Thompson was born November 7, 1847, in East Liverpool, Ohio, the youngest son of seven children of Josiah … See more

Thompson began composing in his teens and in addition to hymns, wrote about 100 secular songs, including "My Home on the Old Ohio" and "Gathering Shells from the Seashore."
Both a lyrici… See more

A member of the Church of Christ, Thompson is best known as the writer and composer of hymns and gospel songs, to which he increasingly devoted his talents after his teenage years.
His most w… See more

Thompson published his own works under a variety of pseudonyms, such as James Orr, J. Calvin Bushey, Warren Bestley, S. S. Meyers, Will T. Meyers, Will Baker, John Rutledge, John Armstrong, and Will Lamartine. … See more

Thompson fell ill during a tour of Europe, and his family cut short their travels to return home. He died a few weeks later in New York City on September 20, 1909. See more