Many thanks to Jill Beede – this must be one of the definitive versions of Snowshoe Thompson’s life and times – see it here!
Friends of Snowshoe Thompson
The magnificent statue of John “Snowshoe” Thompson, which stands in the grounds of the Mormon Station State Park in Genoa, Nevada, was dedicated on June 23, 2001. This statue was made possible with funds raised by the Snowshoe Thompson Committee of the Greater Genoa Business Association. On October 6, 2003, a new nonprofit organization was formed called “Friends of Snowshoe Thompson”.
The purpose of this organization is “To promote and foster the memory of John “Snowshoe” Thompson through events and activities, and to maintain the statue and planter in the Mormon Station State Park.
The mission is “To honor the memory of Snowshoe Thompson in many ways, including promotion of international cooperation between Norwegian and American communities; promotion of connections between American Lutheran Churches and Scandinavian Lutheran Churches; encourage education in the schools about Norwegians in America; hold events supporting these ideals.”
- The officers of the organization are as follows:
- President: Bill Bowersock
- Secretary: Sue Knight
- Treasurer: Loraine Dix
- Director: Ted Tiffany, liaison with the Carson Valley Historical Society
- Director: Nina MacLeod, liaison between Genoa and Norway
- Director: Kerstin Wolle
- Membership dues are waived at this time. Anyone is welcome to be on the membership list and will be notified of meetings and events. To become a member please send contact information to:
- Sue Knight, Friends of Snowshoe Thompson, P.O. Box 605, Genoa, NV, 89411 or e-mail wildrose@pyramid.net
- You may use our form on this page if you wish
Please add me to your membership list. Thank you, Ingrid
Hi Ingrid: I have added you to our membership list. Thanks very much. Our next big celebration will be in Genoa in 2016. You will be notified.
Snow-Shoe Thompson by Johnny Horton – this is the song all the postman! I’m a postman, but here in Germany. I like the melody and I like the text of this song !!
Many greetings from Germany
Matthias
Many thanks Matthias! Great to hear from you!
How can we get the words/music of this song?
Thanks. Sue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-BjZTNWVlU
Thanks so much. Had not heard it before – I love it!
Just found out from my big brother Ken, up in Canada, that John “Snowshoe” Thompson is in our Family Tree
! Please add me to your membership list 
! Thanks 
!
hello J Payne: … that John “Snowshoe” Thompson is in our Family Tree.
Has he published the family tree anywhere?
Dave Wilborn
I have a copy of Snowshoe’s family tree, if you are interested.
I would love to see copy of Snowshoe Thompson family tree. My family is related to him via my mother/grandmother’s side of family who all emigrated from Tinn, Telemark, Norway.
Me, too! My mother’s mother’s mother was Clara Belinda Thompson, daughter of Kristen Vaalund, or Chris Thompson. Snowshoe was his great uncle…I’ll look up your family and get back to you.
hello: yes i am interested in the thompson family tree. my grandfather was a different john thompson who lived and worked (as a miner in virginia city) not far from where snowshoe lived. i know very little of this side of my family and am interested in any history of the times and area. thanks, dave wilborn.
Jennifer, I would be very interested in having a copy of the family tree. Our information is somewhat fragmented. I hear from many people who have connections to the Snowshoe family. Let me know. Thanks.
Would love to know more about your connection. I have added you to our membership. Thanks. Sue
How is a person chosen for the Snowshoe Thompson Award?
My brother, Richard (Dick) Waterbury was given this award upon his retirement form the U. S. Postal Service. We have given the statue to the Gridley Museum, as of today, and would like to have some more background on why my brother received this honor. Am ashamed I do not know.
Thank you,
Sally Barker
Hi Sally: Apologies for the delayed response. How interesting! I really do not know about this award but I intend to research it. I am curious to know if it actually comes from the USPO! We have been pushing for a “Snowshoe” postage stamp for years. Stay in touch. Sue
I lived above Genoa at 8,200 ft in the Sierras years ago and visited the Genoa Cemetary several times. I found an old wooden rotted toomstone with skis crossed on it and became interested in it as skiing wasn’t even thought of in this country during his lifetime. He made his own skis out of wood himsellf. In my research I found out that he carried the US mail in the Winter over the Sierras to Sacramento. Someone asked him what kept him from getting lost in a storm. His reply was just something in his head kept him going correctly. There was no trail to follow in a storm. He must have gone almost right over my property in those days. The reason it interested me so much is that I had a Mail contract from Omaha, NB to Oakland, CA, the approximate route of the Pony Express Trail and Snowshoe Thompson. I don’t know how he made it. In the winter months, the snow load was over 16 feet high average. I also heard that the U S Postal Service never paid him anything for his service. We owe him big time.
I am supposedly related to snowshoe Thompson. My grandmother’s married name was Thompson and her husband was Oscar. I have been told my whole life that we are related. I am looking into it and will get back to you.
Was your grandfather’s name Oscar Albert Thompson? Born June 18, 1918 in Scobey, MT?
Welcome to Snowshoe Thompson Memorial race this Sunday! We are living close to the place Snowshoe Thompson lived in Norway. Every Easter we have about 800 people going cross country over the mountain.
I to am a relative of Snowshoe Thompson my Grandmother was a relative she had many books about him her maiden name was Olson
Cut and paste the following web address and you can access a digitized copy of the Thompson-Rue Family history:
http://books.google.com/books?id=HF4bAQAAMAAJ&q=inauthor:%22Alverna+Thompson+Robinson%22&dq=inauthor:%22Alverna+Thompson+Robinson%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LYmBUfb7EOnGiwLHioDIDw&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA
Hello to my far-flung cousins! I am also a descendent of the Thompson-Rue family through my mother’s mother, Esther Vinger, whose great grand-uncle was Jon Anon Torsteinsson Rue, or Snowshoe Thompson, his American name. The Thompson-Rue family published an extensively researched, 930-page family history that lists every family branch since 1759! I’m happy to look up other Norwegian family connections – like the Olsons, for example – if you can provide a detailed name, birthdate and/or place of birth.
Also, Snowshoe’s birthday is coming up: he’ll be officially 186 on April 30th!
Seems like quite a few relatives of Snowshoe Thompson.. Me too. He was my Great Grandmother’s cousin. Jon Rue was his real name, changed to John A. Thompson (his stepfather, Thom Thomson) He was born Jon Tostensen on the Rue farm in Upper Tins, Prestifield, Norway, April 30, 1827 (Tinns, Telemark) My Great Grandmother’s name was Gro Rue.
Was she Gro G. Rue, born in 1882 and died in 1959 at age 77? There’s another Gro Rue, but she was born in 1799….
Oh, and wishing a happy belated birthday to Snowshoe Thompson, born April 30th.