John Burton Thompson

John Burton Thompson
United States Senator from Kentucky
In office March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859
Preceded by	Joseph R. Underwood
Succeeded by	Lazarus W. Powell
14th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
In office September 2, 1851 – 1853
Governor	Lazarus W. Powell
Preceded by	John L. Helm
Succeeded by	James Greene Hardy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 5th district
In office December 7, 1840 – March 3, 1843 March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1851
Preceded by	Simeon H. Anderson Bryan Young
Succeeded by	James W. Stone James W. Stone
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office 1835 1837
Member of the Kentucky Senate
In office 1829–1833
Personal details
Born	(1810-12-14)December 14, 1810 Harrodsburg, Kentucky, US
Died	January 7, 1874(1874-01-07) (aged 63) Harrodsburg, Kentucky, US
Political party	Whig, Know Nothing
Profession	Politician, Lawyer
Signature

John Burton Thompson (December 14, 1810 – January 7, 1874) was a United States Representative and Senator from Kentucky.

Born near Harrodsburg, Kentucky, Thompson completed preparatory studies and studied law. He was admitted to the bar and practiced in Harrodsburg, becoming the Commonwealth's Attorney. He was a member of the Kentucky Senate from 1829 to 1833, and was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1835 and 1837.

Thompson was elected as a Whig to the United States House of Representatives to fill the vacancy in Kentucky's 5th District caused by the death of Simeon H. Anderson. He was subsequently reelected, and served in all from December 7, 1840 to March 3, 1843. After a time out of Congress, he was again elected to represent the same district, serving this time from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1851. During this time he was chairman of the U.S. House Committee on the Militia.

Thompson was the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky in 1852. He was then elected as a Know-Nothing to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1853 to March 3, 1859. He died in Harrodsburg and was interred in Spring Hill Cemetery.

John B. Thompson, photograph by Mathew Brady

References

• Find-a-grave biography

• United States Congress. "John Burton Thompson (id: T000208)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.