Andrew Thorburn Thompson

Who was Andrew Thorburn Thompson?

Andrew Thorburn Thompson was a military officer, editor, lawyer and a third generation political figure in Canada.

Thompson was born in Seneca Township and raised at Ruthven Park Estate, now designated as Ruthven Park National Historic Site; located just north of Cayuga, Ontario. His father, David Thompson was a businessman and political figure who sat in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and then the Canadian House of Commons. His grandfather, also named David, had sat in the 1st and 2nd Legislative Assemblies for the United Province of Canada representing Haldimand County.

A lawyer and editor, he was elected to the House of Commons as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Haldimand and Monck in the 1900 federal election defeating former Conservative cabinet minister Walter Humphries Montague by less than 150 votes.

Due to redistribution, Thompson's riding was abolished and in the 1904 federal election, he ran for re-election in the redrawn district of Haldimand but was defeated by his Conservative opponent by less than 300 votes.