John H. Thompson, buried 1845, Derry, New Hampshire ~ Tombstone Tuesday

This tombstone was photographed at the Forest Hill Cemetery in East Derry, New Hampshire.

JOHN H. THOMPSON, ESQ.

Died

Jan. 12, 1845

aged 51 yrs.

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Dearest Husband thous has left me

Here thy loss I deeply feel,

But 'tis God that hath bereft me.

He can all my sorrows heal.

Yet again I hope to meet thee,

When the day of life is fled,

Then in Heaven with joy to greet thee,

Where no farewell tear is shed.

A beloved husband, father dear,

A sincere friend, lies buried here.

F.A. BROWN

I have no further information on John H. Thompson. I couldn't find him in the vital records or in any town history or genealogy book.  His tombstone is lying flat, encased in a concrete shell.  It appears to have broken off and fallen over, and some dear friend or descendant has lovingly repaired the engraved stone and replaced it over the grave.

UPDATE:  14 February 2020, from Janice Webster Brown, who discovered that John H. Thompson was the postmaster for Salem, New Hampshire (a contiguous town to Derry).  In "The History of Salem" she learned that the house he lived in was also the post office during the time he was postmaster. Janice also found his name in a notice in the Exeter News-Letter and Rockingham Advertiser of April 26, 1847,  "To the Hon. Judge of Probate for the County of Rockingham.  Respectfully represents BENJAMIN E. EMERY, administrator for the Esteate of John H. Thompson, late of Salem, in said County of Rockingham, deceased,, that the personal estate of said desceased is not sufficient to pay the demands against the same, that the said deceased at the time of his death was seized of certain real estate situated in said Salem and Derry, in said County, to wit: - The Hampstead Farm of said deceased in said Salem, containing about fifty acres, bounded Easterly and Northeasterly by land of John H. Dunlap; Northerly by land of Daniel Chase; Westerly by land of William Clendinin, and Southerly by the highway from Derry to Haverhill.  Also, another lot, being a part of said home far, containing about four acres, situated on the Southerly side of said highway, and opposite to the lot last described, bounded Northerly by said highway; Easterly and Southerly by land of Seth Pattee, and Westerly by land of William Clendinin.

    Also, another lot of land in said Derry called the Paul farm, containing about forty acres, and bounded Northerly by land of John Sargent;Easterly by land of Henry Taylor, Oliver Taylor, and John Bassett; Southerly by land of John Bassett, and Westerly by the road leading from Paul Taylor's to Clendinin's Mills.

    Also, one other lot of wood land, in said Derry, containing about three acres, and bounded Northwesterly, Northeasterly, and Southeasterly by land of Henry Taylor, and Southwesterly by land of John Sargent; all the above described real estate being subject to the dower of Abigail P. Nason, late widow of said John H. Thompson. Wherefore he prays that he may be licensed to sell at public auction so much of the real estate of said deceased as may be sufficient to raise the sum of three thousand dollars, being the sum necessary to pay said debts and demands.

BENJAMIN E. EMERY

Dated April 14th, A.D. 1847"

Here is a link to some other THOMPSON gravestones at Forest Hill Cemetery. I do not know if these Thompsons are related to John H. Thompson.   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/tombstone-tuesday-thompson-derry-new.html   

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "John H. Thompson, buried 1845, Derry, New Hampshire ~ Tombstone Tuesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 11, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/02/john-h-thompson-buried-1845-derry-new.html: accessed [access date]).