Thompson, Thomas W., 1766-1821

Thomas W. Thompson (1766-1821), New England lawyer and legislator. Thompson was born in Boston; the family later moved to Byfield, Mass. where Thompson attended Dummer Academy. He graduated from Harvard in 1786 and in September of that year went to study theology with the Hopkinsian theologian Nathanael Emmons (1745-1860) in Franklin, Mass. He then studied law with Theophilus Parsons and briefly served on Benjamin Lincoln's staff during Shays rebellion. For two years he served as a tutor at Harvard. In 1791 he moved to Salisbury, N.H. and was admitted to the bar. In 1810, he moved to Concord, N.H. Thompson was a trustee of Dartmouth College (1801-1821). In 1805, he was elected as Federalist to the Ninth Congress (March 4, 1805-March 3, 1807). He was a member of the New Hampshire legislature (1807-1808 and 1813-1814) and the state treasurer (1809-1811). In 1814, he was elected to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Nicholas Gilman and served from June 24, 1814, to March 3, 1817.

From the description of Journal of Thomas W. Thompson, 1786, July 19 - December 30. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 707423622