George W. Thompson

George W. Thompson

George Western Thompson (born May 14, 1806 in St. Clairsville , Ohio , †  February 24, 1888 in Wheeling , West Virginia ) was an American lawyer and politician . In 1851 and 1852 he represented the state of Virginia in the US House of Representatives .

Career

George Thompson attended Jefferson College in Pennsylvania until 1824 . After a subsequent law degree in Richmond and his admission to the bar in 1826, he began to work in St. Clairsville in this profession. In 1837 he moved to the western part of the state of Virginia. In 1838 he was the deputy postman in Wheeling. Between 1848 and 1850 he served as the federal attorney for the western district of Virginia. At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Democratic Party .

In the congressional elections of 1850 Thompson was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the 15th  constituency of Virginia , where he succeeded Thomas Haymond on March 4, 1851 . He was able to exercise this mandate until his resignation on July 30, 1852. During this time, the issue of slavery was debated in Congress .

George Thompson was a judge in his homeland between 1852 and 1861. In 1861 he was dismissed from this office for refusing to swear an oath on the proposed creation of the new state of West Virginia. Thompson found this process to be unconstitutional. After finishing his time as a judge, he returned to practice as a lawyer. He died in Wheeling on February 24, 1888.

Web links

• George W. Thompson in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• George W. Thompson in the database of Find a Grave (English)