William R. Thom

William Richard Thom (July 7, 1885 – August 28, 1960) was an American lawyer and politician who served three non-consecutive stints as a U.S. Representative from Ohio in the mid-19th century.

Biography

Born in Canton, Ohio, Thom attended the public schools. He engaged as a newspaper reporter from 1905 to 1909. He attended Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio from 1909 to 1911.

Congressional staff

He served as private secretary to Congressman John J. Whitacre 1911–1913. He served as member of the United States House of Representatives Press Galleries in 1915 and 1916.

Legal career

He was graduated from the law department of Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., in 1916. He was admitted to the bar in 1917 and commenced practice in Canton, Ohio.

He served as member of the park commission of Canton from 1920 to 1932. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination to Congress in 1920.

Congress

Thom was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-third, Seventy-fourth, and Seventy-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1939). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1938 to the Seventy-sixth Congress.

He resumed the practice of law.

Thom was elected to the Seventy-seventh Congress (January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1942 to the Seventy-eighth Congress.

Thom was elected to the Seventy-ninth Congress (January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1946 to the Eightieth Congress.

Later career and death

He resumed the practice of law. He served as delegate to the 1956 Democratic National Convention.

He died in Canton, Ohio, August 28, 1960. He was interred in West Lawn Cemetery.