In June, we looked at the Charles W. Thompson family of Ferry Village, including his sons Benjamin and Charles. We turn this week to the grocer Howard S. Thompson and his family of the Willard neighborhood.

Like many local grocers, Howard Thompson would deliver products to the homes of his customers. Above, the Howard Thompson grocery delivery vehicle. Jody Thompson Hill collection/South Portland Historical Society

Howard Thompson was born in South Portland (then known as Cape Elizabeth) in 1875. His father Nathaniel was a fisherman, so it’s no surprise that when Howard first struck out on his own in his 20s, he was a fisherman, too.

In 1898, when Howard married Jane Foote, the ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Leonard Bean, who had served as pastor at the Peoples Methodist Episcopal Church from 1888-1890.

Howard and Jane had three children together: Nat, Norman and Ralph. By 1910, Howard had given up fishing and had gone to work as a clerk in a local grocery. After their oldest son Nat died of typhoid fever in 1919 (at the age of 19), Howard opened his own store in Willard Square.

When he first opened his store, around 1919-1920, it was in a small one-story building at 408 Preble St. During the time that he operated his store there, however, the building changed to a two-story structure and was renumbered as 412 Preble St., sometime around 1923. This made him the first person to ever operate a grocery in what is now called the Bathras Market building, to the left of Scratch Baking today. We have not yet been able to determine if the earlier store was razed, burned, or if a second story was, perhaps, added to it.

Howard Thompson, standing inside his IGA store at 412 Preble St. in Willard Square. Jody Thompson Hill Collection/South Portland Historical Society

After the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) was founded in 1926, Howard Thompson became an IGA-affiliated store in order to access better pricing for his merchandise. He was successful as a grocer, operating his store for over a decade. He left the business during the Great Depression years, around 1932, at a time when many grocers had a tough time.

In those early years, most grocers had allowed customers to “run a tab” and, after the Great Depression hit in 1929, many customers were unable to pay their bills for a long time.

Both Howard and his brother Walter were early members of the Willard Hose Company No. 2. If you look at any rosters of the hose company over the years, they are virtually a who’s who of the neighborhood.

Howard was active throughout his lifetime, including serving as a member of the company’s board of directors, and was eventually awarded a 50-year service badge from the South Portland Fire Department.

Growing up with their dad serving in the Willard Hose Company, Norman and Ralph Thompson followed in his footsteps, as well. They were both members of the volunteer hose company, but they would also become professional firefighters with the South Portland Fire Department.

Norman and Ralph Thompson on Willard Hose Company’s Ladder 2 in 1928. Jody Thompson Hill Collection/South Portland Historical Society

Norman Thompson was amongst the very first professional firefighters in South Portland. Up until 1925, we had no city fire department; all firefighting was provided by the neighborhood call companies.

In 1924, the city of South Portland purchased the Knightville Hose Company’s fire station on Thomas Street and in 1925, the city began to hire its first permanent firefighters who were stationed there at “Central Station.” Norman was hired in that first year as a firefighter.

Ralph Thompson started out his career working for the city as a snow plow and truck driver, but would later join his brother as a professional firefighter at Central Station. In an interview that appeared in the American Journal, Ralph Thompson described his time also working as a policeman: “During World War II I’d work one day as a fireman and one day as a policeman. There were a lot of rough guys in town then working at the shipyard and we would patrol the cafeteria at Cushing’s Village (the wartime housing complex at the eastern end of Broadway on the left) to break up any fights. The city was short of money so some firemen would double as policemen.”

Ralph Thompson with pups Lighter and Tapper in July, 1956. Lighter would become a member of Engine 5 at Cash Corner and Tapper went to Engine 6 in Thornton Heights. Jody Thompson Hill Collection/South Portland Historical Society

In 1944, South Portland opened its second permanent fire station, at Cash Corner in the old Cash Corner schoolhouse (which had just previously been home to Stubbs’ garage).

The city moved six of its permanent firefighters from Central Station on Thomas Street to the new station at Cash Corner: Lt. Raymond W. Smith, Lt. Stanley R. Pettengill, Norman W. Thompson, George W. Ridley, Ralph F. Thompson and Gleason B. Hooper.

In June, 1947, Norman Thompson was promoted to lieutenant at the fire department. That fall, the Thompson brothers would join with their fellow firefighters in battling the massive forest fires that devastated many areas of Maine.

While helping with those fires in the Newfield area, Ralph Thompson also brought his horse van and allowed people to use it to save their livestock. As a token of their appreciation, the people of the town of Newfield presented Ralph with a Dalmatian, which he then officially presented to the South Portland Fire Department. The dog was named Spanner and became an official member of the Engine 5 crew at Cash Corner – wearing a fire badge on his collar and riding in the fire truck on all fire calls.

Note: The South Portland Historical Society is actively researching and documenting local history. If you enjoy reading about South Portland history, please consider renewing your membership or becoming a new member of the South Portland Historical Society.

A one-year family membership is only $25 and supports our mission of preserving local history. Donations can be made through our Online Museum website at https://sphistory.pastperfectonline.com, or if you’d prefer to donate by check, please make it payable to South Portland Historical Society and mail to 55 Bug Light Park, South Portland, ME 04106. Thank you. If you need to contact the society, we can be reached by email at sphistory04106@gmail.com or by phone at 207-767-7299.

Kathryn Onos DiPhilippo executive director of South Portland Historical Society. She can be reached at sphistory04106@gmail.com.