People

M H Thompson

M. H. Thompson was an early settler of Dundee, Illinois, who arrived in the township in 1836 as a child when his parents relocated from Plattsburg, New York. He went on to become a civil engineer, farmer, and civic figure in Kane County, serving as Secretary and Treasurer of the Elgin Gas Light Company. He is remembered locally for his long residence in Dundee Township and for the historical distinction of his family's home, which hosted the first election ever held in Lake Precinct.

Known Activities

Thompson pursued a career as a civil engineer and operated two farms that, according to The Past and Present of Kane County, Illinois (1878), were among the largest in Dundee Township. Beyond agriculture, he held administrative responsibility as Secretary and Treasurer of the Elgin Gas Light Company, suggesting an active role in the commercial development of the broader Elgin and Dundee area during the mid-to-late nineteenth century.

His family's early presence in the township placed them at the center of one of Dundee's foundational civic moments: the first election held in Lake Precinct—a precinct that encompassed both Elgin and Dundee—was conducted at his father's house, reportedly around the time of the family's arrival in 1836. (Source: Past and Present of Kane County, Illinois (1878))

Timeline

Year	Event
1834	Thompson family emigrated from Plattsburg, New York
1836	Family removed to Dundee, Illinois; Thompson grew up in the township
c. 1836	First election in Lake Precinct held at the Thompson family home
by 1878	Owned two of the largest farms in Dundee Township; serving as Secretary and Treasurer of the Elgin Gas Light Company

## Sources

The Past and Present of Kane County, Illinois (1878). Available at: https://archive.org/details/pastpresentofkan00peir#offset-2555749. Primary biographical source for this entry.