John Thompson
was the presiding common pleas judge of Adams County, from April 9, 1810, to March 29, 1824. He was a resident of Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. He located there in 1806 from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. He was elected presiding judge in 1810, re-elected in 1817, and served until 1824. His circuit was composed of Fraklin, Madison, Fayette, Highland, Adams, Scioto, Gallia and Ross. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and an elder in it. He was also a total abstainer from alcoholic drinks. He was an acute lawyer, but narrow-minded, firm to stubbornness, of considerable reading and of much readiness in application of learning, much influenced by his likes and dislikes.
In 1812, he was impeached by the House and tried by the Senate. The following were the charges exhibited against him:
First. Because he allowed the attorneys but ten minutes to a side in a larceny case in Highland County and when they objected, said that if they did not take it, he would allow them but five minutes to a side.
Second. Because he refused to allow an attorney to testify for his client in a case of usurpation in office, the attorney having offered to testify.
Third. Because he ordered certain court constables to knock down certain by-standers with their staves and gave no reason there for.
Fourth. Because he allowed a bill of exceptions contrary to the facts.
Fifth. Because he declared in an assault and battery case that the attorneys had no right to argue the facts to a jury except with the permission of the Court, and then when overruled by his associates, impatiently told the jury to go on.
Sixth. Because in a larceny case when the jury came back into court and wanted to re-examine the witnesses he refused them and sent them back telling them the case was too trifling to take up the time of the Court.
Seventh. Because he ordered a jury to be sworn in a robbery case, after they had all stood up and said they had made up their minds, and they found the defendant guilty without leaving the box.
Eighth. Because he said publicly the people were their own worst enemies; that they were cursed brutes and worse than brutes.
Ninth. Because at Hillsboro, he had refused to sign a bill of exceptions and had refused to let an appeal be docketed.
Tenth. Because at a trial at Gallipolis, he had unjustly and arbitrarily allowed an attorney but twenty-five minutes for an argument to the jury, and then when the limit of time was reached, ordered him to sit down saying the jury would do justice in the case.
Eleventh. Because at Gallipolis, he ordered the prosecuting attorney not to let any testimony go before the grand jury until he knew what it was.
Twelfth. Because he said to the grand jury at Circleville that our government was the most corrupt and perfidious in the world and the people were their own enemies. That they were devils in men's clothing.
The trial on these charges took nine days and witnesses were brought from each county where the transaction occurred. Henry Baldwin and Wylliss Silliman were attorneys for the State and Lewis Cass, John McLean and Samuel Herrick, for the defense. He was acquitted on all of the charges by a large majority and was re-elected by the Legislature in 1817. In 1821 and 1823, billious fevers prevailed at Chillicothe and many cases were fatal. Many thought the disease was yellow fever. Judge Thompson had a large family and became quite fearful of the disease attacking them. Thompson took up the theory that ammonia destroyed the germs of this fever. Therefore, he seriously proposed moving his whole family to and living in a tavern stable, among the horses, during the sickly season. Vigorous protests from Mrs. Thompson resulted in a compromise, by which the family remained in the mansion, but were required to spend an hour each morning on the manure pile, to inhale the fumes which arose from it.
Soon after removing from the bench, Judge Thompson removed to Louisiana, where he purchased a plantation and some negroes. There he died in 1833, near Fort Adams, just over the line in Mississippi
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900