Ransom Polk Tompkins, Jr. was born January 19, 1932, in Jacksonville, Florida, to Ransom Polk Tompkins Sr. and Henrietta Martin, having six siblings Mary, Ruth, Willie, Doris, John and Charles Tompkins all deceased.

Ransom graduated from Stanton High School in 1950 in Jacksonville, Fl. He entered the U.S. Airforce and later deployed to Korea. He served his country honorably in the Korean War until being discharged with honors.

After military service, Ransom and his brother John moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Ransom married Jewel Moreland in April 1954; until his wife died in October 1990.

Ransom was an entrepreneur as Founder and Owner of Pioneer Realty located in Beachwood, Ohio, serving the Cleveland Mt. Pleasant Area. Later, he moved to Miami, Florida, forming Tompkins Family Writer, LLC in 2002.

Proceed his death, one daughter Caroline Jewel and son Vincent Tompkins Sr.