Jonathan Thompson (Collector)

This page is about the 19th century New York politician, for the British media personality see Jonathan Thompson.

Jonathan Thompson (December 7, 1773, Islip, Suffolk County, New York – December 30, 1846, New York City) was an American merchant, banker and politician.

Life

He was the son of Isaac Thompson (1745-1816, judge of the Suffolk Court of Common Pleas, and member of the New York State Assembly in 1795) and Mary (Gardiner) Thompson (d. 1786). He married Elizabeth Havens (1773-1868), and they had six children, among them David Thompson.

He was a partner in Gardiner & Thompson, a New York City import firm trading in the West Indies. From 1813 on, he was a director of the Bank of the Manhattan Company.

The first peak of the transatlantic company "Black Ball Line" began in 1820 with packet-ships voyages as per schedule. The company was founded by Jeremia Thompson, Francis Thompson and others and one packet-sailing ships of the "Black Ball Line" had name "James Monroe" , - named in honor of President James Monroe.^[1]

President James Monroe appointed Jonathan Thompson Collector of the Port of New York in November 1820. He held this office until 1829, when he was removed by President Andrew Jackson.

From March 1840 until his death, he was President of the Bank of the Manhattan Company.

Sources

• The History of Long Island by Benjamin Franklin Thompson
• famousamericans.net/jonathanthompson/
• The Bankers' Magazine, and Statistical Register (Vol. 16, Part 2, page 689)