Ruth Thompson

Ruth Thompson ( born September 15, 1887 in Whitehall, Muskegon County, Michigan, † April 5, 1970 in Allegan County, Michigan) was an American politician. Between 1951 and 1957, she represented the state of Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Career

Ruth Thompson attended the public schools of their home and then to 1905 the Muskegon Business College in Muskegon. After studying law and being admitted to the bar, she began to work in their new profession. Between 1925 and 1937 she worked for the Probate Court in Muskegon County, where she was also a judge.

Politically, Thompson was a member of the Republican Party. Between 1939 and 1941 she was the first woman Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives from Michigan. In the years 1941 and 1942 she worked in the federal capital, Washington DC in Social Committee and in 1942 some time for the Federal Ministry of Labour. From 1942 to 1946 she worked during the Second World War for the Adjutant General's Office in Washington, which belonged to the headquarters of the U.S. Army. Ruth Thompson was also a member and later chairman of the State Women's Prison Commission in Michigan.

In the congressional elections of 1950, she was elected the ninth constituency of Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, where they became the successor of Albert J. Engel on January 3, 1951. After two re- elections she was able to complete in Congress until January 3, 1957 three legislative periods. Ruth Thompson became the first woman representing the State of Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives and the first woman member was in the Judiciary Committee. During her time as Congressman of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was adopted in 1951.

In 1956, Thompson was not nominated by their party to re- re-election. After she retired from politics. She died on 5 April 1970 in a sanatorium in Allegan County and was buried in her birthplace Whitehall.