Pioneer Lady Dead

Mrs. S. C. Thompson Passed Away Yesterday Morning

Was Due To Appoplexy

Death Occurred at Portland - The Remains Will be Brought Here for Interment.

A telegram received yesterday from Portland announced the death at 6 o'clock yesterday morning in that city of Mrs. Sarah C. Thompson, of this city. The news came as a great shock to relatives here and to friends. A message received late in the afternoon by J. Howard Howe from Dr. Whiting Sanford, of Portland, stated the cause of death was an attack of apoplexy, which on account of the advanced age of the lady, could not be survived. Last night a brother of the deceased, Mr. C. A. Coryell, and Undertaker C. J. Vassar left for Portland to bring the remains to Lewiston for interment. The date of the funeral will be announced later.

Mrs. Thompson, who was a pioneer resident of the west and of Idaho, has long been a prominent resident of Lewiston. With her husband, the late S. C. Thompson, she came west to California in 1852, and later to Oregon and Idaho, locating in this city in the pioneer days of 1862. She was born in Adams county, Ohio, on Oct. 2, 1827, and was therefore in the seventy-eighth year of her age at the time of her death. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson secured 160 acres of land as a homestead within the territory embracing the present site of Lewiston, and the site embracing the old home has been by the family retained to the present day. Upon the death of Mr. Thompson several years ago, Mrs. Thompson became the sole possessor of the large estate, and recently platted a large tract known as the Thompson additions. She has displayed a most enterprising interest in the advancement of the city and frequently expressed the hope that opportunity might be offered to extent that aid to some force which would make Lewiston the pre-eminent commercial center of the northwest, the destiny which she and her husband had frequently predicted awaited Lewiston. Mrs. Thompson was a member of the Presbyterian church, a lady of charitable impulses, and her death will be deeply regretted by many friends. She was possessed of a large estate, being classed as one of the richest women in Idaho, and in her declining years has devoted her hours toward aiding the development of Lewiston.