Letter from N. L. Barreda to Mississippi Governor Benjamin G. Humphreys; July 16, 1866

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25. Fifth Avenue, New York, July 16, 1866

Sir -

James J. Thompson, a native of the United Statse, married, some years ago. Dona Ysabel Bemgolea, of Lima. This lady, having received no news from her husband for the last two years, is very anxious to ascertain, if possible, what may have become of him. And for that end sends me the following particulars in regard to his family.

His father Jefferson Thompson is a farmer. The name of the mother is Mary Lacretia. He had two brothers, Roland and Joseph, the latter of which was a physician, residing at Mobile, and two sisters Margaret and Indiana. The family resided at Brookville - county of Noxubee, State of Mississippi.

The name of this person has called to my mind a narrative published in the New York papers in the month of December

last, and taken from the "Memphis Appeal" of crimes committed at Brookville by one James Thompson, who murdered his sister Margaret his step mother - his half brother "Clay," half sister Jemima - wounded his half sister [Em?] - and killed his father in the presence of the sheriff. He, James Thompson, was at last taken by several citizens bound and carried to the prison at Macon.

I do not know if this James Thompson - is the James J. Thompson married at Lima, or whether he is living and having no means of ascertaining the facts, I take the liberty of requesting Your Excellency to ask for information in this respect through the Federal authorities to enable me to set at rest the anxiety of this unfortunate lady. If James Thompson is, as I fear, the husband of Dona Ysabel Bemgolea, and the murderer of his family and has ceased to exist, I would like to have a duly authenticated certificate of his decease, for any legal purpose

that his widow may require it.

I beg to apoligize for the trouble imposed upon your Excellency in this matter, and relying on your appreciation of the motives that oblige me to apply to you for this information, I avail myself of the occasion to renew to Your Excellency, assurances of my most distinguished [consideration?].

N. L. Barreda

His Excellency The Honorable William H. Seward Secretary of State, of the United States Washington.