Author: Thomson, Alexander
Biography:
THOMSON, Alexander (1763-1803: ODNB)
He was the son of Elizabeth (Crockat) and Matthew Thomson, a land surveyor. Although he was born at Aberdeen on 7 Aug. 1763, he spent most of his life in Edinburgh where he was a friend of Robert Anderson (1750-1830: ODNB), editor and biographer. He married Louisa Henry on 5 Oct. 1793 in Saint Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh, in 1793; they had six daughters. He lived at least some of his life in Deanston, Perthshire; the preface to his translations in The German Miscellany (Perth, 1796) is dated from there. His East Indian, a translation from Kotzebue, was published in 1799. He suffered a stroke while visiting Robert Anderson at his home, and never recovered. On his death at home in Buccleugh Street on 7 Nov. 1803, he left unfinished a history of Scottish poetry. Thomson was buried in Greyfriars churchyard, Edinburgh. In June 1806 an application was made to the Royal Literary Fund for support for his widow and children; they were granted £20. (ODNB 17 Nov. 2020; ancestry.co.uk 17 Nov. 2020; RLF file 186) SR
Other Names:
- Alex. Thomson