William Thompson was a viticulturist

Viticulture

Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...

. He emigrated to California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 (near Yuba City) in 1863 and developed the Thompson Seedless table grape

Grape

A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...

 (see Sultana

Sultana (grape)

The sultana is a type of white, seedless grape assumed to originate from the Turkish, Greek, or Iranian area...

), which is also used for grape juice and wine, as well as 95% of the raisin

Raisin

Raisins are dried grapes. They are produced in many regions of the world. Raisins may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing...

s produced in California.

William Thompson was born in Wistow

Wistow, North Yorkshire

Wistow is a small village and civil parish just north of Selby, North Yorkshire, England. Until 2004 Wistow had a small colliery.-External links:*...

, Yorkshire, England in 1816. On the 1841 UK Census, he is described as 'Agricultural Labourer'. By the 1851 Census, he was 'Gardener of 9 acres (36,421.7 m²), employing 1 man'.