William Henry Thompson (December 14, 1853June 6, 1937) was a

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

politician.

Biography

Born in

Perrysville, Ohio Perrysville is a village in Ashland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 729 at the 2020 census. History The area was first permanently settled in 1810, but the village was not laid out until 1812. One of the settlers, Judge Coulter ...

, he attended

Upper Iowa University Upper Iowa University (UIU) is a private university in Fayette, Iowa. It enrolls around 6000 students and offers distance education programs that include 15 centers in the U.S., an online program, an independent study program, and centers in ...

Fayette, Iowa Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 1,256. It was named after the Marquis de la Fayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War. Fayette is the home of Upper Iowa Univ ...

from 1872 to 1875, then graduated from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

law school in 1877, being admitted to the bar the same year. He started practicing law in what was then known as Brush Creek, Iowa, but is now known as

Arlington, Iowa Arlington is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 419 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 490 population in the 2000 census. History Arlington was originally called Brush Creek. The community was first settled i ...

. He moved to

Grand Island, Nebraska Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 53,131 at the 2020 census. Grand Island is the principal city of the Grand Island metropolitan area, which consists of Hall, Merrick, ...

in 1881, practiced law and did some banking as well. He became Grand Island's city attorney from 1887 to 1888, then ran and lost in becoming a congressman from Nebraska to the 52nd congress in 1890. He was a member of the

board of trustees A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

for Grand Island College in 1893, and was elected mayor of Grand Island serving from 1895 to 1898. He was a member of the

Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the governing body of the United States Democratic Party. The committee coordinates strategy to support Democratic Party candidates throughout the country for local, state, and national office, as well a ...

from 1896 to 1900 and again from 1920 to 1924. William H

In 1902 he ran, unsuccessfully, for governor against

John H. Mickey John Hopwood Mickey (September 30, 1845 – June 2, 1910) was an American banker and Republican politician who served as the List of Governors of Nebraska, 13th Governor of Nebraska from 1903 to 1907. Life and career Early life and ancestors ...

. He became a member of the commission for the creation of a new capital. He was an associate justice of the

Nebraska Supreme Court The Nebraska Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. Each justice is initially appointed by the governor of Nebraska; using the Missouri Plan, each just ...

from 1924 to 1931. He was appointed on May 24, 1933, by then governor

Charles W. Bryan Charles Wayland Bryan (February 10, 1867 – March 4, 1945) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 20th and 23rd Governor of Nebraska, and Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, and was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1924. ...

, brother to democratic presidential candidate

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...

, to fill the senate seat of

Robert B. Howell Robert Beecher Howell (January 21, 1864 March 11, 1933) was an American politician. He was born in Adrian, Michigan. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1885. Afterwards, he went to the Detroit School of ...

when he died.

Richard C. Hunter Richard Charles Hunter (December 3, 1884January 23, 1941) was an American attorney and Democratic politician from Nebraska. He was most prominent for his service as a United States Senator (1934-1935) and as Nebraska's state attorney general (19 ...

was elected to replace him. Thompson died in Grand Island, Nebraska, on June 6, 1937, and interment in Grand Island Cemetery.

References

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, William Henry 1853 births 1937 deaths People from Perrysville, Ohio Democratic Party United States senators from Nebraska Nebraska Democrats Justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court Nebraska state court judges Mayors of places in Nebraska People from Grand Island, Nebraska Nebraska lawyers University of Iowa College of Law alumni