10/21/2026
From Philadelphia to Magoffin County: A Family’s Photographs Preserve Eastern Kentucky History
A remarkable collection of historical photographs is offering a glimpse into Eastern Kentucky’s past, thanks to a daughter who preserved her late father’s work and generously shared it with Appalachia Insider.
The photographs will introduce Magoffin In History, a new twice-weekly series highlighting the people, places, and everyday life of Magoffin County decades ago.
Behind many of those images is the story of Rev. Charles G. Thompson, Jr., a Philadelphia native whose missionary work brought his family to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky.
A Family’s Journey to the Mountains
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Thompson worked as a steam engineer while attending Philadelphia College of the Bible at night.
His wife, Margaret Kinloch Thompson, was born in Scotland and immigrated to America as a young child. The couple married September 11, 1937.
In August 1946, Charles and Margaret left Philadelphia with their five young children and moved to Decoy in Knott County, where they began their work as nondenominational missionaries.
The family later relocated to Harper in Magoffin County after their oldest daughter’s education would have required her to attend a boarding school, something Margaret opposed.
In Harper, Charles preached at a small chapel, and the couple welcomed three more children, bringing their family to eight.
Their youngest daughter, Brenda Thompson Kendall, recalls a life centered on faith and service.
According to Kendall, only one church committed to regularly supporting her father’s missionary work, providing $50 per month, the family’s only guaranteed income.
“They lived on FAITH!” she recalled.
Preserving Life Through a Camera
Photography was one of Charles’s personal interests.
“He just enjoyed taking the photos and had most of them developed into slides,” Kendall explained.
He occasionally carried those slides back to Philadelphia, showing supporting churches photographs of the communities and missionary work taking place in Eastern Kentucky.
The images captured far more than religious activities. They preserved homes, schools, gatherings, familiar faces, and everyday scenes from a region undergoing generations of change.
Charles died October 18, 2005, but his photographs remained with his family.
Years later, Kendall scanned and digitized the slides, preserving them for future generations.
When Appalachia Insider learned of the collection, Kendall generously shared photographs from Magoffin, Morgan, and Floyd counties, offering additional information to help identify the scenes and people pictured.
Introducing Magoffin In History
Beginning Sunday, October 25, Appalachia Insider will introduce Magoffin In History, featuring a single historical photograph every Wednesday and Sunday.
Some images include names, dates, and locations. Others hold unanswered questions that longtime residents may be able to help resolve.
We invite readers to share memories, recognize familiar places, and help identify the people captured in these photographs.
Appalachia Insider extends its sincere appreciation to Brenda Thompson Kendall for preserving and sharing the collection, and recognizes the photographic contributions of her father, Rev. Charles G. Thompson, Jr.
More than seven decades ago, Charles carried photographs of Eastern Kentucky to Philadelphia, sharing glimpses of mountain life with people hundreds of miles away.
Today, through his daughter’s efforts, those photographs are finding their way back to the communities where many were taken, bringing with them memories worth preserving.
Featured photograph: Rev. Charles G. Thompson, Jr., and Margaret Kinloch Thompson. Courtesy of Brenda Thompson Kendall.
