An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 324-325 R.H. THOMSON, Civil Engineer of the city of Seattle, Washington, is one of the progressive and enterprising young men of the Northwest. As such it is fitting that some personal mention be made of him in this work. R.H. Thomson was born in Hanover, Indiana, in 1856, son of Samuel H. and Sophronia (Clifton) Thomson, natives of Kentucky. The Thomson family originated in Scotland. William C. Thomson went from Glasgow about 1720 to Donegal county, Ireland, from whence his son, James Thomson, and his family emigrated to this country in 1771 and settled in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. >From that place their descendants spread out over the United States, some of them being farmers and others ministers, lawyers, doctors and engineers. The Cliftons are descended from French Huguenots, who came to this country at an early day. Samuel H. Thomson was a scientist and educator, and for thirty-two years was Professor of Astronomy and Mathematics at Hanover College, covering the period from 1844 to 1876. During this period there were conferred upon him the honorary degrees of A.M., Ph. P. and LL. D. He resigned his position there in 1876, and the following year came to California and settled at Healdsburg, where for four years he conducted the Healdsburg Institute. He died in 1882, in the seventieth year of his age. His widow is still living, having reached her seventy-third year. They had nine children, four of whom are now living, the subject of our sketch being the youngest son. Mr. Thomson was educated in the Hanover College, where he graduated in 1877, receiving at graduation the degree of A.B., and more recently the degree of A.M. Engineering had been a specialty in his course of study. He came to California with his parents in 1877, and taught in the mathematical department of the Healdsburg Institute until 1881. That year he came to Seattle, arriving here September 26, the city at that time comprising a population of about 3,500. Mr. Thomson found employment in the office of F.H. Whitworth, City and County Surveyor, and in 1882 entered into partnership with him under the firm name of Whitworth & Thomson. They conducted a general line of engineering in railroad, milling and city work. From August 1884, until August, 1886, Mr. Thomson was City Engineer, and during that time drew the plans for the construction of the Union street sewer. This was the first sewer constructed in Seattle on thoroughly modern principles, and has been the pattern for much subsequent work. He also drew plans for and superintended the construction of the Grant street bridge, which is a roadway twenty-six feet wide and two miles long, built on trestle across the tide flats south of the city, connecting the city with the manufacturing districts. In December, 1886, the firm of Whitworth & Thomson dissolved, and Mr. Thomson became the locating engineer of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad, filling that position until March, 1889. The country was rough, in many places making railroad work almost impossible, but his lines were adopted on many miles of main line west of the mountains. In March, 1888, he went to Spokane Falls, on the eastern division of the road, and located the two crossings of the Spokane river, and the line of road through that city, and also had charge of the construction of that part of the road, and of the depot and terminals. With the completion of that work he returned to Seattle and organized the engineering firm of H.H. Thomson & Co. After one year the firm changed to Thomson & White, continuing in a general line of work. In 1890 Mr. Thomson was appointed United States Deputy Mineral Surveyor for Washington, giving particular attention to the iron deposits of the Cascade mountains. In June, 1891, he was appointed County Surveyor, which position he resigned in May, 1892, to accept the appointment of City Engineer of Seattle, the partnership of Thomson & White being dissolved at this time. As City Engineer he has had under construction two sewer tunnels, each one mile long, connecting the interior valleys with the bay. These tunnels were exceedingly difficult to handle, running as they did through material of a glacial deposit consisting of clay intermixed with water, gravel and quicksand, at a depth of 135 to 285 feet under cover. These works have been carried to a successful completion by Mr. Thomson, although many skilled men believed success to be impossible. In 1883 Mr. Thomson was married, in California, to Miss Addie, daughter of James Laughlin, one of the first settlers of Sonoma county. They have two children, James Harrison and Marion. He is a member of no societies, but is a devoted believer in the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, as were his forefathers for many generations. Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer * * * * Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.