The 1850 Census for the "9th Division of E. District" Greene Co., Tennessee, lists a 32 year old Vincent Thompson (born in Tenn.) as the head of the household, living in dwelling 2247. His occupation is listed as "Tenant." He is enumerated with Lydia (age 24, born Virg.), Henry C. (age 3, born Tenn.) and James A. (age 1, born Tenn.). Also enumerated with the family is Anna Thompson (age 56, born Tenn.) and Elizabeth Thompson (age 19, born Tenn.) Possibly his sister and her daughter, or maybe even his mother and a sister. My grandmother once told me that there was a family story that Vincent was illegitimate. I have not been able to find yet anything about the Thompson family before Vincent.

The 1860 Census for "Campbells District" Washington Co., Tennessee, lists a 42 year old Vincent, with a $567 personal estate, living in dwelling 1269. A 33 year old Lydia M is listed. The rest of Vincent's family includes Henry C. (a. 12), James A. (a. 10), John B. (a. 8), Martha M. (a. 6), Joseph F. (a. 5), Frances M. (a. 3), and Mary C. (a. 1).

According to the family story, which my grandmother would tell, Vincent Thompson was killed by "bushwackers" when he returned home to tend one of his ill children during the Civil War. His wife had to drive a wagon out to where he had been killed and collect his body.
Vincent Thompson's son, Henry Clay Thompson, told this version of this story (from his pension request 20 Jan 1918):

...That my father Vincent Thompson enlisted about 1863 in the 10th Tennessee Cavalry in Sherman's army, and was killed in January 1865 by Bushwhackers in east Tennessee, and my mother and minor brothers received pensions on account of the loss of my father, and that I was at that time in Company C. 8th Tennessee Cavalry. That when he entered the service he was under Colonel S. K. N. Patten of the 10th Tennessee Cavalry, and was under Captain Bowers when he was killed. That as told by my mother the death of my father was as follows: That early in the morning he was with Union Scouts, and that they were surrounded by the Rebels and surrendered running out of ammunition and (Lieutenant) Webster shot my father after he had surrendered as soon as he recognized him. That none of my brothers were old enough to enter the army. That my mother had three brothers in the Union Army, James Madison Bolton the oldest was in 1st Tennessee Cavalry, his Colonel being Robert Johnson, and Lieutenant Colonel was James Brownlow. That my mother's second brother was in the 12th Tennessee Cavalry his name being Thomas Jefferson Bolton, and her third brother was William Henry Bolton who was also in the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, both the latter were mustered out in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.

Attempting to locating Vincent's Civil War records, revealed a story that was far more complex and controversial than I expected. In fact, no military records for him existed, only his wife's pension request. The Civil War in Eastern Tennessee was certainly a battle of "neighbors against neighbors," "families against families," and "brothers against brothers." Much to my surprise, I discovered that Lydia's widow pension, was revoked ten years after she was receiving it, on grounds of "fraud" and that Vincent had never served in the Union Army! The circumstances of his death and his activities during the war were much more complicated than we had come to know through family stories.

I have since gathered up and examined the pension files of most of the witnesses and other members of the 3rd Tennessee Mounted Infantry to which Vincent was supposedly a member of when he was killed. It is my belief now, that Lydia's pension was revoked by "Special Agent," G. H. Ragsdale, largely as a cost cutting move by Washington D. C. A Nancy Simmons whose husband Alkanah, was also a member of the same military group, had her pension revoked by Ragsdale on similar grounds as Vincent's. She appealed the ruling and eventually won. Obviously there is enough mystery and material here to write a book.