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Ernest O. Thompson

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Ernest O. Thompson
Railroad Commissioner of Texas
In office
January 1, 1933 – January 8, 1965[1]
Preceded byPat Morris Neff
Succeeded byByron M. Tunnell
12th Mayor of Amarillo
In office
April 1929 – May 31, 1932
Preceded byLee Bivins
Succeeded byRoss D. Rogers
Personal details
Born
Ernest Othmer Thompson

(1892-03-24)March 24, 1892
Alvord, Texas, U.S.
DiedJune 28, 1966(1966-06-28) (aged 74)
Resting placeTexas State Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
May Esther Peterson
​
​
(m. 1924; died 1952)​
EducationUniversity of Texas (LLB)
OccupationPolitician, lawyer, railroad commissioner
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
RankGeneral[2]
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II

Ernest Othmer Thompson (March 24, 1892 – June 28, 1966) was an American politician, lawyer, and businessman who served as the 12th mayor of Amarillo from 1929 to 1932 as a member of the Democratic Party. He subsequently served on the Texas Railroad Commission from 1932 to 1965.

Early life and education

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Thompson was born in Alvord, Texas, on March 24, 1892, to Lewis Oliver and Flora Lee Agnes (née Murray) Thompson.[3] He was a third generation Texan.[2] In 1902, Thompson's family moved to Amarillo, where his father ran a drugstore.[3]

Thompson graduated from the University of Texas in 1917 with a Bachelor of Laws. He joined the United States Army during World War I and served in the infantry. Thompson was promoted to lieutenant colonel before he returned to Amarillo in 1919 to practice law.[3][4]

Career

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Thompson, a Democrat, was elected mayor of Amarillo in 1928, having run on a platform of cutting utility rates. He delivered on this promise by leading a consumer boycott of telephones, thereby achieving a reduction in telephone rates.[5]

Thompson's tenure as mayor began in April 1929 and concluded on May 31, 1932. He was preceded in office by Lee Bivins and succeeded by Ross D. Rogers.

Thompson was appointed to the Texas Railroad Commission by Governor Ross S. Sterling in 1932. For his efforts on the commission, Thompson was appointed a colonel in the Texas National Guard by Governor James V. Allred in 1936. The following year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent Thompson as an American delegate to the World Petroleum Conference in France.[4]

Thompson was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Texas in 1938; he was defeated by radio host and businessman W. Lee O'Daniel in the Democratic primary.[6] Thompson was also an unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1940, placing second to O'Daniel again.[7]

Thompson rejoined the U.S. Army during World War II. Due to the Allies's need for a steady supply of fuel, Thompson was sent back to Texas to fulfill his duties on the Railroad Commission.

After the war, Thompson was elected to three additional terms on the Railroad Commission. Additionally, he was appointed a general of the National Guard by Governor Allan Shivers in 1952.[4]

Thompson resigned from the Texas Railroad Commission in January 1965.[3] He had served on the Railroad Commission for 33 years, making his tenure on the commission the longest in the state's history.[4]

Thompson also served as a member and chairman of the Interstate Oil Compact Commission from 1935 to 1965.[8]

Awards and honors

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Thompson was awarded the American Petroleum Institute Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement.[2]

Personal life and death

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Thompson married opera singer May Esther Peterson on June 9, 1924.[3] On October 1, 1952, May Thompson suffered a cerebral hemorrhage at the couple's summer house in Estes Park, Colorado, causing her to lapse into a coma. She was flown back to Austin, Texas, though never regained consciousness and died at Seton Infirmary on October 8, the day after her 72nd birthday. She was buried in the Texas State Cemetery, located in Austin.[9]

Thompson died at the age of 74 on June 28, 1966.[3] He was buried at the Texas State Cemetery the following day.[10]

Legacy

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Amarillo named a park in Thompson's honor, in addition to placing a historical marker in the community.[2] The Austin Daily Tribune Building was renamed the Ernest O. Thompson State Office Building in honor of Thompson.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ "Railroad Commissioners Past through Present". www.rrc.texas.gov. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Hilton, Mark (December 22, 2019) [September 20, 2015]. "General Ernest O. Thompson". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Green, George N. (December 5, 2022) [1976]. "Thompson, Ernest Othmer (1892–1966)". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Bridges, Ken (February 3, 2024). "Bridges: Texan Ernest Thompson was WWI veteran, Amarillo Mayor, Railroad Commissioner". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Warren, Thomas (May 1, 2023). "Amarillo Mayoral Profile: Ernest Thompson". The Amarillo Pioneer. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  6. ^ "TX Governor - D Primary". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  7. ^ "TX Governor - D Primary". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "Ernest Othmer Thompson Papers, 1907-1967". Texas Archival Resources Online. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  9. ^ Anderson, H. Allen (July 1, 1995). "Thompson, May Esther Peterson (1880–1952)". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  10. ^ "Ernest Othmer Thompson". Texas State Cemetery. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
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