William Hale Thompson
| William H. Thompson | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 41st & 43rd Mayor of Chicago | |
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In office November 3, 1915 – November 3, 1923 |
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| Preceded by | Carter Harrison, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | William E. Dever |
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In office November 3, 1927 – November 3, 1931 |
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| Preceded by | William E. Dever |
| Succeeded by | Anton Cermak |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 14, 1869 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | March 19, 1944 (aged 74) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Religion | Protestantism |
William Hale Thompson (May 14, 1869 – March 19, 1944) was an American politician, mayor of Chicago for three terms, from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931. Known as "Big Bill", Thompson was the last Republican to serve as Mayor of Chicago (as of 2017). Historians rank Thompson among the most unethical mayors in American history, mainly for his open alliance with Al Capone. However, others recognize the effectiveness of his political methods and publicity-oriented campaigning, acknowledging him as a "Political Chameleon" and an effective political machine. TIME magazine said in 1931,"chief credit for creating 20th Century Politics Chicago Style" should go to William Thomson.
Thompson was known for his over-the-top campaigning and uncensored language that, along with his towering height and weight, earned him the nickname “Big Bill”. The Chicago Tribune compared his colorful language to that of Donald Trump. Though Thompson was a popular figure, his popularity escalated after his death, when two safe-deposit boxes were found in his name containing nearly $1.8 million in cash and bonds. Prior to his death in 1944, Thompson, upon his reelection in 1919, was at the forefront of the movement for Chicago Public Libraries and education officials to censor and ban many texts and historical recollections coming from England.
Thompson was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Hale and Mary Ann Thompson, but his family moved to Chicago when he was only nine days old. Despite being born in Boston, Thompson had strong roots in Chicago. His father, Col. William Hale Thompson Sr. was a popular businessman within Chicago and served as colonel in the Second Illinois Guard who came to Chicago after serving in the Navy during the Civil War. His maternal grandfather Stephen F. Hale, the first chief of Chicago's Fire Department, played a large part in drawing up the city's corporation charter in 1837, earning him regard as a "Chicago pioneer" by some academic journalists.
Thompson was meant to attend Yale University but instead, he moved to Wyoming at fourteen, where he became a cowboy and cattle owner and traveled across Europe, taking up ranching in Texas and New Mexico later on in his life.These experiences influenced him to add Western touches into his campaign, including his sombrero, which became a symbol for his campaign. By age twenty-one, he'd accumulated a stake of $30,000. He returned to Chicago in 1892 after his father's death to manage his estates. Shortly after returning to Chicago, Thompson joined the Illinois Athletic Club and the Sportsmen's Club of America and quickly was appointed director-general and captain of the water polo and football teams. His six-foot frame and athletic prowess earned him the nickname "Big Bill" which would stick with him throughout his career as a politician. In 1901, Thompson married Miss Mary "Maysie" Walker Wyse a secretary in his father's office, but the two of them never had children.
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