Thompson, James Wallace

James Wallace Thompson was born on July 22, 1855, in Cole County, Missouri, to parents Joseph Coe Thompson and Elizabeth Jane Greenup. His father, a California pioneer of 1849, relocated the family to California via Panama in May 1861, eventually settling on land near Academy in 1864. James received his education in the public school at Academy, where he learned to farm, assist his father, and cultivate his talent as a self-taught violinist.

In 1886, James took charge of the family operations and transitioned the ranch from sheep to cattle raising. He expanded the estate to include 640 acres at the home place near Academy, 1,200 acres of local range land, and 200 acres at Huntington Lake within the National Forest Reserve. Affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church South and the Democratic party, he shared ownership of the historic home place with his sister Annie L. Thompson while building a lasting reputation as a successful cattleman.