Edward William Thomson (writer)
Encyclopedia
Edward William Thomson was a Canadian
journalist
and writer
.
He was born in Peel County
, Ontario
, the grandson of Edward William Thomson
, a member of the York militia who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
.
When Thompson was 14, he was sent to Philadelphia to work in a mercantile office; he enlisted in the Union Army
in October 1864 (at 15), and saw action during the American Civil War
as a trooper in the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Thomson returned to Canada when discharged in August, 1865. He saw combat again the next year, at the Battle of Ridgeway
during the Fenian Raids
.
Thomson took up civil engineering
in 1867, and worked as a Land Surveyor
from 1872 to 1878. In 1878, at the invitation of publisher George Brown
, he became an editorial writer for The Toronto Globe
. In 1891 he joined the staff of The Youth's Companion, and worked there for the next 11 years.
He wrote a book of short stories, Old Man Savarin and Other Stories (1895), and one of poetry, The Many-Mansioned House and Other Poems (1909).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
He was born in Peel County
Peel County, Ontario
Peel County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1851 from a portion of York County. In 1973, Peel County became the Regional Municipality of Peel, as a result of the Ontario provincial government's regionalization of the rapidly developing counties...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the grandson of Edward William Thomson
Edward William Thomson
Edward William Thomson was a farmer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Kingston in 1794 and settled in Scarborough Township in 1808. He served with the York militia during the War of 1812 and the Rebellions of 1837, eventually commanding the 5th militia district in Canada West...
, a member of the York militia who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
.
When Thompson was 14, he was sent to Philadelphia to work in a mercantile office; he enlisted in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in October 1864 (at 15), and saw action during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
as a trooper in the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Thomson returned to Canada when discharged in August, 1865. He saw combat again the next year, at the Battle of Ridgeway
Battle of Ridgeway
The Battle of Ridgeway was fought in the vicinity of the town of Fort Erie across the Niagara River from Buffalo, NY near the village of Ridgeway, Canada West, currently Ontario, Canada on June 2, 1866, between Canadian troops and an irregular army of Irish-American invaders, the Fenians...
during the Fenian Raids
Fenian raids
Between 1866 and 1871, the Fenian raids of the Fenian Brotherhood who were based in the United States; on British army forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada, were fought to bring pressure on Britain to withdraw from Ireland. They divided many Catholic Irish-Canadians, many of whom were...
.
Thomson took up civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
in 1867, and worked as a Land Surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
from 1872 to 1878. In 1878, at the invitation of publisher George Brown
George Brown
- Politicians :* George Brown, Baron George-Brown , British politician, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs* George Brown, Jr. , U.S...
, he became an editorial writer for The Toronto Globe
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
. In 1891 he joined the staff of The Youth's Companion, and worked there for the next 11 years.
He wrote a book of short stories, Old Man Savarin and Other Stories (1895), and one of poetry, The Many-Mansioned House and Other Poems (1909).
External links
- E.W. Thomson in Canadian Poets - Biography & 5 poems (Thunderchild's Lament, The Mandan Priest, The Canadian Rossignol (In May), The Canadian Rossignol (In June), From 'Peter Ottawa')
- Old man Savarin stories: tales of Canada and Canadians at Internet Archive