Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1886 — The Candidate for State Senator. [ARTICLE]

The Candidate for State Senator.

SIMON PARK THOMPSON. Mr. Thompson, whose full name is correctly given above, though he is often, but irreverently called Simon Peter, and very commonly "Our Simon." was bom. on a farm, in Hancoclfcounty, Ohio,’that static proverb-” ially Iruitful in successful but modest candidates, on May Bth, 1838. His age on the day aud hour of his nomination was just 48 years, 1 month, 6 hours and Id minutes.i (This sketch is not an obituary.) His parents were poor, and the father died in 1854. when Simon was but 16 years old, and After , that event, and long before it for that matter, the youthful Simon had been com pelled to shift for himself; and we may properly remark, right here, that whatever Mr. Thompson has ol education, wealth or attainments is the result of his own persistent toil and native powers. He is in its fullest sense, a ’•self made man,” and a good job. During his earlier years he worked haid for little pay, through the summer and got three months of schooling each winter. From ’53 to ’57 he alternately rsught and attended school, and in the .Matter year he ehtered the Southwest Normal School, at Lebanon, Ohio, and paying his way by his own earnings, he graduated in 1860. Soon after, he moved to. Rensselaer, and in 1762 was elect- .. ed by popular votes (as was then the custom) teacher of the town school. He was re-elected in 1863, and the same year made county school examiner, by the county commissioners, a position he filled with remarkable success for inanyyears, In 1872 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for the Judicial circuit, as then composed, and re-elected in 1874. That ,he discharged the duties of the office with marked ability and fidelty is a statement that no one familiar with his course at the time, will venture to dispute. In 1876 Mr. Thompson’s name ■was presented to-the Republican Congressional convention, at Michigan City, and without any effort upon his part, he received votes enough to make him second in the list of six candidates before the convention. In 1880 he was again a candidate for the Republican nomination for Congressman, at the convention held at Logansport. His successful competitor was Mark L. DeMotte, but on the last ballot but one, Mr. Thompson lacked but three votes of enough to nominate him. Mr. Thompson has always been an unfaltering Republican, zealous and faithful in behalf of his party. He has -been chairman of the county central committee during two or three campaigns, and sufficient evidence of his ability as a political leader and organizer is found in the fact that not a single •county candidate has ever been defeated in any campaign when he has been •chairman of the central committee. As a citizen he has always been the ■foremost man in the town in the matter of progress and public improvements. He started and managed the movement which led to the incorporation of the town, and was the first to cause the policy c'f planting shade trees and building-cide walks in the town to be adopted.- Through his efforts all the mill-dams & the county the sources of great damage, to health and .property, on account of the peculiar formation of the country have been removed. In the great and difficult work of securing a ■ railroad for Ucnsselaer hedid much morethan a fell share. As a-n attorney he has been remarkably successful and his practice extends not only over the entire judicial district but into many ueigLboring counSt.s. That he will make a careful and ■conscientious and at the same time an active and influential legislator, there •is no room to doubt. In personal ■character he is above reproach, is thoroughly moral and strictly temper, ate. In fact, m all ways he is eminen. tly well fitted for the position for which he is nominated and there is no good reason why any republican should Vote against him.