Elias

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Elias Roxy - 2nd Generation
Elias M. Thompson (1849--son of Jim and Mariah
Thompson) Roxy Anna Ashley (1850--daughter of
Robert and Sarah Ashley)
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Rev. Allen Gordon Thompson Oct. 18, 1894-1988
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Odessa Humphrey Thompson
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Laura King Thompson
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Bertha Powell Thompson
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James David Thompson (July 14, 1904-1995)
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Vaster James Thompson (VJ) 1894-1973
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Hattie Thompson Williams Nov. 6, 1884 -
1961 Rev. Edgar Williams
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Mrs. Lennie Roxy Thompson McNeil Thompson Sept.
4, 1882 - 1972 Hector McNeil
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Mariah Sarah Emeline Thompson Inman Oct. 15, 1880
- 1942 Alford Inman
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Elias Benjamin, MD March 20, 1892 - 1970
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E. B. Ethel Thompson
Dr. Elias Benjamin Thompson his wife Ethel
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Maggie Lee Viola Thompson Gerald Feb. 7, 1889 -
1988
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Rev. Neal Orange Thompson January 16, 1874 -
1956 Martha Mitchell Thompson
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Carson McNeil Gerald Nov. 15, 1889 - Oct. 28,
1971
Aunt Maggies Husband
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Robert Ashley Jr. Son of Robert Ashley (1827) and
Sarah Thompson Ashley (1830)
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Mary Humphrey Ashley Wife of Robert Ashley Jr.
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The Ashley Ladies Daughters of Jesse Annie
Currie Ashley
Pictured l-r Amanda, Rosa Lee, and Jessie Lee
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NEAL ORANGE THOMPSON 1874-1956   Neal Orange
Thompson, the first and oldest child of Elias
Moore Thompson and Roxy Anna Ashley Thompson was
born January 16, 1874. Neal Orange had five
Brothers and four Sisters. The Brothers were John
Archy Thompson (b 1876), Charles Gaston Thompson
(b 1878), James Robert Thompson (b 1886), Elias
Benjamin Thompson (b 1892) and Allen Gordon
Thompson (b 1894). The Sisters were Sarah Mariah
Emeline Thompson (b 1880), Lennie Roxy Thompson
McNeil Thompson (1882), Hattie Jenelia Thompson
Williams (b 1884) and Maggie Lee Viola Thompson
Gerald (b 1889).  Neal Orange or N. O. as he was
called from time to time, was a devoted preacher
and farmer. He believed in the power of God's
word and preached with a fiery sense of
commitment and honor to God.  Knowing that God
ordained family, Neal Orange married Martha Jane
Mitchell on January 20, 1897. To this blessed
union were born nine children. 1. Zula Thompson
Powell Covington Lennon 2. Rebecca Mae Thompson
Bridgers 3. John Avery Thompson 4. James David
Thompson 5. Canova Roosevelt Thompson 6. Roxy
Naomi Thompson 7. Martha Ruth Thompson 8. Orange
Titus Thompson 9. Thomas Gordon Thompson   On
July 3, 1926, Neal Orange was sadden greatly by
the loss of his beloved wife, Martha Jane. After
nearly two years, he remarried and, in January of
1928, brought to his family a new bride, Lottie
Harrell Townsend, and her two daughters, Ella Mae
Townsend and Irene Townsend. Neal Orange
continued as minister at Hester Chapel, Aaron
Swamp, Mt. Zion, and Hazel Grove (which he helped
to established), and a church in Hamma, S. C.,
among others. Neal Orange was an able and
efficient worker who believed in the motto, "God
Will Make A Way." He traveled to his churches in
horse and buggy, leaving on Saturday and
returning Sunday evenings. Neal Orange believed
that education would provide a better life for
his children and the community. . Neal Orange
will be remembered for his beautiful smile and
his loving persona.  Thompson/Ashley Section 11-
page 1  
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MARIAH SARAH EMELINE THOMPSON INMAN 1880 -
1942   Rev. Elias M. Thompson and his wife Roxy
A. Ashley Thompson, gave birth to their first
daughter on October 15, 1880. They named their
beautiful daughter Mariah Sarah Emeline. Her
first name, Mariah, was in honor of her paternal
grandmother, Mariah Ferming Thompson and her
second name, Sarah, honored her Maternal
grandmother, Sarah Thompson Ashley. She lived for
62 years and died of a heart ailment on August 9,
1942.   Our beloved Emeline, as she was fondly
called, attended public school in Robeson County,
North Carolina. Although Emeline was a very
intelligent young woman her education was limited
because as one of the older children, she was
needed at home to assist her parents with the
household and farm chores.   She loved taking
care of her sisters and brothers and was known in
the community as a "good homemaker." While she
was unable to continue her own education, she was
instrumental in encouraging, motivating and
assisting her siblings reach their highest
academic potential. We often compare her to the
great slave emancipator, Harriet Tubman, who
sacrificed the opportunity to get a full
education in order to help her family attain
their goals. She was loving, caring and
unselfish.   Emeline met Alford Inman at Hilly
Branch Baptist Church. They fell in love and were
married in 1901. Alford's father, Jack Inman,
presented the couple with 50 acres of land as a
wedding gift. A six room house was built and
Alford and Emeline started their lives
together.   Emeline and Alford, were blessed with
nine children. They are Cagie, Marvin
(deceased), Jack (deceased), Thompson (deceased),
Piccola (deceased), Zenobia, Socrates, Talmadge
(deceased) and Charles Roger. Emeline and Alford
were God-fearing parents who taught their
children by example and by Christian precepts.
Alford was known as the "oldest deacon" at
Greenville Baptist Church who loved to sing
"Blessed Assurance," his favorite hymn. Emeline
was an active missionary in her church and
community. Her favorite hymn was "I'll Fly Away."
She practiced her missionary work with
enthusiasm, visiting the sick, assisting those in
need, and taking an active part in community
affairs. She encouraged young people to get an
education, to have goals, and to always exemplify
high moral standards.   Emeline established the
family "grand-ma" model. She was a gifted cook
and the family, especially her nieces and nephews
knew when they visited her, she would offer them
wonderful treats. In addition to showiAg love and
warm hospitality, she made gifts for children,
and she was always available to listen
attentively to the problems or concerns of
others.   We are proud heirs of Emeline. Her
legacy is love and it is gounded in Christian
stability, intellectual leadership, and high
moral values. As Emeline encouraged her
generation, we too challenge and encourage this
and future generations to continue in that path.
"LET US THEN BE UP AND DOING ...WITH A HEART OF
ANY FATE STILL ACHIEVING, STILL PURSUING, LET US
LEARN TO LABOR AND TO WAIT."    Thompson/Ashley Se
ction II - page 2
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MAGGIE LEE VIOLA THOMPSON GERALD 1889-1985   Maggi
e Lee Viola Thompson Gerald was born April 16,
1889, the fourth daughter and eighth child of
Reverend Elias M. Thompson and Roxy A. Thompson,
in Lumberton. She was educated at the Barnes
Elementary School, Thompson Institute and A M
College (now known as North Carolina A T State
University). The following represents a brief
account of a long and rich life that revolves
around service to God, family, and the
community.   In the early part of the twentieth
century, it was rare that African-Americans had
the resources to grant their children a formal
education. Maggie and her siblings were graced
with this opportunity, and due to the strong
tradition of civic and spiritual mindedness
nurtured by their parents, they used this
privilege not to set themselves apart, but to
serve their race and community. Maggie,
affectionately known as "Aunt Maggie" or "Miss
Maggie" taught many of the citizens of Hilly
Branch and impressed upon them athirst for
knowledge, not as an end in itself but as a tool
to build self-esteem and to realize dreams. Her
grand children will never forget her efforts to
sharpen their intellectual and spiritual
awareness when she issued the edict "Conjugate
the verb to be" or insisted that they recite of a
biblical passage before Sunday's dinner.
Grandmother's love and promptings have served
them well in life.   Maggie served as the first
president of the Robeson County Home
Demonstration Club, she used this position to
assist rural families improve their living
standards. One of her greatest contributions
during this period was instructing families to
use the "pressure cooker" to preserve their
foods. Once the pressure cooker was introduced,
families needed instruction to use the new
technology. Thus, Maggie worked on the farm by
day and voluntarily trained families at night.
Maggie also served as a 4-H advisor in her
community. Maggie also took a leadership role at
Hilly Branch Baptist, where she served as the
first musician, the president of the Missionary
Circle and a Sunday School Teacher. In the secret
order societies, she was a member of the Tent,
the Salem and the Eastern Star--all organizations
that extol the traditions of ancient Egypt.   In
1917, Maggie married Carson McNeil Gerald, in
what was the first wedding at Hilly Branch
Baptist Church, an event attended by many of the
citizens of Hilly Branch, both white and black--a
rare occurrence at that time! To this union was
born four daughters Eloise Gerald Phillips
Martin (deceased), Ester Gerald McArthur Bowen,
Georgeva Gerald Wright, and Lois Gerald McArthur.
In Carson, Maggie found not only a loving husband
and father, but also a spiritual partner who
encouraged, supported, and took pride in
community activism.   Maggie can best be summed
by the advise she.gave her grandchildren when
they were besieged by life's travails, she said
"must in the Lord, Child, Trust in the Lord, He
will see you through." She is remembered as a
soul who tried to help others along the path of
life eternal.     Thompson/Ashley Section 11 -
page 5
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ELIAS BENJAMIN THOMPSON, MD 1892-1970   The fifth
son and ninth child of Elias M. Thompson and Roxy
A. Thompson was born in Robeson County on March
20, 1892. Elias Benjamin Thompson, referred as E.
B., lived an exemplary and in many ways a unique
seventy eight years.   After attending the public
schools of Robeson County and Thompson Institute,
Elias pursued higher education at Shaw University
and medical education at both Howard University
and Meharry Medical College. It was in Washington
at Howard University where he met and married
Ethel Hutchinson shortly after receiving the
doctor of medicine degree. He was an inspiration
and a role model to his nieces and nephews as all
of us eagerly looked forward to his and Aunt
Ethel's annual visit with the chauffeur driven
Cadillac. In our times of financial crises, he
was our "spare tire." i Dr. Thompson came to
Williamson, West Virginia from Washington, D. C.
in 1928 established an office on Third Avenue.
Shortly after Dr. and Mrs. Thompson were in
Williamson, they united with the Logan Street
First Baptist Church where Dr. Thompson served as
chairman of the Trustee Board for many years. He
was a 33rd degree Mason and a member of the Tug
Valley Lodge, the Williamson Crown Lodge 16
FAM, NAACP, The Boys Scout Council, Chamber of
Commerce and many other organizations. The first
baby delivered by Dr. Thompson in Williamson was
Ellen Griffin Lee, wife of Billy Lee, the writer.
As a family doctor, he made house calls night and
day in Pike County, KY and throughout Mingo
County, W. Va. often he had to walk many miles
making house calls. Dr. Thompson was instrumental
in inspiring students in Williamson to get their
education beyond high school. In his community he
was looked upon as a faithful husband, an
exceptional doctor, and a true Christian. He was
respected by the young as well as the older
people. Both Dr. and Mrs. Thompson extended a
hand of comfort as they worked to improve the
plight of many people in Williamson. I knew Dr.
Thompson as a true friend and a father. Although
he and his wife had no children, he often spoke
of how very proud he was of his nieces and
nephews and several came to visit from time to
time.   Dr. Thompson was recognized throughout
the state of West Virginia in Elkdom and the
National Medical Association because he was
always reaching out to help the less fortunate in
life. As a Young man, I use to enjoy driving him
and wife to the annual meetings of these
organizations. History will record him as a giant
of his generation. He had a blend of talent and
personality that truly made him unique in the
eyes of his fellow constituents. His radiant
smile and the enthusiasm in his voice as he
greeted people made each one feel very special.
Dr. Thompson seemed to show extraordinary
understanding and sensitivity when dealing with
people at all levels. As Tennyson said "hs well
to remember men for the good they do." Dr.
Thompson made a great contribution which will
serve as his monument that will perpetuate his
memory for future generations.   Thompson/Ashley S
ection 11 - page 6
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ALLEN GORDON THOMPSON 1894-1988   Allen Gordon
Thompson was an impressive man. In the years that
he was granted on this earth, he left a legacy of
service and achievement for those of us who
remain. As the tenth and youngest child of Elias
M. and Roxy A. Thompson, he was blessed with
parents and siblings who cared and nurtured him
to believe in God, to respect his fellowman, and
to be confident in his own self-worth.   A
graduate of Thompson Institute and Fayetteville
State Normal, A. G., as he was called, was
successful in many endeavors. In 1922, A. G. was
married to Odessa Humphrey Thompson until her
death in 1929, and they were the parent of three
sons -- Harris Gordon Thompson, Maceo Bradford
Thompson (deceased), and Raphael Nash Thompson.
He was a husband to Laura King Thompson for more
than fifty years, 1930 through 1980. To this
union were born two children, Helen Thompson
Gerald and Elias Jackson Thompson. Gordon felt
very fortunate and blessed to be united with a
spouse each time who held family and spiritual
values identical to his own. He was the patriach
of a growing number of grand and great grand
children. As an active minister for more than
fifty years, he served with distinction as the
pastor and Christian leader of several churches
throughout the state of North Carolina. He taught
school for a number of years and worked
diligently in helping to establish the Hilly
Branch School of which he served as the first
principal. He was an astute businessman and
recieved national recognition for his farming
innovations. He developed a technique to increase
the yield of corn per acre by planting the seeds
closer together and increasing the amount of
fertilizer. From this innovation, Gordon was able
to produce more than 100 bushels of corn per
acre, the highest yeild on an arce of land in
North Carolina as of 1936. For his achievement,
he received an expense-paid trip to an
agricultural conference at Tuskegee Institute in
Alabama   Allen Gordon Thompson was a man of
vision and courage. He was not stifled by
adversity. He overcame challenges because he
believed that with God all things are possible.
He was willing to try something different,
something new or innovative. He was a community
and civic minded person always working to improve
the plight of those around him. He believed in
himself and his own abilities. He maintained a
distinguished and confident bearing all of his
life.   Gordon was a friend and mentor to many.
He derived great joy teaching others and
encouraging them to do their best. The confidence
he had in himself was matched only by the
confidence he had in others. He' served and
continues to serve as a model worth emulating. We
remember him as a proud African-American
Gentleman.   Thompson/Ashley Section 11 - page 7
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BERTHA POWELL THOMPSON 1895 -1976   Bertha Powell
Thompson, daughter of Pierce Powell and Harriett
Ashley Powell, was one of five children born to
that union. Her sister and brothers were Reverend
Lattie H. Powell, Reverend Angus Elra Powell,
Odelia Powell Thompson and Edmund Vincent
Powell.   Bertha's mother, Harriet Ashley Powell
was the sister of Roxy Ashley Thompson, Robert
Ashley, and Cora and Dinah Ashley Lessane (Cora
and Dinah were both wives of George Lessane.
There were no children born to the first marriage
but from the second marriage came Octavius and
Cleveland Lessane.)   The union of Rev. Elias M.
Thompson and Roxy Ashley Thompson produced seven
children. Rev. Neal Orange Thompson, Emeline
Thompson Inman, Lennie McNeil Thompson, Hattie
Thompson Williams, Maggie Thompson Gerald, Dr.
Elias Benjamin Thompson and Rev. Allen Gordon
Thompson. Bertha was first cousin to the seven
persons named above. The maternal biological
grandmother of Bertha's children was Harriet
Ashley Powell.   Prior to the birth of Bertha and
V. J.'s fifth child, he arranged for her to
complete her advanced work and receive her
teacher's certificate from Thompson Institute.
After that she upgraded her certificate to a
Bachelor's degree at Fayetteville State Normal.
She kept her degree upgraded through summer
school sessions at Shaw University, Raleigh and
North Carolina College for Negroes at
Durham.   Bertha taught school from 1925-1963
when she retired. She was privileged to teach all
five of her children in the Robeson County Public
Schools. All attended college, but not all
graduated. She also taught many years during her
husband's tenure as Chairman of the Hilly Branch
School Board.   During most of Bertha's teaching
career there was no hot lunch program. She grew
weary of eating cold food and subsequently
initiated her own hot lunch program. It consisted
of her homemade vegetable soup. She would take a
small container daily and heat it on her
classroom stove. She used saltines to eat with
her soup. The requests for soup by teachers and
students got so numerous that Bertha had no
choice but to try to comply. She purchased some
tin measuring cups in which to sell the soup. She
sold it for five cents per cup. She purchased
beef bones about twice weekly and made soup each
night for the next day. She used a large pot in
which the soup was made and transported it in her
car.   Bertha's soup was sold as a service and
not for profit. She made every effort to charge
no more than the cost of preparing the soup and
purchasing the saltine crackers. She served many
people daily.      Thompson/Ashley Section 11 -
page 8
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TRIBUTE TO OUR. FAQ, Mr. John Henry McNeil,
Sr.    Today, you will hear acknowledgements and
remarks about our father from others who knew him
in the many aspects of his being, but the
children of John H. McNeil, Sr. want to share
with you our memories of him as a father and what
he was to us.   Our father was a man who loved
the Lord, who loved his family and who loved his
church and who loved people.   Dad, expressed
this love in many different ways, but always in
the spirit of peace.   Dad often spoke of not
knowing his parents who died when he was very
young, and he wanted a family of his own. He
accomplished this when he and our mother, who he
was married to for almost 60 years, had five
children.   We learned in the home that we grew
up in how to love each other, how to be
self-supporting, and most importantly how to
raise our family in love as my dad and mom raised
us.   Dad and mother opened their hearts and
their home to relatives and others who shared our
home while they pursued an education or sought
job opportunities in the Durham area. This was
another aspect of their love and support for
their extended family.   Our dad often spoke of
the education he wished he had. He however,
although unable to receive a formal education,
was truly a self-educated man who was determined
that his children would have what he could not.
This dream became a reality with the graduation
from college of four of his five children, and
the other becoming a recognized specialist in his
career field.   Our father recognized at an early
age the need to be a member of the family of God
through his acceptance of the Lord Jesus as his
Savior. He saw to it that all of us were baptized
in the Church and that we worked and served in
various capacities in St. Mark AME Zion Church
until we moved away to different parts of the
country.   The Bible has many references to God
whom we as Christians call Father. We know that
God created the first family and institionalized
the family for mankind. John Henry McNeil Sr.
gave to us our first concept of God as a loving
Father through his love and caring for us as our
dad.   We love you dad!   (John Henry McNeil, Sr.
is the grandson of Liza Thompson McNeil and Henry
McNeil - November 11, 1907 - May 11,
1992)   Thompson/Ashley Section 11 - page 9
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ELIAS BENJAMIN THOMPSON, M.D. 1892-1970   Elias
Benjamin Thompson commonly known as "E. B., the
fourth son of Reverend Elias Moore Thompson and
Roxie Ashley Thompson spent most of his
professional years in the town Williamson, West,
Virginia. His story is told by world renown
Preacher and Evangelist Dr. James C. Perkins who
resides in Detroit, Michigan and ministers to a
flock of more than 7000 parishioners at the
Greater Christ Baptist Church in that
city.   During my boyhood years in the town of my
birth and rearing, Williamson, West Virginia, I
was privileged to be exposed to people of
character and refinement.   Two of the most
notable people who played a large role in molding
and shaping my life were Dr. and Mrs. E. B.
Thompson. The Thompsons stood in the center of
the Black community such as it existed in that
little town. To my knowledge, they had no
children of their own, but they were always
quietly in the background giving and doing
something to help other families and their
children.   I was the kind of kid that always
tried to be slick, but I soon found out it was a
hopeless case in Mrs. Thompson"s class. She kept
order. She insisted upon every student paying
attention, and when you got the answers right, it
was a special joy to see that slight blush in her
cheeks, the look of pride and approval
communicated through her eyes, and the
accompanying smile on her face. She taught in a
way that made it stick. The fundamentals like
sounding words out phonetically to get the
correct pronunciation, writing legibly, and being
neat are lessons I learned in Mrs. Thompson's
class and applied throughout the years.   Another
memory that stands out in mind about Mrs.
Thompson is the fact that during those days
students sold candy for various school projects.
Mrs. Thompson was the adult in charge. Whenever I
sold candy to her she would always buy one for
herself and one for me and each of my thirteen
brothers and sisters.   She always made me feel
that I had to excel. Having taught my older
brothers and sisters, she would take my completed
assignments in hand and say, "I know you've done
good work. You're a Perkins". It may have been a
subtle teacher tactic she may have meant it. In
either case, it encouraged me and helped me to
believe in myself.   Dr. Thompson was the
community physician. Aside from him, there was a
Black pharmacist, and a Black dentist in the
town. Dr. Thompson, I suppose worked with the
pharmacist. His office abutted the pharmacy, and
to the best of my knowledge, they supported each
other.     Thompson/Ashley Section II - page 10
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Dr. Thompson made house calls. Every winter at
cold and flu season, he made his annual visit to
patch up the Perkins household.   In April 1968,
the world was saddened by the assassination of
Dr. M. L. King, Jr. The leaders of our town came
together, as so many other towns and cities
around the world, to share in a memorial service.
I was asked to recite his famous "I Have a Dream"
speech which I had learned for a high school
speech contest.   After the service, Dr. Thompson
visited my home and said to my mother, "Give me
that boy to be in my contest". He was referring
to the Oratorical Contest sponsored by the Elks,
a social organization of which he was a member.
My mother agreed. She wrote the speech for me
and to make a long story short, I won the Elks
National Oratorical contest held in New York, New
York that year. I've never seen a man happier
than Dr. Thompson was that night in the ballroom
of the New York Hilton Hotel.   That event,
however, was not just a contest. It was a result
of participation in that contest that I was able
to go to college. I honestly don't know where or
what I'd be in life if it had not been for that
contest. And I would never have known about the
contest if it had not been for Dr. Thompson.   I
am indebted to Dr. and Mrs. E. B. Thompson and a
host of other people there in that tiny town.
Their example, and their willingness to share
what they had gained from life is a pattern that
we as people sorely need to recapture. They could
have isolated themselves from us. They could have
moved to a large city. Their training equipped
them to live anywhere but they stayed there and
dished out positive influence to all who would
receive it and most wonderful of all, they asked
for nothing in return.       The family wishes to
thank the following for their assistance in
compiling this document. Ernestine W. Bates
Patricia T. Johnson Billy Lee Virginia McNeil
Montague James C. Perkins Frederick C.
Phillips B. Angus Thompson, Sr. Bradford T.
Thompson Raphael N. Thompson, Sr. Youlander D.
Thompson     Thompson/Ashley Section II - page 11
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LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING (National Black
Anthem)   I   Lift every voice and sing ....till
earth and heaven ring ring with the harmonies of
liberty. Let our rejoicing rise ....high as the
listen skies Let it resound, loud as the rolling
sea.   Sing a song ....full of the hope that the
dark past has taught us. Sing a song ....full of
the hope that the present has brought us. Facing
the rising sun ....of our new day begun let us
march on, till victory is won.   11   Stony the
road we trod ....bitter the chastening rod felt
in the days when hope unborn had died. Yet with a
steady beat ....have not our weary feet, come to
the place, for which our fathers sighed?   We
have come ....over a way that with tears have
been watered. We have come ....treading our path
through the blood of the slaughtered. Out from
the gloomy past ....till now we stand at
last where the white gleam of our bright star is
cast.   III   God of our weary years ....God of
our silent tears thou who has brought us thus far
on the way. Thou who has by thy might ....led us
into the light keep us forever in the path, we
pray.   Lest our feet ....stray from the places,
our God, where we met thee. Less our hearts
....drunk with the wine of the world, we forget
thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand ....may we
forever stand true to our God, true to our native
land.       ,..James Weldon Johnson