The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-20
JOE B. THOMP SON
CONGRESSMAN, DIES
SUDDENLY ON TRAIN
PAULS VALLEY STATESMAN Is A
VICTIM OF HEART TROUBLE
ON HIS WAY HOME

Martinsburg, w. Va, Sept. 20.-Hon.
Joseph b. Thompson of Pauls Valley,
Okla, representative in congress from
the Fifth Oklahoma district died sud
denly ON a train approaching this city
last night. He was only an hour out
OF Washington on his way to his home.
Heart trouble is given as the cause
OF his death. Congressman Thompson's
son. Lieut.. J. b. Thompson, Jr., was
with him. The body was taken from
the train to an undertaking establish
ment here.
The body of Congressman Thompson
will be removed from Martinsburg to
Washington tonight From Washing
ton the body will be sent in a special
car tomorrow to Pauls Valley, Okla,
where nterment will be made.
Sketch of His Career
Mr.. Thompson was IS years old,
having been born April %, 1871. lie
entered politics as United States com
missioner at Purcell, Indian Territory,
when he was % years old. and held
that office from 1893 to 1897. Since
that time he has been prominent in
the public life Of this section. He en-
tered congress i'm 1913 and served
two terms as congressman-at-larg
from oklahoma, being elected in 1914
as first representative from the Fifth
district and reelected in 1916, Friends
of Mr.. Thompson considered him a
probable candidate of the democratic
Dartv for governor in 1922
To fill out the uneXpred term of
the dead congressman, which will end
March 4, 1921, it is considered prob
able that Governor Robertson Will
call a special election.
Mr.. Thompson is survived by his
widow and two sons, Lieut., j. H.
Thompson Jr., formerly stationed at
Camp Funston. Kan, and James NJ.
Thompson of Washington. His wife
was Miss Mary Miller of Rutherford
ton, n. c.. and they We're married on
September ), 1894.
During the war, Mr.. Thompson was
a member of Il congressional com
mittee of inspection which visited
France. At that time he accompanied
soldiers into the front lines and saw
Ddlll' Ill DIOGItSS III tillOlllOl W pSAS
ing his compliments to the headquar
ters and supply bases in the rear. His
son, Lieutenant Thompson. was a
member of the American Expedition
airy Forces at that time.
Mr.. Thompson was born on n farm
in Grayson county, Texas, the son of
James NJ. Thompson and Caroline b.
Thompson. He was educated at Savoy
% college, Fannin county, Texas, and was
admitted to the bar in that state in
1892. when he was 81 years old He
came to Indian Territory shortly af-
forwards and located first at Ard
more. Later he removed to Purcell
and still later to Pauls Valley, where
he has made his home for more than
twenty years.
Began Political Life Early
When he was only % years old he
became a member of the democratic
national conventions at Kansas City
I'm 1900. He was a delegate to the ma
tional conventions at St Louis in l9o4
and at Denver in 1908.
On the converting Of the convention
TO prepare a constitution for the state
of Oklahoma i'm 1906, Mr.. Thompson
was elected chairman of the demo
cratic state committee, and was re-
elected to the office in 1908, serving
until 1910.
AS q member of the fourth state
senate in Oklahoma, Mr.. Thompson
took a prominent part in the inVestl'
cations carried on by that legislature
He was a member of the state senate
from 1911 until March II, 1913 when
he resigned to enter congress. In the
contest for the democratic nomination
for the fifth district in 1914 he de-
feated Claude Weaver, with whom he
had served in the sixty-third congress
both of them as congressman at large
and I'm 1916 he defeated Mont K. Pow
ell.
In the race for congressman at large
I'm 1912 there was a field OF twenty
eight candidates from all parts OF the
state. Mr.. Thompson was one oil three
elected. IL.
He was a member of the METHODIST
church. and was a thirty second de-
gree Mason.