Royall Thompson (Alternate spelling Royal)

Birth: He was born around 1929 in Washington.  

Family Information: He was the son of Myrvle Thompson and Anna (Shutt Thompson Garrett) Shoemaker.

Brother of Zelma (Thompson) de Fausell and Myrvle Thompson (who never lived in the colony).

His mother later married R.V. Shoemaker.

Nephew of Leroy Shutt, Clarence Shutt and several others who did not live in the colony.

Description: In 1940 he was listed as 5'8" tall, weight 135 with a dark complexion, brown eyes and hair.  

Pre-Colony History: In 1920 he was living with his mother and siblings in Spokane, Washington.  

Home in Colony: In 1930 he and his mother were living in the New Llano Colony.

In March 1933 a group departed for the new unit at Gila, New Mexico, along with RV Shoemaker and his wife, Ann; McCullough and his wife; Beanfellow, shoemaker; Dan Taran, blacksmith; Royal Thompson, Kenfield, Charley Desiderio, Frank Plaga, farmers; John Neill, poultryman; Ludwig Mahler, butcher; and Milton Maki, machinist; with Warren Mitchell and Lee Fread as chauffeurs. The chauffeurs would not stay, but return to the colony with the truck. That was "two fiddles, a guitar and a flute lost from the orchestra..."

In 1934 he again traveled to the Gila, New Mexico location, to join his step-father who was already there working.  

Job in Colony: In 1931 the Rice Ranch mechanics included Blair Thomas, Royall Thompson, Adrian Risley, Sam Klette, John Rix, and John Swagger.

In October 1932 Clyde Mitchell was the foreman of the garage and they were swamped with not only colony work, but also "slathers" of outside jobs to attend to. His helpers were Royall, Harold Kemp and Blair Thomas.  

Other Info: In June 1929 the parish superintendent presented diplomas to the graduates of grade school including: Allie Belle Hewitt, Lois Brattland, June Enfield, Ruth Kingsbury, Paul Ashlock, Caleb Ashlock, John Armacost, Jesse Armacost, Roslyn Armacost, Elmer Jensen, Roy Swenson, Royal Thompson, Fred Busick, Robert Roe, Cletus Killian and Pauline Eggleston.

In July 1930 he visited the Rice Ranch along with Mrs. R.W. Banta, Mrs. Charles Brannon, Ernest Kimball, George and Bee Jensen, Lois Thompson, Sextus Garrett, Laura Synoground and Hope Shoemaker.  

Post-Colony History: In 1940 he was living at Pasadena, Texas and his next-of-kin was Pauline Thompson, his wife. He was a TEC 5 in the U.S. Army during WWII.

In 1959 he married Mary L. Hill in California and in 1960 he was registered to vote there.

In 1969 he was back in Texas and again re-married -- this time to Flora Lawson. At that time he was working as a typeset operator.  

Death: He died in 2008 at Palestine, Texas and was buried im Tyler Memorial Park Cemetery.  

Sources: US Census: 1920, 1930; "Llano Colonist": June 8, 1929, July 19, 1930, July 18, 1931, October 8, 1932, March 25, 1933, April 14, 1934; US Draft Registration: WWII; California Marriage Index; California Voter Registrations; Texas Marriage Index; "Tyler Morning Telegraph"; FindAGrave.com