The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-11-11
Has Been a Strong Candidate
From the Start of the
Fight
PIONEER Of TOWNER COUNTY
AND MAN Of MUCH WEALTH
A Democrat But Not an Office Seeker,
Having Filled Several Positions Of
a Minor Character in His Home City
and County.

blSmarCk, N. d., NOV. 1l-After haV-
ing wrestled with the question for
moro than fortnight, Governor Burke
late yesterday evening appointed
Fountain L. Thompson of Cando Unit
ed States senator to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of the late Senator
M. N. Johnson, until the next regu-
lar session of the legislature.
While there was much surprise ex-
pressed among the candidates over the
appointment, it has been we'll known
fact among those who were in the
confidence Of the governor that Mr..
Thompson has been the leading can
didate for many days so far as the
governor was concerned. 1t was no
hasty decision on his part, but rather
the result of his first judgment rein
forced by careful investigation and
study.
Mr.. Thompson was an early selec-
tion, not only because of the COVER
nor's personal acquaintance and
friendship for him but because It was
early seen that some man should be
named who represented no faction.
Story Of His Life
Fountain L. Thompson Is a native
Of Illinois and has been a resident of
North Dakota for twenty-one years.
He is man of large means whose
business success was attained through
the slow processes of evolution from
the condition of a homesteader in
Towner county to that of banker,
real estate dealer and owner and
farmer on large scale. He has not
hitherto held public office of import
ance. SpaA,s * ~ - 49,. $50 s-.a
Mr.. Thompson was born at SCOTS
VILE, ILL.,, November 1S, 1854. Both
his father. Joshua Thompson. mer-
chant, and his mother, Phoebe Thomp-
son, were natives of Illinois. His an
cestry is American for many genera
tions. He was educated in the public
schools and graduated from the Cir
ard, ILL.,, high school. AS youth he
worked in a bank, railroad office and
store and went into the mercantile
business for himself at Girard in 1879.
He was for sixteen years in the gen.
eral merchandising business at Cir
ard and Palmyra, ILL.,, and came to
Dakota in 1888, settling on claim
in Towner county. where he lived
for three years before removing to
Cando. In 1891 he engaged in the
real estate and loaning business at
Cando and his success has been of a
character to make him one of the most
important men in that section of the
state. He is president of the First
National bank at Rock Lake, N. D.,
and vice president of the First Ma
tional bank cf Cando. He gives much
of his time 20 directing the affairs of
the Thompson Realty company of
Cando Of which he is president and
which has large interests. He owns,
personally, about 1000 acres of land
near Cando which is largely under cul-
tivation.
He is life long Democrat and has
been Interested in politics since his
youth. He was citv treasurer of Cir
ard and member of the board of su-
pervfsors Of that town. Since coming
to Dakota he has been county Judge
of Towner county, which office he held
for eight years, was member Of the
Cando school board for six years and
mayor Of Cando for four years.
In 1874 at Girard. ILL.,, Mr.. Thomp-
son was married to Fannie Walker,
the daughter of r. 8. Walker, a con-
temporary and friend Of Stephen A.
Douglas and a member of the Illinois
legislature at the time Lincoln had
place in that body. ~.
Mr.. Thompson fs a member of the
Christian church, is a Mason, mem
ber of the Shrine and X. p.