Press release from the Ben Thompson Preservation Foundation:
“On April 29, Ben Thompson’s life will be recognized, honored and discussed by experts, authors and descendants for the first time in history. At least six organizations, including The Austin History Center, The Ben Thompson Preservation Foundation, The Giddings Area Chamber of Commerce, The Sons of Confederate Veterans, The Former Texas Rangers Foundation and The Wild West History Association, will celebrate and honor Ben Thompson’s life as a Confederate soldier, gunfighter and Austin City Marshal.
Beginning at 1:30 p.m., The Sons of Confederate Veterans, Major George W. Littlefield Camp 59, will host a graveside Confederate service to honor the family of Ben Thompson at the Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Texas. The tribute will include the posting of colors, a 21 musket & cannon salute, and the unveiling of a bronze footstone and Confederate Southern Cross. The Oakwood Cemetery is located at 1601 Navasota Street.
Immediately following the graveside marker dedication at the Oakwood Cemetery, the Austin History Center will host a history conference with an exhibit of artifacts and photos. Special guest speakers, including Thompson family members will be speaking on the life of Ben Thompson and will be available for a question-and-answer session. Some Authors will be available for a book signing. The Austin History Center is located at 810 Guadalupe Street.
There were few men on the western frontier who took part in more historic events or crowded more drama into a forty-year life-span than did Ben Thompson. Ben was a Confederate cavalry officer, major in the Emperor Maximilian’s army, Indian fighter, gambler in most every cow town in the west and served as Austin’s city marshal.
Contrary to public perceptions of him, Ben Thompson was soft spoken, courteous, generous and fiercely loyal to his family and friends. He followed a moral code that few gunfighters displayed; honesty, fair dealing, and responsibility for actions taken were his trademarks. His word and handshake were as good as gold. Many are not aware of his civic accomplishments and his patriotic service during the Civil War. Ben was a defender of people of all races, a defender of women and the weak, an Austin firefighter, a supporter of the Bayland Orphanage, a gift giver to Travis county jail prisoners at Christmas, an advocate for fair taxes to support city services, and the most famous and successful city marshal of Austin.”
Some of you know Son #2, my Austin screenwriter. In graduate school he wrote a screenplay about Ben Thompson, a mostly unsung hero of the frontier days. Now he’s in the middle of this unusual conference and, along with other historians and writers, working to put some of the pieces of the Ben Thompson puzzle together.
People have started to come out of the woodwork with previously undiscovered pieces of Thompson memorabilia, so Son #2 could not be any more excited.
For more about Ben Thompson, click here.
