known in public affairs, a very substantial farmer and stock raiser, and for twelve years served as a justice of the peace of Noble Township, and was also justice of the peace of Addison Township.  He married  Frances Jackson, of Shelby County, and of their family of eight children, John B. was the fifth in order of birth.
          Mr. John B. Thompson attended the common schools of Shelby County.  When fifteen years of age he left the routine of the school room to go to work and earn his own living.  For three years he was employed in a wood bending factory, had three years of experience in the dairy business, after which he was employed in a furniture factory.  Mr. Thompson was engaged in various retail interests until 1918.
          His entire time and attention have been given to the duties of the police department since 1918, when he was made assistant chief- of-police, and since 1922 has had the responsibilities of chief of the department.  He is a member of the Indiana Chief-of-Police Association and the International Association for Criminal Identification.  Mr. Thompson during the World war took an active part in promoting the work of the Government at Shelbyville, having charge of the registration board at the City Hall.  He is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the B. P. O. Elks and Improved Order of Red Men.
          Mr. Thompson married  Miss Florence Kendall  in November, 1897, and is the father of five children:  Foy K., who is a World war veteran, having been in France with the Motor Transport Corps;  Miss Lela;  Major Bruce;  Maurice;  and Marguerite, wife of  Gilbert Leonard.
INDIANA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT,  Vol. 3, By Charles Roll, A.M., The Lewis Publishing Company, 1931
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

*  Charles' father (John B's great-grandfather) was James Thompson, the early settler in Rush County.  Charles is buried in Winchester Cemetery.  James is buried just past Richland, IN, and his stone is still there.  I have a little more info on this line if anyone is following it.  John B. Thompson's brother, William G. Thompson was my grandfather.
Peggy Cliadakis

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