Charles H. Thompson (Illinois judge)

Charles Henry Thompson^[1] (1882–1972) served as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court in 1945, 1946, 1949, and 1950 after being elected to the Illinois Supreme Court in 1942. ^[2] He was born 11 Dec 1882^[1] near Mount Vernon, Posey County, Indiana to Lewis (also known as Louis) Thompson, a farmer, and his wife Emma Monroe Thompson. ^[2] In 1884, he and his family moved to Harrisburg in Saline County, Illinois. By 1910, his father had begun mining coal, and Charles was working as a bookkeeper in the coal office.^[3] In 1914, Charles married Ethel K. Knight of Harrisburg.^[2]

Thompson left Harrisburg to attend law school in Chicago. He graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law (1918) and was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1919.^[2] While in law school, he worked as a law clerk and a stenographer.^[2] He returned to Harrisburg to practice law and entered politics. In 1920, he was elected State's Attorney for Saline County, Illinois. In 1926, as a Republican, he ran for State Senate and was elected. Other notable areas of service included the (1929-1932) and The Commission (1933-1934).^[2] From 1936-1937, he served as President of the of the first Supreme Judicial District. In 1951, he retired from the Illinois Supreme Court and returned to Harrisburg to practice law.^[2]

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Harrisburg, and also a member of the Harrisburg Masonic Lodge and Knights Templar.^[2] On 3 Nov 1967 his wife, Ethel, died ^[2] and was buried at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Harrisburg. Former Illinois Chief Justice Thompson died on 26 Nov 1972 and was also buried at Sunset Hill.^[2]

References[]

^ ^a ^b Thompson, Charles Henry. "World War II Draft Registration". National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; State Headquarters: Illinois; Microfilm Series: M2097; Microfilm Roll: 291. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Former Illinois Chief Justice Charles H. Thompson dies Sunday". The Daily Register. Harrisburg, Illinois. 27 Nov 1972. p. 2.
^ "Thompson, Lewis and family". Year: 1910; Census Place: Harrisburg Ward 1, Saline, Illinois; Roll: T624_324; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0103; FHL microfilm: 1374337. www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 22 September 2013.

https://web.archive.org/web/20130927073826/http://www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Historical/Chiefs.asp
WPA Indiana Birth Index Entry for Charles Thompson b. 11 Dec 1882 in Posey County, IN, original data in book H-1 page 62. Ancestry.com. Indiana Births, 1880-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

Original data: Works Progress Administration. Index to Birth Records. Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.

Entry for Louis Thompson family, Year: 1900; Census Place: Harrisburg, Saline, Illinois; Roll: 342; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0084; FHL microfilm: 1240342, online at www.ancestry.com.
Obituary of Lewis Thompson, The Daily Register (Harrisburg, IL), 15 Sep 1933, page 1.
Entry for Lewis Thompson family, Year: 1910; Census Place: Harrisburg Ward 1, Saline, Illinois; Roll: T624_324; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0103; FHL microfilm: 1374337, online at www.ancestry.com.

[Draft_registration-1] Thompson, Charles Henry. "World War II Draft Registration". National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; State Headquarters: Illinois; Microfilm Series: M2097; Microfilm Roll: 291. Retrieved 22 September 2013.

[Obituary-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "Former Illinois Chief Justice Charles H. Thompson dies Sunday". The Daily Register. Harrisburg, Illinois. 27 Nov 1972. p. 2.

[3] "Thompson, Lewis and family". Year: 1910; Census Place: Harrisburg Ward 1, Saline, Illinois; Roll: T624_324; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0103; FHL microfilm: 1374337. www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 22 September 2013.

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