Jesse C. Thompson, a prominent resident of Westminster, was born in Clay County, Missouri, February 17, 1829. His parents, John B. and Hannah (Clark) Thompson were natives of North Carolina, and had eleven children, five of whom lived to be grown. They moved to Missouri in 1825, where the children were educated in such schools as were common in those times. In 1840 they moved to Andrew County. In March, 1850, Jesse started, in company with his brother Samuel, with an ox team for California. His brother died on the road, July 26. Jesse arrived in Placerville on August 31, stayed there but a short time, and went to Sonoma County, where he followed agriculture for the next fifteen years; then he was engaged in the cattle and sheep business in Mendocino County until 1885, when he moved down to Long Beach and bought land of the Cerritos colony. Afterward he moved to Westminster and bought forty acres. Since then he and his three sons have bought fifty-seven acres of valuable peat land.
Mr. Thompson was married in 1852, in Sonoma County, to Miss Margaret A. Camron, who was born in Illinois, June 15, 1836. Her parents, John M. Camron, a native of Georgia, and a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, and Mary Orendorf Camron, a native of South Carolina. When Mrs. Thompson was one and one-half years old they moved to Iowa. in April, 1849, they started for California, arriving in October, having endured great hardships. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are: Adelia M., wife of E. J. Phelps, of Westminster; Samuel C., who was married to Miss Clara E. Carner, of Potter valley, Mendocino County; Arthur O., Altimont J., who was married to Miss Jennie E. Barbee, of Willits, Mendocino County; Vienna A., wife of J. T. Blosser, of Willits; May I., wife of D. G. Case, of Westminster; Olive P., Jesse and Margaret, twins. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and all of their children are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Thompson has been elder for twenty-six years.