THE FARMER'S WAR AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 533 



October, 1846, he made a final settlement in life, by 

 marrying and embarking in farming on his own ac- 

 count, in the place of his birth. 



He pursued the calling of a farmer in Vernon with 

 success for about nine yedrs, engaging, also, in the 

 raising of cattle, sheep, and horses. His temporal 

 affairs prospered steadily, and he was regarded as 

 one of the most prominent and influential farmers of 

 Trumbull county. But, to a man of his large views, 

 Ohio soon became "too far East." He saw, at an early 

 day, the great advantages offered by the country farther 

 West ; and, in the winter of 185556, he sold his farm 

 in Ohio, and, in June, 1856, removed to Wabasha 

 county, Minnesota, where he took up a quarter-section 

 of fine land, and began farming on a larger scale than 

 in his old home. 



Minnesota was in its infancy then, and men of large 

 ideas and well-stored minds were sure of prompt recog- 

 nition. Mr. Thompson at once took the place in the 

 community to which his abilities entitled him ; and his 

 neighbors, the next year, 1857, testified their appre- 

 ciation of him, by sending him to represent Wabasha 

 county in the Legislature ; in which body he served 

 two terms. His next step was characteristic of the 

 man. There was no school in Plainview, the township 

 in which his home lay, and one was badly needed. 

 Above all, a schoolmaster was wanted. Mr. Thompson 

 solved the difficult problem of finding a competent in- 

 structor, by at once assuming the duties of that posi- 

 tion ; and, for five years, conducted a capital school in 

 Plainview, for the benefit of his own and his neighbors' 

 children. He retained the charge of the school until 

 he had firmly established it, and another teacher could 



