Fountain Land Thompson (November 18, 1854February 4, 1942) was a

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

politician who served as a

United States senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...

from his state. Born in

Macoupin County, Illinois Macoupin County is located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 47,765. The county seat is Carlinville. The primary industry is agriculture, consisting of crops of corn (maize), soybeans, and so ...

near Scottville, he moved to nearby Girard in 1865; he attended the public schools there and studied law and was admitted to the

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

, but did not engage in extensive practice. He was a member of the

board of supervisors A board of supervisors is a governmental body that oversees the operation of county government in the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as 16 counties in New York. There are equivalent agenc ...

Macoupin County Macoupin County is located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, it had a population of 47,765. The county seat is Carlinville, Illinois, Carlinville. The primary industry is agriculture, consis ...

and engaged in mercantile pursuits. He moved to

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...

and settled on a farm near Cando, North Dakota, in 1888. He was judge of the Towner County Court from 1890 to 1894. He engaged in the real estate business and banking in Cando and also in agricultural pursuits; was a school director and member of the Cando Board of Aldermen. He was mayor of Cando, and was appointed as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of

Martin N. Johnson Martin Nelson Johnson (March 3, 1850October 21, 1909) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States representative and senator from North Dakota. Early life and education Born to Norwegian immigrants in Racine County, Wisc ...

and served from November 10, 1909, to January 31, 1910, when he resigned. He resumed his former business activities in Cando until his retirement in 1921; he moved to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

where he resided until his death in 1942 at age 87. He is only the second U.S. senator to have ever held the record of oldest living U.S. senator for two distinct intervals. This was due to the late age inauguration and subsequent passing 2 months later of

Andrew Jackson Houston Andrew Jackson Houston (June 21, 1854June 26, 1941) was an American politician. He was a son of the famous Texas hero and statesman Sam Houston and his wife Margaret Lea Houston, and was named for his father's mentor Andrew Jackson. He served br ...

. Thompson's interment was in Hollywood Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Fountain Mayors of places in North Dakota People from Macoupin County, Illinois 1854 births 1942 deaths Democratic Party United States senators from North Dakota People from Girard, Illinois