Keith Thomson (politician)
Keith Thomson | |
---|---|
![]() | |
United States Senator-elect fromWyoming | |
In office Died before taking office | |
Preceded by | Joseph C. O'Mahoney |
Succeeded by | John J. Hickey |
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWyoming'sat-largedistrict | |
In office January 3, 1955 – December 9, 1960 | |
Preceded by | William Harrison |
Succeeded by | William Harrison |
Member of theWyoming House of Representatives | |
In office 1952–1954 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Edwin Keith Thomson February 8, 1919 Newcastle, Wyoming,U.S. |
Died | December 9, 1960 (aged 41) Cody, Wyoming,U.S. |
Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | |
Children | 3 |
Education | University of Wyoming(LLB) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1941–1946 |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Edwin Keith Thomson(February 8, 1919 – December 9, 1960), usually known as Keith Thomson, was aUnited States representativefromWyoming.A highly decoratedWorld War IIveteran, Thomson served three terms in Wyoming's only U.S. House seat. On November 8, 1960, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, but died a month later of a heart attack before taking office.
Early life
[edit]Born inNewcastle,Wyoming, he grew up on a ranch inCrook Countyand attended public schools inBeulah,Wyoming, andSpearfish, South Dakota.He graduated in 1941 from theUniversity of WyomingLaw School inLaramie.While in law school he met his wife,Thyra Godfrey Thomson,and they were married in 1939.[1]
Military service
[edit]Thomson was called toactive dutyon March 24, 1941 and commanded the Second Battalion, 362nd Infantry Regiment,91st Division.He was released from active duty as a lieutenant colonel on January 24, 1946. He had been admitted to thebarin 1941 and commenced the practice of law inCheyennein February 1946; he was a delegate to the1952 Republican National ConventioninChicagoand was a member of theWyoming House of Representativesfrom 1952 to 1954.
Political career
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/ANCExplorer_Thyra_Thomson_grave.jpg/220px-ANCExplorer_Thyra_Thomson_grave.jpg)
Thomson was elected as a member of theRepublican Partyto theEighty-fourth,Eighty-fifth,andEighty-sixthCongresses and served from January 3, 1955, until his death. Thomson voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957and1960.[2][3][4]He did not seek renomination to the Eighty-seventh Congress, but was elected to theUnited States Senateon November 8, 1960, for the term commencing January 3, 1961. However, he died of aheart attackinCody,Wyoming in December, before his term in the Senate began. Democratic GovernorJohn J. Hickeyappointed himself to the seat but was defeated in a 1962 special election to serve out the term by RepublicanMilward L. Simpson.Thomson was interred atArlington National Cemetery.[5]
Following Thomson's death, his wifeThyra Thomsonwas elected in 1962 asWyoming Secretary of State.She was re-elected to five more terms, and served in that office for twenty-four years, until 1987.[6][7][8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Former Sec. of State Thyra Thomson dies,"Billings Gazette(Wyoming), John Barron, June 12, 2013.
- ^"HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957".GovTrack.us.
- ^"HR 8601. PASSAGE".
- ^"HR 8601. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1960. APPROVAL BY THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS".
- ^ANC Explorer
- ^Mark Junge, "The Wind is My Witness: A Wyoming Album", Roberts Rinehart, 1997.
- ^"Former Sec. of State Thyra Thomson dies,"Billings Gazette,June 12, 2013.
- ^Obituary
External links
[edit]- United States Congress."Keith Thomson (id: T000229)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- TheEdwin Keith Thomson papersat theAmerican Heritage Center
- 1919 births
- 1960 deaths
- 20th-century American lawyers
- 20th-century American legislators
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
- Elected officials who died without taking their seats
- Republican Party members of the Wyoming House of Representatives
- People from Crook County, Wyoming
- People from Lawrence County, South Dakota
- People from Newcastle, Wyoming
- Politicians from Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Wyoming
- Republican Party United States senators from Wyoming
- University of Wyoming College of Law alumni
- Wyoming lawyers