Thompson, Connecticut
Windham county. This town lies 47 miles E.N.E. from Hartford, 14 N. from Brooklyn, 27 W.N.W. from Providence, R.I., and 53 S.W. from Boston. It is bounded N. by Massachusetts and E. by Rhode Island. It was formerly a part of Killingly, and was first settled about the year 1715. The surface of the town is hilly, but not mountainous: it presents a pleasing variety of elevations and valleys. The soil is a gravelly loam, strong, and productive of good crops of corn and hay, and affords excellent pasturage. French river meets the Quinnebaug near the centre of the town, and Five Mile river, issuing from several ponds, waters the eastern part. These streams give to the town a valuable water power, and on their banks are the pleasant and thriving villages of Masonsville, Fishersville and New Boston. These are manufacturing villages, and contain 10 cotton and woolen mills, and a number of other manufactures. This town is large, and very pleasant; it contains a class of enterprising and intelligent agriculturalists and mechanics. The population of Thompson, in 1837, was about 4,100. The Indian name of the place was Quinnetessett. The plantations of the natives are still apparent.
