About John Thomson
Lived 1835 – 1916 (aged 80–81). John Thomson was an American librarian and bibliographer, known for Free Library of Philadelphia.
John Thomson (1835–1916) was the first head librarian of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Thomson was born in Norfolk, England and attended St. Paul's School, London. He emigrated to the US in 1881.
Before the Free Library of Philadelphia, Thomson was the private librarian of Jay Gould and Clarence H. Clark.
He compiled a bibliography of all the incunabula in the US and purchased a number of rare books for the library, including Walter Arthur Copinger's collection of 500 incunabula and fourteen Portuguese antiphonaries given to the College of Saint Jerome by King John III.
He was married to Mary Ann Thomson (1834–1923), writer of Protestant hymns. They had a dozen children.
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Important facts
People in John Thomson's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was John Thomson?
American librarian
When was John Thomson born?
John Thomson was born in 1835 in Norfolk.
When did John Thomson die?
John Thomson died in 1916.
What was John Thomson's occupation?
John Thomson was a librarian and bibliographer.
What was John Thomson known for?
John Thomson was known for Free Library of Philadelphia.
What nationality was John Thomson?
John Thomson was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: John Thomson (librarian)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Thomson. https://biography.guide/john-thomson-librarian/
MLA: "John Thomson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-thomson-librarian/.
Chicago: "John Thomson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-thomson-librarian/.
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