John Renshaw Thomson (September 25, 1800 – September 12, 1862) was a Democratic US Senator from New Jersey. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; attended the common schools in Princeton, New Jersey, and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University); went to China in 1817 and became a merchant in Canton; United States consul at that port 1823-1825; returned to the United States and settled in Princeton, New Jersey. He was director and secretary of the Delaware & Raritan Canal Company; connected with the Philadelphia & Trenton Railroad Company as president and later as treasurer; member of the State constitutional convention in 1844; unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1844. He was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Robert F. Stockton; reelected in 1857, and served from March 4 1853, until his death in Princeton, New Jersey. He had been Chairman of the Committee on Patents and the Patent Office (Thirty-sixth United States Congress) and the Committee on Pensions (Thirty-sixth Congress). He was interred in Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, New Jersey.
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| Preceded by Robert F. Stockton |
United States Senator (Class 1) from New Jersey March 4, 1853–September 12, 1862 |
Succeeded by Richard S. Field |
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Class 1: Elmer • Rutherfurd • Davenport • Schureman • Ogden • Condit • Lambert • Wilson • Southard • McIlvaine • Bateman • Dickerson • Southard • W. Dayton • R. Stockton • Thomson • Field • J. Wall • Wright • F. T. Frelinghuysen • J. Stockton • Randolph • Sewell • Blodgett • J. Smith • J. Kean • Martine • J. Frelinghuysen • Edwards • H. Kean • Moore • Milton • Barbour • Walsh • H. Smith • Williams • Brady • Lautenberg • Corzine • Menendez |
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