Chester Charles Thompson (September 19, 1893 – January 30, 1971) was an

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Roc ...

politician who represented

Illinois's 14th congressional district The 14th congressional district of Illinois is currently represented by Democrat Lauren Underwood. It is located in northern Illinois, surrounding the outer northern and western suburbs of Chicago. Geographic boundaries 2011 redistricting Afte ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

from 1933 to 1939. Before serving in Congress he served the people as

Rock Island County Rock Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois, bounded on the west by the Mississippi River. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 147,546. Its county seat is Rock Island; its largest city is neighboring ...

Treasurer and as mayor of Rock Island.

Early life

Thompson was born September 19, 1893, in

Rock Island, Illinois Rock Island is a city in and the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The original Rock Island, from which the city name is derived, is now called Arsenal Island. The population was 37,108 at the 2020 census. Located on ...

. He was the son of Charles L. and Susan Miller Thompson. From an early age Thompson was introduced to the world of politics, his father was an Alderman on the City Council. Thompson attended Rock Island public schools and graduated from Rock Island High School in 1911. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

Thompson served as a

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...

in Headquarters Company of the Twenty-Fifth Coast Artillery from 1918-1919. He was engaged in the plastering business from 1910-1932.

Political career

On November 7, 1922, Thompson won his first elective office winning the office of

Treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury o ...

, one of two Democrats elected that year in the County he served in that office until 1926. In late 1926 Thompson announced his candidacy for

Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois The office of Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois has existed since the Rock Island's incorporation in 1841 with Benjamin Barrett serving as the city's first mayor. Rock Island adopted a Mayor-Council form of government. It held that form of governme ...

. At this time the City of Rock Island was predominantly

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and the County Treasurer faced an uphill battle against popular Republican Alderman

William R. Carse William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conqu ...

. In a tight race Thompson stunned the City by winning the election and becoming Rock Island's first Democratic Mayor in 30 years. Thompson went on to win two more times in 1929 and 1931 defeating former mayor

Walter A. Rosenfield Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born ...

by a wide margin and an even wider margin in two years later. Thompson, a

New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Con ...

Democrat, announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress in 1931 pledging to bring the nation out of the Great Depression. He went on to win the Democratic nomination, and in a hard fought battle against popular incumbent Congressman

John Clayton Allen John Clayton Allen (February 14, 1860 – January 12, 1939) was an American politician who represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives from 1925-1933. Allen was born in Hinesburg, Vermont in 1860. He attended the common ...

, Thompson rode to victory as one of the many Democrats winning in a nationwide landslide. As a member of Congress, Thompson was a big supporter of President

Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

and the New Deal. With the aid of the New Deal and the help of Rock Island Mayor

Robert P. Galbraith The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, h ...

Thompson was able to secure funding for the construction of a new high school and a water treatment plant. Thompson served in Congress for three terms before his defeat for reelection in 1938 by political newcomer Anton J. Johnson. On November 15, 1939, former congressman Thompson was appointed president and chairman of the board of the

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and he served there until his resignation on August 15, 1944. He was president of the

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where he served tell his retirement in 1957. He was a member and chairman of the

Jury Commission A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartial verdict (a finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Juries developed in England d ...

and a member and chairman of the County Board of Supervisor from 1965 tell his death in 1971. In 1964 Thompson announced that he would once again run for Mayor of his home community. In a fierce and competitive battle Thompson was defeated by City Councilman

James Haymaker James is a common English language surname and given name: * James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...

. Thompson died on January 30, 1971, at the age of 77 ending his fifty year career as a public servant.

Election history

Election of November 1922, County Treasurer
D. Chester C. Thompson- 15,042 74%
R. John G. Miller- 5,419 26%
Election of April 1927, Mayor
D. Chester C. Thompson- 5,526 52%
R. William R. Carse- 5,060 48%
Election of April 1929
D. Chester C. Thompson- 7,700 64%
R. Walter A. Rosenfield- 4,248 36%
Election of April 1931
D. Chester C. Thompson- 7,677 65%
R.

John W. Dee John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Seco ...

- 4,062 35%
Election of November 1932, U.S. House
D. Chester C. Thompson- 50,277 54%
R.

- 43,082 46%
Election of November 1934
D. Chester C. Thompson- 44,965 53%
R.

- 39,330 47%
Election of November 1936
D. Chester C. Thompson- 58,809 54%
R.

Clinton Searle Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a giv ...

- 49,250 46%
Election of November 1938
R. Anton J. Johnson- 44,243 51%
D. Chester C. Thompson- 41,682 49%
Election of April 1965, Mayor
NP. James H. Haymaker- 5,023 53%
NP. Chester C. Thompson- 4,497 47%

References

* Rock Island Argus, 1922–1938, 1965 * Illinois Blue Book, 1937-1938

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Chester C. 1893 births 1971 deaths American military personnel of World War I Politicians from Rock Island, Illinois United States Army soldiers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois 20th-century American politicians