Mayor of Chicago, 1915-1923, 1927-1931
- Republican Party
- Won primary election February 23, 1915, defeating Jacob A. Hey and Harry Olson
- Elected 41st mayor of Chicago April 6, 1915; defeated John H. Hill (Prohibition), Seymour Stedman (Socialist), Robert M. Sweitzer (Democrat) and Charles Thomson (Progressive) in general election
- Won primary election February 25, 1919, defeating Charles E. Merriam and Harry Olson
- Elected to second term April 1, 1919; defeated Adolph S. Carm (Socialist Labor), John Collins (Socialist), John Fitzpatrick (Labor), Maclay Hoyne (Independent) and Robert M. Sweitzer (Democrat) in general election
- Won primary election February 22, 1927, defeating Edward R. Litsinger and Eugene McCaffrey
- Elected 43rd mayor of Chicago (third term) April 5, 1927; defeated William E. Dever (Democrat) and J.D. Robertson (People’s Ownership Smash Crime Rings) in general election.
- Inauguration to first term: April 26, 1915
- Inauguration to second term: April 18, 1919
- Inauguration to third term: April 18, 1927
Biographical
- Born May 14, 1869 in Boston
- In his youth, he went west and became a cowboy and later a manager of a cattle ranch in New Mexico.
- Returned to Chicago in 1892 to manage his father’s estate
- Elected alderman of the 2nd Ward in 1901
- Married Miss Mary “Maysie” Walker Wyse in 1901; they had no children.
- Member of the county board in 1902
- Died March 19, 1944 in Chicago
- Buried in Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago
Sources
- "Bride of Ald. William Hale Thompson." Chicago Daily Tribune, December 20, 1901, p. 3.
- Grossman, James R., Ann Durkin Keating and Janice L. Reiff, editors. Encyclopedia of Chicago. University of Chicago Press, 2004.
- "W. H. Thompson, 3 Times Mayor of Chicago, Dies." Chicago Daily Tribune, March 20, 1944, p. 16.
- "W. H. Thompson Funeral is Set for Tomorrow." Chicago Daily Tribune, March 21, 1944, p. 16.
