Jabez P. Thompson

Jabez P. Thompson (1857 – January 1938) was a newspaper publisher, magistrate and politician in Newfoundland. He represented Twillingate and Fogo from 1882 to 1885 and Twillingate from 1889 to 1895 in the Newfoundland House of Assembly.^[1]

The son of Harry Thompson and Elizabeth Curtis, he was born in Harbour Grace and was educated there. Thompson married Sarah A. Salter.^[1]

He was employed with the Harbour Grace Standard as a printer. In 1888, he moved to Twillingate, where he founded the Twillingate Sun. In 1898, he founded the Vindicator and Brigus Reporter.^[1]

Thompson was first elected to the assembly in 1882 as a supporter of William Whiteway. He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1885 as an independent supporting Whiteway. In 1889, he was elected as a Liberal and was reelected in 1893. Thompson served in the provincial cabinet as surveyor general. He resigned his seat in 1895 to allow Robert Bond to run for a seat in the assembly. He was named a stipendiary magistrate for Brigus that same year and moved to Conception Bay. In 1900, he ran unsuccessfully for the Port-de-Grave seat in the assembly as a Liberal. Thompson retired from his position as magistrate in 1934. He died in Brigus four years later.^[1]

One of his daughters married Wilfred Bartlett, the brother of Captain Bob Bartlett.^[2]

His former residence at Brigus has been designated a heritage structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.^[2]

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