William and Adam Thompson, the subjects of this sketch, are leading stock dealers of Missouri, and residents of Camden Township, De Kalb County. They are proprietors of Rosedale stock farm, situated two miles southeast from Amity, and importers and breeders of English Shire and Cleveland Bay horses, Shetland ponies and Shorthorn cattle. They were born in Lancashire, England, the father on May 30, 1840, and the son on March 24, 1861. They immigrated to the United States in April, 1869, locating upon the farm where they now reside. In 1877 they began their present business by the importation of English stock. Their business has been increasing each year, both by importation and breeding, until they now have the largest stable of blooded stock in Missouri. Their stock at present consist of eleven head of imported brood mares, seven Shetland brood mares, two imported Cleveland Bay stallions, seventeen imported Shire stallions, two registered Hambletonian trotting stallions, eleven sucking foals (ten full and one three-fourths blood), seventeen grade brood mares, and a herd of Shorthorn cattle, headed by "Chief Justice" 73256, an imported Cruikshank bull, and two cows of the same blood, and young "Marys," "Josephines," "Lady Elizabeths," "Goodnesses," "Rubys" and "Mistress Motts," embracing 100 head. Altogether, there is invested in the above stock over $100,000. Only private sales are made. Rosedale is a model farm, consisting of 700 acres of fine land, all of which except 160 acres is in pasturage, only sufficient ground being cultivated to raise grain for feeding purposes. The farm is supplied with the necessary buildings and conveniences, and water is conducted over the premises by a well constructed system of water works, the pumping of which is performed by windmills. Since engaging in the stock business, Mr. Thompson has made annual and semi-annual trips to Europe, for the purpose of purchasing blooded stock, having returned in August, 1887, from his twenty-third visit. The notable features of the present stable are "Oscar" 5250 and "Plutarch" 5261, Shire stallions, both winners of prizes at the royal show held at Newcastle, England, in July, 1887, the former for the best two year old, and the latter for the best three year old.
Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), p. 588.