Thompson graduated from Ohio State University in 1892, and taught at the High School in Bement, Illinois, for two years. He returned to Ohio State, and graduated from the law school in 1895 with a degree Bachelor of Laws. He began practice in Ironton. He was appointed, and then elected City Solicitor of Ironton from 1896 to 1903.[3]
Thompson was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1903 and served in the 76th and 77th General Assemblies, 1904–1906. In the 77th General Assembly (1906), he was chosen Speaker of the House.[3] In 1906, he was nominated, and then elected Secretary of State, resigned from the House, and served in 1907–1911.
During the Spanish–American War, Thompson was captain of Company I of the 7th O. U. S. V. I. He was colonel of the 7th regiment, O.N.G., from 1901 to 1906.[3] He was commander in chief of the United Spanish War Veterans in 1926.[1]
In 1921 he was a member of the advisory committee to the conference on limitation of armaments held at Washington, D.C. In 1926, President Calvin Coolidge appointed him special commissioner to make a survey of the economic and internal conditions of the Philippines.[1]
^ abcdFess, Simeon D., ed. (1937). Ohio, A four volume reference library on the History of a Great State. Vol. 5, Supplementary Biographical. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 27–28. OCLC418516.