William Henry Harrison THOMPSON, our subject, was born in Monroe Co., MO, then shows up in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses living with his parents in California.  He also shows up with his father in The 1867 Great Register (of California voters).  In the 1880 census, he is living with his half-brother, Allen W. THOMPSON, in California.  In no census does William have a wife or children, so…

What evidence is there that our subject is the William H. THOMPSON who married Mary Frances JENNINGS in 1863 in Worth Co., MO?  I find it very difficult to believe he made a round trip to Missouri between 1860 and 1867 where he got married, especially in a county where no member of his family has ever been known to have lived (at least, not known to me).  Note also that in the 1870 census of Buchanan Co., MO, there is a William H. THOMPSON (æ 29) with wife Mary F. (æ 28) and children ages 1 mo to 4 yrs — a perfect fit for a couple married in 1863 just three counties away.

1.  Family Group Sheet by Betty Ann (Matthiesen) Cogliati and her grandmother, Maude Irene (Thompson) Rose.

2.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service:  IGI - International Genealogical Index (online at FamilySearch.org):

William H. THOMPSON Spouse: Mary Francis (sic) JENNINGS Marriage: 08 Oct 1863, Worth, Missouri Source: Marriage Records, 1861-1928. Worth County (Missouri). Recorder of Deeds

Some secondary sources have equated this William H. THOMPSON with our subject, but all other evidence gathered, so far, argues strongly against them being the same person.

3.  1850 Census Index/Microfilm (online at GenealogyLibrary.com):  William H. H. THOMPSON (æ 10, b. MO) is living with his parents in El Dorado Co., CA.

4.  1860 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #290-291 of 303):  Santa Clara P.O., Santa Clara Twp., Santa Clara Co., CA, Roll M653_65, pp. 512-513, PN 290-291, enumerated 8 Aug 1860, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1860 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

2324	364	Thos Thompson	62	M		Christian Clergyman		2500	Ky
		Mildred B  "	62	F					"
		W H        "	18	M		farm laborer			Mo
		Ellen W    "	14	F					"

5.  1870 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #54 of 88):  San Jose P.O., Santa Clara Twp., Santa Clara Co., CA, Roll M593_88, p. 161B, PN 54, 452/423, enumerated 20 Jun 1870, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

Thompson Thomas	73	M	W	Farmer	15000	700	Kentucky
________ Mildred	73	F	W	Keeping House			Kentucky
________ Thomas B	39	M	W	Farm laborer			Missouri
________ William H	30	M	W	Farm laborer			Missouri
________ Allen W	24	M	W	Farm laborer			Missouri
________ Susan	15	F	W				California
________ Sunola	11	F	W				California

6.  1880 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #22 of 48):  Ukiah, Mendocino Co., CA, p. 193B, PN 22, SD 3, ED 57, enumerated 12 Jun 1880 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1880:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).
1	2	3	4	5	6	8	9	10	13	24	25	26
150	152	Thompson A. W.	W	M	34			/	Postmaster	MO	KY	KY
		[Allen's wife and children]
		________ Wm. H. H.	W	M	39	Brother	/		Clerk	MO	KY	KY

Allen W. THOMPSON is William's half-brother. 

7.  1900 Census Index/Microfilm (online at Genealogy.com):  our subject is not the William H. THOMPSON in Santa Rosa (æ 67, b. ME).

8.  The 1867 Great Register [of voters] (extracted 21 Oct 1998 by A. Robert Matthiesen at the San Jose Historical Museum, Pacific Hotel Bldg., Senter Rd., San Jose, CA):

Name	Age	Born	Occupation	Residence	Registered	Naturalized
Wm. Henry Harrison THOMPSON	25	MO	Farmer	Santa Clara Twp.	1866

Also in register:  subject's father, Thomas THOMPSON.

9.  Email from Phyllis Houlding.

10.  Archives of the TThompson Mailing List.

11.  WorldConnect / Ancestry World Trees (online at RootsWeb.com/Ancestry.com).