[3][4] In October 1776 he fled his home to escape British troops, successfully evading capture by submerging himself in a nearby swamp.

[5] This incident was known to James Fenimore Cooper, who used a fictionalized version of it in his 1821 novel The Spy.

[8][9] Tompkins studied law, attained admission to the bar, and practiced in Westchester County.

[16] In 1823 Tompkins returned to the position of Westchester County Judge, and he remained on the bench until his death.

[17] In 1828 he was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress, losing a narrow contest to Henry B. Cowles.