George W. Thompson was born around 1819 in Kentucky. He married Mary Ann Shuffet, and they had at least seven children: James, born on February 3, 1843; Catlett, born around 1845; Elizabeth, born around 1846; George, born around 1848; Margaret, born around 1849; Susan, born around 1850; and Franklin, born around 1854. They lived in present-day Metcalfe County, Kentucky, and Thompson worked as a farmer. By 1850, he owned $500 of real estate. A decade later, he owned $3,500 of real estate and $6,000 of personal property. He died sometime in the 1860s.