Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/158

 TUOMPSON

THOMPSON

branch of the institution, and in 1861 was pro- moted to a captaincy and again transferred to a professt)rship in the academy proper. During the civil war he served in the Confederate army as a captain in the defence of Charleston and the suhsetiuent operations against Sherman. Inl8G5 hi' wa.s selected ;vs principal of the Columbia JIale academy, wliich lio made a chvssical school of high standing. He was state superintendent of education, 187f>-S2, and in 1882 w;us informally elected president of the University of Soutii Caro- lina. Before the election could be made formal lie was nominated for governor, and was elected by an c)verwlu'lming majority. He was re-elected in 18S4. but re-signed in 1886 U) accept the position of assistant secretary of the U.S. treasury, ten- dered him by President Cleveland. In 1889 President Cleveland appointed him Democratic member of the civil .service commission, but the senate did not act on the nomination. President Harrison, however, immediately after his inaugu- ration renominated him, and the senate promptly continued the nomination. Governor Thompson resigned from the commission in 1892 to become comptroller of the New York Life Insurance com- pany.

THOMPSON, Jacob, cabinet officer, was born in Le;isburg. Caswell county, N.C., May 15, 1810. He was graduated from the University of North Carolina. A.B., 1831; was a tutor at the univer- sity. 1831-33 ; was admitted to the bar, 1834, and began jiractice in Chickasaw county. Miss. He was a Democratic representative from Mississippi in the 26th-31st congresses, 1839-51, declining re- election. While in congress he served several times as chairman of the committee on Indian aflfairs ; was influential in securing the repudia- tion of the state bonds, 1842 : voted against the compromise of 1850, and in 1845 declined an ap- jiointment by Governor Albert G. Brown of Mis- sissippi to fill a vacancy in the U.S. senate caused by the resignation of Robert J. Walker. He was secretary of the interior in President Buclianan's cabinet from March 5, 1857, to Jan. 8, 1861, when he resigned ; was appointed a commissioner to promote the secession of Nortli Carolina in Decem- ber, IHGO ; served as inspector-general of the Confederate army, and was governor of Missis- sippi, 1862-64, subsequently acting as aide-de- camp to General Beauregard. He was confiden- tial agent of the Confederacy to Canada, 1864-65, where he unsuccessfully endeavored to carry out a scheme for releasing the prisoners at Camp Douglas, Chicago, ami burning the city. He died in Memphis. T.-nii.. March 24. 1885.

THOnPSON, James, jurist, was born in Middle- sex, Butler county. Pa., Oct. 1, 1806. He was liberally educated ; learned the printer's trade ; was admitted to the bar in 1829, and began prac-

tice in Erie, Pa. He was a representative in the lower house of the state legislature, 1832-34, serving as speaker in the last session ; a Van Buren elector in 1836 ; delegate to the constitu- tional convention of Pennsylvania, 1838 ; presi- dent-judge of the sixth judicial district, 1839-44, and a Democratic representative from Penns5'l- vania in the 29th, 30th and 31st congresses, 1845-51. He was returned to the state legislature in 1855 ; judge of the supreme court of Pennsj'lvania, 1857-66, and chief justice, 1866-72, being an un- successful Democratic candidate for re-election. He is the author of the Reports of the Pennsyl- vania Supreme Court, Vols, xxx.-lxxii. He died suddenly, while conducting a case in that court at Philadelphia. Jan. 28, 1874.

THOMPSON, John, representative, was born in Franklin count}'. Pa., in 1777. He studied medicine and practised in New Lisbon, Colum- biana county, Ohio ; served as a representative in the Ohio legislature, 1816-17 ; as state senator, 1814-16 and 1817-21, and was a Democratic repre- sentative from the sixth district of Ohio in the 19th, 21st, 22d, 23d and 24th congresses, 1825-27, 1829-37. He died in New Lisbon, Dec. 2, 1852.

THOMPSON, John Burton, senator, was born near Harrodsburg, Ky., Dec. 14, 1810. His first paternal ancestor in America came from England to Virginia as a captain in the royal navy. John B.Thompson received a liberal education ; studied law under his father, and was admitted to the bar at Harrodsburg. He was appointed common- wealth's attorney ; was elected a Whig repre- sentative from Kentucky to the 26th congress to fill the unexpired term of Simeon H. Anderson, deceased, serving, Dec. 7, 1840-March 3, 1841, and was re-elected to the 27th, 30th and 31st con- gresses, serving 1841-43, and 1847-51. He re- cruited a volunteer cavalry company for the Mex- ican war, which, however, was refused, and served as U.S. senator from Kentucky, 1853-59. He was a member of the Unionist party. He died in Harrodsburg, Ky.. Jan. 7, 1874.

THOriPSON, John Reuben, author, was born in Richmond, Va., Oct. 23, 1823. He was gradu- ated from the University of Virginia, A.B., 1844, and practised law in Richmond. He was editor of the Southern Literanj Messenger, 1847-59, spending the j'ear 1854 abroad for the benefit of his health, during which time lie contributed foreign letters to the Messenger, and edited the Southern Field mid Fireside, 1859-61. He ar- ranged with a New York publisher to com- pile with John Esten Cooke " The Poets and Poetry of America " in 1860, which the war interrupted, and his health again demanding a change, he .sailed for London, where he was an associate e.litor of the London Index and pub- lished luiicles in Blackwood's Magazine. He re-