Richard W. Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Thompson
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| 27th United States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office March 13, 1877 – December 20, 1880 |
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| President | Rutherford B. Hayes |
| Preceded by | George M. Robeson |
| Succeeded by | Nathan Goff Jr. |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th district |
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| In office March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849 |
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| Preceded by | Edward W. McGaughey |
| Succeeded by | Edward W. McGaughey |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 2nd district |
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| In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 |
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| Preceded by | John Davis |
| Succeeded by | Thomas J. Henley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Wigginton Thompson
June 9, 1809 Culpeper, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | February 9, 1900 (aged 90) Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Whig (Before 1850s) American (Before 1850s–1860) Constitutional Union (1860–1861) Republican (1861–1900) |
Richard Wigginton Thompson (June 9, 1809 – February 9, 1900) was an important American politician. He had a long career in public service. Thompson served in the United States House of Representatives and later became the United States Secretary of the Navy.
Thompson was born in Culpeper County, Virginia. In 1831, he moved to Louisville, Kentucky for a short time. He then settled in Lawrence County, Indiana. There, he worked as a teacher and ran a store. He also studied law at night.
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Early Career in Indiana
Richard Thompson became a lawyer in 1834. He practiced law in Bedford, Indiana. He also served four terms in the Indiana General Assembly from 1834 to 1838. For a short time, he was the temporary leader of the Indiana Senate. He even briefly acted as the Lieutenant Governor.
Supporting Presidential Candidates
In the 1840 presidential election, Thompson strongly supported William Henry Harrison. Later, Thompson represented Indiana in the United States Congress. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1841 to 1843. He was elected again and served from 1847 to 1849.
Changing Political Parties
During the 1850s, Thompson and some friends, like Schuyler Colfax, changed their political party. They left the Whig Party. They joined the American Party, also known as the Know Nothing Party. This party was concerned about the increase in immigrants from Ireland and Germany. The northern part of the American Party also opposed slavery.
Forming New Alliances
Thompson and his allies joined forces with the American Party. This was done to prevent the Democratic Party from winning elections.
In the 1860 election, Thompson led the Constitutional Union Party in Indiana. At their meeting in May, Indiana first supported John McLean. Then, they supported John Bell. Thompson was put on the National Committee for this party. However, in August, he decided to support Abraham Lincoln. He did this to make sure the Democratic Party did not win in Indiana.
After the Civil War
After the American Civil War, Thompson continued his public service. From 1867 to 1869, he served as a judge in Indiana. He was very active in the Republican Party.
Republican Party Involvement
Thompson was the chairman of the Platform Committee at the 1868 Republican National Convention in Chicago. He suggested Vice President Schuyler Colfax for re-election in 1872. This was at the Republican Convention in Philadelphia. In 1876, he gave the speech to nominate Oliver H. P. Morton for President. This happened at the Republican Convention in Cincinnati.
In 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes chose Thompson to be the Secretary of the Navy. He held this important job until December 1880.
As Secretary of the Navy, Thompson was not one of the most famous people in President Hayes's team. He was not from a state with a seacoast, as Indiana is inland.
Thompson took over from George M. Robeson, who had been Secretary for many years. Thompson did not make many big changes to the Navy. One notable event during his time was the USS Jeannette Expedition. This was an attempt to reach the North Pole in 1879. Thompson gave some advice for the preparations. However, he was careful about how much the government should be involved. He was unsure about sending escort ships or rescue ships. While he was not blamed for the expedition's sad outcome, his hesitation did not help matters.
Panama Canal Company Offer
In 1880, a new situation arose that led to Thompson leaving his job. A French company was starting to build the Panama Canal. The Hayes administration was friendly with France. However, they were worried about a French-owned canal across the Isthmus of Panama. They saw this as a problem for the Monroe Doctrine, which was about protecting American interests. Thompson knew about these concerns.
Thompson was offered a job by the American part of the Panama Canal Company. This American section was led by Jessie Seligman. The Seligman family had offered the job of president of the Canal Company to former President Ulysses S. Grant. But Grant said no. So, they offered the job to Thompson, and he accepted it. He then resigned from his role as Secretary of the Navy.
Later, this job offer became a topic of discussion for a Congressional Committee. Both Seligman and Thompson were questioned about it. Thompson eventually left the Panama Company. His reputation was questioned because of this situation. However, he was not involved when the company had big problems in 1889.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving his government roles, Thompson moved back to Indiana. He lived the rest of his life there. He passed away in 1900 in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The United States Navy destroyer ship USS Thompson (DD-305) was named in his honor. This shows his lasting impact.
Thompson was also a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He was an active Freemason and a member of Terre Haute Lodge No. 19, F&AM. He served as the Master of this lodge in 1859 and 1860.
Images for kids
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Photo of Richard W. Thompson. Age unknown
