The Sam Pat Thompson Family

Facts by Lizzie Braly Thompson

Sam Pat Thompson's father, B. Burrel Thompson (1857-1927), a native of Aberdeen, Mississippi, and his mother, Lucy Gray (1864-1933), lived in Mix-on when he was born on August 19, 1889. Ten days later, born to Finis M. and Mattie L. (Moore) Braly, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, was Lizzie Mae Braly. Sam Pat Thompson and Lizzie Mae Braly married in 1914, two days after Christmas.

Three doors south of the old First National Bank Building on Main Street, Miller Brock operated a barber shop, which Sam Pat wanted to purchase. In 1912, he became the owner of his first Jacksonville shop, and three years later sold it to W. W. Barber. Buying a barber shop at 108 West Commerce, he spent the following 43 years in business at that location, before selling to C. B. Chappell. Until retirement in 1964, Sam Pat continued "trimming" his customers at A. B. Heath Shop, Commerce at Bolton streets.

Sam Pat Thompson served on the Jacksonville City Commission. He belongs to Woodmen of the World, and he and Mrs. Thompson are members of the First Presbyterian Church. Here he has served as a deacon, elder, Sunday School superintendent, and member of the choir.

The Thompsons have three children, all sons, and all graduates of Jacksonville High School. Sam Pat, Jr., graduated from Lon Morris College and spent four years in the army during World War II. Since then he has been employed by Humble Oil and lives in Irving. He and his wife have a married daughter.

Burrel Braly Thompson, also a Lon Morris graduate, finished A. & M. University with a civil engineering degree, before entering the service in World War II for four years. He is an executive of Brown & Root, having spent some time in Alaska and Spain before returning to Houston to reside. He and his wife have one daughter.

The third son is Loran Sherrod Thompson, who graduated from A. & M. and served during World War II, remaining in the reserves. He was employed by the Texas Highway Department when called back into service and sent to Korea and to Austria. He returned to the Highway Department and now is District Maintenance Engineer for the eight counties of District 10. He and his wife have a son, born while he was in Austria, and who was nearly six months old when he returned. They live in Tyler.

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pat Thompson live at 449 Johnson Street in the home they purchased in 1919, and in which they view with pride the more than half of Jacksonville's growth which they personally witnessed.

Sam Pat Thompson, Mrs. Thompson (Lizzie Mae Braly) two years after marriage, 1914.

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pat Thompson home, 449 Johnson St., purchased 1919, still their home.