John Renshaw Thomson

John Renshaw Thomson ( born September 25, 1800 Philadelphia, † September 12, 1862 in Princeton, New Jersey ) was an American politician (Democratic Party), who represented the State of New Jersey in the U.S. Senate.

John Thomson was born a native of Pennsylvania, but moved at a young age to New Jersey, where he then the College of New Jersey, later Princeton University first attended the public schools in Princeton. In 1817 he went to China professionally. He built a life as a merchant in Canton and served from 1823 to 1825 as Consul of the United States in this city. After his return to the U.S., he settled permanently in Princeton.

He was first director of the Delaware & Raritan Canal Company; later, he served as President and Chief Financial Officer of Philadelphia & Trenton Railroad Company, a railroad company. 1844 Thomson took part in the Constitutional Convention of New Jersey; In the same year he applied for the post of governor, but was defeated by the Whig candidate Charles C. Stratton. Here, the governor was first elected not by the state Legislature, but by the people due to a constitutional amendment.

When Robert F. Stockton was resigning from office in the U.S. Senate, John Renshaw Thomson was elected in March 1853, his successor for the unexpired term. In 1857 he came in again and was confirmed; but he died before the end of this legislature in his home town of Princeton. During his time in the Senate Thomson was among other things, Chairman of the Pension Committee.