HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.



     DOCTOR PINCKNEY THOMPSON.- Xmong the most dis-
tinguished of native Kentuckians, and most useful in their day and
generation in the field of science and philanthropy, is the subject of
this sketch, Dr. Pinckney Thompson. He was born in Livingston
County, on the fifteenth day of April, 1828, in an humble sphere of
life, having no advantages except such as may accompany poverty and
utter obscurity. His parents were both natives of North Carolina,
and his mother's maiden name was Thompson. Her family settled in
Livingston County in the year 1796. His paternal grandfather immi-
grated to Kentucky and settled in the same county, before Kentucky
was- admitted as one of the States of the Union. His father was
apprenticed to a farmer, and on reaching his majority, volunteered in
Captain Barbour's company, which assembled at Henderson, and
marched overland through the cane-breaks to join General Samuel
Hopkins' army, then stationed at Vincennes, Indiana. The command
arrived too late for the battle of Tippecanoe, and after a few days
rest, returned to Kentucky. He made several trading trips to New
Orleans, and while there was pressed into the army service by order
of General Jackson, and after a short service returned home, and set-
tled down to hard work on a farm. In 1823, he married, and in Sep-
tember, 1871, died at the residence of his son, Dr. Thompson, in this
city. His wife, with whom his life had been so happily spent, surv ived
him about four months, she 'departing this life in January, 1872. Dr.
Thompson worked on his father's farm until his twentieth year, and
during that time obtained from the ordinary county schools such
an English education as they afforded. There was developed in him
during his boyhood days a taste for the practice of medicine. He was
a most excellent nurse, was apt in catching directions for administer-
ing medicines and was expert at detecting the various fevers. His
neighbors, and those who knew him best, frequently reminded him
that he ought to make a doctor of himself  These frequent reminders
had as much to do perhaps with moulding his life as his natural inclin-
ations, and his mind being made up, in January 1849, he removed to
Smithland, the county seat of Livingston, where he entered upon
the study of medicine under Dr. D. B. Saunders, a very distinguished
physician of that day. He continued in Dr. Saunders' office until
May, 1851, at the end of which time he had grown restless from the
want of advantages Dr. Saunders was unable to supply, and induce1
his father to permit him togo to Lousiville, Ky. He went to Louisville
and placed himself under the preceptorship of Dr. T. G. Richardson,
who was, at that time, Demonstrator of Anatomy in the Medical De-



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