| Notes |
- The following has been summarized from a book "A Backward Look at the Forefolk of Lord Thomson of Fleet and North Bridge" published in London, England in 1976. Lord Thomson retained William A. Porter to research the Thomson family in Scotland and Canada. The period covers a time frame from the 1400's to the children of Andrew Thomson 1715-1772 and Jannett Scott and is set in the Eskdale Valley in Southern Scotland. (P1)
** The (P1) refers to the page number in the book where the information was found.
John and Robert Hyslop, local historians and authors of "Langholm As It Was" report that the Thomson family resided around the Westerkirk Parish, (Eskdale Valley along the Esk River) Dumfriesshire, Scotland from at least 1470. (P1) The Parish of Westerkirk is an area of scattered farms and the hamlet of Bentpath and is located just across the border from England, five miles north west of Langholm, Scotland. (P10)
In a Justice Court of King James IV held in Eskdale on August 13, 1504, a John Thomson of Bonese was fined for non appearance at court and another Thomson was among a group convicted of theft, sheep stealing and treasonable deeds and who were hanged. (P8)
Properties most closely linked to the Thomson's in Eskdale Valley were Bonese, Netherknock, Midknock, and Knock. Most of the land was owned by the Duke of Baccleuch. Much intermarriage took place between the Thomson's and their neighbors the Beatties, Armstrongs, Littles, Glenndinnings, Grahams, Christies and Johnstones. (P2 & 15)
The Thomson clan of Eskdale Valley do not seem to have had a chief but rode with the Beatties and Armstrongs in the mid 1500's. They are listed as taking part in border raids in the 1540's and 1550's, and in the raid on Stirling in 1571. (P1 & 4) Clans flourished through to 1603 and the union of the crowns.
Many Thomson's appear to have wanted to serve England and therefore English parishs near the border, especially Carlisle have a heavy concentration of Thomson's. They also spread to Roxburgh, Selkirk and Kirkcudbright districts. The main stem of the Thomson family remained in Westerkirk Parish but branches moved to nearby Middlebie, Hoddam and Annan. (P11)
The last Thomson to live in Westerkirk Parish was Mary Isabella Thomson born 1876 at Bonese, died a spinster on July 21, 1955 at Lochmaben, Scotland. (P10)
The first Thomson to emigrate to the new world in 1773 was Archibald Thomson, 1749-1819. Two of his brothers, Andrew, 1751-1823 and David, 1763-1834 followed Archibald to York, Upper Canada in 1796. One sister, Helen and three other brothers, William, John and Richard stayed in Scotland.
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1564 - 1585 (21 years)
