Vernon W. Thomson

Vernon Wallace Thomson (November 5, 1905 – April 2, 1988) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 34th governor of Wisconsin from 1957 to 1959.

Vernon Thomson
Thompson circa 1965
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 3rd district
In office January 3, 1961 – December 31, 1974
Preceded by	Gardner R. Withrow
Succeeded by	Alvin Baldus
34th Governor of Wisconsin
In office January 7, 1957 – January 5, 1959
Lieutenant	Warren P. Knowles
Preceded by	Walter J. Kohler Jr.
Succeeded by	Gaylord Nelson
32nd Attorney General of Wisconsin
In office January 1, 1951 – January 7, 1957
Governor	Walter J. Kohler, Jr.
Preceded by	Thomas E. Fairchild
Succeeded by	Stewart G. Honeck
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office 1935–1951
Personal details
Born	(1905-11-05)November 5, 1905 Richland Center, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	April 2, 1988(1988-04-02) (aged 82) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Republican

Early life and education

Vernon Thomson was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin. He attended what is now Carroll University, in 1925, but graduated from what is now the University of Wisconsin–Madison, in 1927, where he was a member of Chi Phi fraternity. In 1932, he received his law degree and practiced law.

Career

Thompson as a Speaker of the State Assembly, circa 1940

Thomson became involved in the Republican Party. He was mayor of Richland Center from 1944 to 1951 and a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1935 to 1951, and served as Speaker of the Assembly from 1939 to 1945. He served as Attorney General of Wisconsin from 1951 to 1957. In 1956, he was elected governor of Wisconsin, defeating William Proxmire; he was defeated for reelection as governor in 1958 by Gaylord Nelson.

Thomson as governor.

In 1960, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives representing Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. He served in the 87th and was reelected to the six succeeding congresses. Thomson voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.^[1] He was defeated for reelection in 1974, losing to Alvin Baldus. He resigned before the official end of his term, overall serving from January 3, 1961 till December 31, 1974. Thomson was a member of the Federal Election Commission.

Thomson died in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Richland Center, Wisconsin.^[2]