Capt. Martin Freeman Thompson & Amanda Eliza Hamblin,
welcoming me to the family.
My great-grandfather, Capt. Martin Freeman Thompson, son and only child of Martin Edward & Elizabeth Emma (Freeman) Thompson, was born 29 March 1875 in Harwich, Massachusetts, and died 13 July 1965 in Dennis, Massachusetts. He married 1 February 1900 in Dennis, his fifth cousin, Amanda Eliza Hamblin, who was born there 2 August 1879, and died 6 July 1966 in Taunton, Massachusetts, the daughter of William Nelson & Anna Eliza (Baker) Hamblin.
Martin was for a time the captain of the King Philip, a fishing boat out of Boston. He was a pilot and a sea-captain. In 1906 the couple resided at 69A Whiting Street, in Lynn, Massachusetts and later lived at 13 Wilson Drive in Abington. Probably sometime after his father’s death in 1928 they moved to the family home at 114 Depot Street, in Dennis Port, and were certainly there before 1957. For a time Martin & Amanda resided at 10 School Street in Woods Hole with their daughter and son-in-law, who were caring for his aunt and uncle, Edward and Susan Flora (Freeman) Swift.
Amanda had a very close relationship with Martin’s cousin, Annie (Thompson) Kelley. She cherished unrealized dreams of becoming an actress, but was well-known for the beautiful doilies she crocheted. Many of the doilies were given to her great-granddaughter, my sister Beverly, who seems to have inherited the crocheting genes. Beverly reproduced some of Amanda’s designs and has mounted some of the originals for safekeeping.
Amanda suffered from dementia in her final years, and for the year after her husband died, could only accept that he was at sea, and would only be made to rest easier when she was told that he was coming home soon. Amanda was called “Mum” and Martin was called “Pop” by their daughter and grandchildren. Both Mum & Pop died of pneumonia, a year apart, and lie buried together in Swan Lake Cemetery in Dennis Port. Martin’s Namesakes: his father Capt. Martin Edward Thompson and his mother Elisabeth Emma Freeman. Amanda’s Namesakes: both of her grandmothers, Amanda Bearse and Eliza R. Eldridge.
Amanda & Martin were the parents of a daughter:
1. Emma Freeman Thompson (my grandmother), born 8 June 1906 in Lynn, Massachusetts, died 3 September 1996 in Dennis. She married 30 November 1929 in Harwich, John Everett White, who was born 8 June 1905 in Rockland, Massachusetts, and died 4 April 2001 in Dennis, son of Samuel Minor & Emma Flora (Atwood) White. Emma & John were the parents of two children.
Last Revised: 30 August 2024