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| <tab>Thompson’s last years were spent in poverty and obscurity, and finally in blindness. He died at Longueuil, Que. At Longueuil Thompson had worked on an autobiographical description of his travels, which was published in 1916 by J. B. Tyrrell in the Champlain Society series as //David Thompson’s Narrative of His Explorations in Western America 1784-1812//. Thompson’s achievements were poorly recognized in his own time. The rediscovery of Thompson began in the late 19th century, and his immense reputation was consolidated early in the 20th century. Simon Fraser named the Thompson River after David Thompson, and Thompson named the Fraser River after Simon Fraser. | <tab>Thompson’s last years were spent in poverty and obscurity, and finally in blindness. He died at Longueuil, Que. At Longueuil Thompson had worked on an autobiographical description of his travels, which was published in 1916 by J. B. Tyrrell in the Champlain Society series as //David Thompson’s Narrative of His Explorations in Western America 1784-1812//. Thompson’s achievements were poorly recognized in his own time. The rediscovery of Thompson began in the late 19th century, and his immense reputation was consolidated early in the 20th century. Simon Fraser named the Thompson River after David Thompson, and Thompson named the Fraser River after Simon Fraser. |
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| <tab>Thompson was married to Charlotte Small (1 Sept. 1785-4 May 1857), a mixed blood whose father had been a partner in the NWC. As first contracted in 1799, the marriage was one of the informal marriages (by the “custom of the country”) that fur traders entered into in their wilderness domains. Thus begun, it proved to be a devoted marriage, lasting nearly 60 years. Unlike some of the NWC men, Thompson did not repudiate his wife when he left the fur trade. Instead, he had the marriage regularized in 1812. Charlotte died at Longueuil, a few months after David. Charlotte Small Thompson is herself a figure who captures the imagination. There is a novel about her by Elizabeth Clutton-Brock, in the form of a fictitious autobiography, called //Woman of the Padddle Song// (1972). For the connections of the Small family, see the article on John Mcdonald of Garth, married to her sister. | <tab>Thompson was married to Charlotte Small (1 Sept. 1785-4 May 1857), a mixed blood whose father had been a partner in the NWC. As first contracted in 1799, the marriage was one of the informal marriages (by the “custom of the country”) that fur traders entered into in their wilderness domains. Thus begun, it proved to be a devoted marriage, lasting nearly 60 years. Unlike some of the NWC men, Thompson did not repudiate his wife when he left the fur trade. Instead, he had the marriage regularized in 1812. Charlotte died at Longueuil, a few months after David. Charlotte Small Thompson is herself a figure who captures the imagination. There is a novel about her by Elizabeth Clutton-Brock, in the form of a fictitious autobiography, called //Woman of the Padddle Song// (1972). For the connections of the Small family, see the article on [[mcdonald_john_of_garth|John Mcdonald of Garth]], married to her sister. |
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| <tab>In making GC his home, one may suppose that Thompson had, to some extent, chosen to become a Highland Scot. Strongly religious from an early date, he was now a Presbyterian, and was a member of St. Andrew’s Church, Williamstown. We know that he obtained a working knowledge of Indian languages. It would be interesting to know whether he learned any Gaelic during his GC years. However, Williamstown was in his day one of the few places in GC where someone could live and work easily without the old language. He was a member of the Highland Society of Canada, during the first period (1818-1824) of that society. During his years in GC, Thompson had near him other retired men of the NWC. While in GC, he was involved with his sons in the operation (unsuccessful) of two general stores, one at Williamstown and the other in the 12th Concession of Indian Lands (west of Apple Hill). | <tab>In making GC his home, one may suppose that Thompson had, to some extent, chosen to become a Highland Scot. Strongly religious from an early date, he was now a Presbyterian, and was a member of St. Andrew’s Church, Williamstown. We know that he obtained a working knowledge of Indian languages. It would be interesting to know whether he learned any Gaelic during his GC years. However, Williamstown was in his day one of the few places in GC where someone could live and work easily without the old language. He was a member of the Highland Society of Canada, during the first period (1818-1824) of that society. During his years in GC, Thompson had near him other retired men of the NWC. While in GC, he was involved with his sons in the operation (unsuccessful) of two general stores, one at Williamstown and the other in the 12th Concession of Indian Lands (west of Apple Hill). |
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| <tab>See also Dr Roderick McLeod. | <tab>See also [[mcleod_roderick|Dr Roderick McLeod]]. |
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