William Henry THOMPSON, Congress, NE (1853-1937)

THOMPSON, William Henry, a Senator from Nebraska; born in Perrysville, Carroll County, Ohio, December 14, 1853; attended the common schools and received private instruction; attended Upper Iowa University at Fayette 1872-1875, and graduated from the law department of the State University of Iowa at Iowa City in 1877; admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice at Brush Creek (now Arlington), Iowa; moved to Grand Island, Hall County, Nebr., in 1881 and continued the practice of law; also interested in banking; city attorney of Grand Island 1887-1888; unsuccessful candidate for election in 1890 to the Fifty-second Congress; member of the board of trustees of Grand Island College in 1893; mayor of Grand Island 1895-1898; member of the Democratic National Committee 1896-1900 and 1920-1924; unsuccessful candidate for governor of Nebraska in 1902; member of the State commission for erection of a new capitol; judge of the supreme court of Nebraska 1924-1931; appointed on May 24, 1933, as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Robert B. Howell and served from May 24, 1933, to November 6, 1934, when a successor was elected; was not a candidate for election to this vacancy; retired to private life; died in Grand Island, Nebr., on June 6, 1937; interment in Grand Island Cemetery.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present