True Life Tuesday: Jim Thompson

James Harrison Wilson Thompson was born on March 21, 1906 in Greenville, Delaware. He was the youngest of 5 children born to Henry and Mary Wilson Thompson. His father was a wealthy textile merchant. His mother was the daughter of James Harrison Wilson, a noted Union general in the Civil War. Jim graduated from Princeton University in 1928. He did some post-graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania but did not finish due to his weakness in Calculus. From 1931-1940 he worked at Holden, McLaughlin & Associates in New York City. While there he designed homes for the east coast rich. 

In 1941 Thompson quit his job and enlisted in the Delaware National Guard. He was eventually transferred to Fort Monroe in Virginia. While there he met 2nd Lieutenant Edwin Fahey Black. Black encouraged him to join the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA. He served in the OSS during the height of World War II. He was sent to Thailand shortly after VJ Day to set up an OSS office in Bangkok. 

In 1946 he returned to American to request his discharge. He had fallen in love with Thailand and returned to the country once he was discharged. In 1948 he partnered with George Barrie to found the Thai Silk Company Limited. In 1951 the company provided the silk fabrics that were used in the film The King and I. This caused the company to prosper. Even with the increase in business Thompson was determined to keep the company cottage based. This allowed women to stay in their households while earning a living.

In 1958 he designed and started building a large mansion to display the many treasures he had collected. He had pieces from China, Belgium, Victorian England and Cambodia. He used parts of old country houses to construct the home. On March 26, 1967 he went for a walk in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. On the walk he disappeared and has never been found. Theories on his disappearance include him becoming lost, foul play and that he left to start a new life. He was declared dead in absentia by a Thai court in 1974. His mansion was turned into a museum. It named one of the top 5 places to visit in Bangkok by Trip Advisor in 2022.