Frances Jackson Thompson, born December 29, 1784 in Culpeper County, Virginia, married in that same county on December 23, 1806, Mr. John Pendleton who was born April 21, 1780 and died January 26, 1836.  The lives of Frances Jackson Thompson and Mr. John Pendleton are treated at length in the account of the Pendleton Family...

John Pendleton, son of Henry Pendleton and his wife Anne Knight was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on April 21, 1780.  On December 23, 1806, he married in Spotsylvania County, Frances Jackson Thompson (Dec. 29, 1784 - Nov. 4, 1863), daughter of William Thompson, Esq., and his wife Frances Mills...

The living children of John Pendleton were named in his will.  A similar list kept in the records of his grandaughter Julia Kay-Richardson reveals that there were ten children born of this union but that the will does not name them in the order of their birth. The list of Julia Kay-Richardson shows the following order:

Mary b. June 4, 1808, in Virginia
Frances Ann b. Jan. 30, 1810, in Virginia; M. Eldred B. Garnett 
James Madison b. Nov. 20, 1811, in Virginia; M. Catherine Garnett 
John Thompson b. June 19, 1815, in Kentucky; M. Jeanett Ervin 
Caroline Augusta b. Dec. 8, 1816, in Kentucky; M. William Kay 
Juliet Thompson b. Dec. 23, 1818, in Kentucky 
Will Henry b. Dec. 16, 1820, in Kentucky; M. Isabella Majors 
Edmund Waller b. Dec. 1, 1822, in Kentucky; M. Ann Barclay 
Emily Louise b. Oct. 13, 1825, in Kentucky; M. Benjamin Downer 
Cyrus Neville b. Feb. 19, 1823, in Kentucky; M. Ella Gosin

Records of land purchases in Christian County, Kentucky, show that John Pendleton removed to that county in the year 1812.  He owned two sizable tracts of land which his will seems to indicate are more or less comparable properties.  The place on which his house was built was sold by his executors on July 20, 1840.  This property was situated on the waters of the West Fork of the Red River and was bounded on the east by Tobacco Road and had been acquired as three separate parcels which were combined to make a total of 500 acres.  This property was sold to E.B.  Garnet for $6,000.00.  It is inferred that the widow, Frances Jackson Thompson, remained on the other tract until her death November 4, 1863. 

The citizens of Kentucky carried with them the social standards and political organizations they followed back in Virginia.  John Pendleton would have been considered the model citizen.  He had substantial land holdings and relied on agriculture for a living.  He was also able to devote considerable time to public service and to the church.  One of the institutions carried into Kentucky was that of the county court composed of respected leaders who were called gentlemen justices.  Such a choice fell upon John Pendleton as is shown by an entry in County Orders, Book H, p. 331 (Christian County, Kentucky records), under date of June 4, 1838. 

"Ordered that the official books and papers of John Pendleton Justice, deceased, be assigned over to Nathan Underwood, Justice."

His name appears in Book G, p. 268, Christian County records as one of the gentlemen justices, 1830.  His name also appears as one of the justices in a record showing that his son James was licensed as a Baptist minister for the New Providence Baptist Church of Hopkinsville.  John Pendleton went surety on the required bond in amount of L 500. (Ibid. 525.) 

There are fairly good accounts of the organization and development of various Baptist church organizations in Christian County.  On January 22, 1814, Bethel Baptist Church was organized at Salubria Springs by fifteen members.  John and Frances Pendleton were included in this membership.  This church was a branch of the West Fork Church and became independent in 1816. (Perrin, Wm. Henry, History of Christian County, Kentucky, 1884, p. 227.)  Another account of John Pendleton appears in A History of Kentucky Baptists by J.H. Spencer Cincinatti, 1885, Vol. 2, p. 388, which is reproduced below. 

"John Pendleton emigrated from Spottsylvania county, Virginia, to Christian County, Kentucky, in 1812.  He entered into the constitution of Bethel church, which he served long, both as clerk and deacon.  He was a man of enlarged views and was far in advance of the Baptists in Red River Association, of which he was a member about twelve years.  He entered with his church into the constitution of Bethel Association and was a very prominent member of that body, during what may be called its formative period, serving as clerk, a number of years.  Being an earnest and enlightened advocate of missions and the support of the ministry, he contributed no small part in giving direction to the counsels of Bethel Association, in these matters.  As a citizen, he occupied a prominent position in his county, which honored him with a seat in the State Legislature, in 1833.  He died in 1833. Among his children, were the distinguished J.M. Pendleton, D.D., William H. Pendleton, long a deacon of the church at Hopkinsville, and a most valuable church member, and Cyrus N. Pendleton, a prominent lawyer and politician of Christian County, and a member of Bethel church." 

(The above statement that John Pendleton died in 1833 is an error as is readily proved by his will and by family records.) 

[Will of John Pendleton] 

This is a thoughtful and precise document.  It reflects the mutual trust which must have prevailed in the household of John and Frances Pendleton.  The two sons whom John Pendleton designated as his executors performed as he had expected them to do.  They promptly submitted their inventory of the estate of their father and their administration of the estate was without challenge accepted and made a part of the public record. The inventory submitted contains several interesting items and reflects the level of prices prevailing in the pre-Civil War period.

[Inventory of the Estate of John Pendleton] 

Little is known of the life of Frances Jackson Thompson.  She survived her husband by twenty-five years and died in her eightieth year on November 4, 1863.  She was buried beside her husband in the garden near the house.