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W. T. THOMPSON.

      William Townsend Thompson, Representative from the Fortieth District, composed of Merrick county, was born in Fennimore, Wisconsin, May 28, 1860. His early education was acquired in the public schools and his studies finished at Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa. He commenced the study of law after leaving college and was admitted to the bar by the District Court of Des Moines, Iowa, in 1884. In 1885 he located at Central City, Merrick county, and commenced the practice of law which, since then, he has followed continuously. In 1889 he was county attorney of Merrick county; in 1895 he served as a member of the lower house of the Nebraska Legislature, chairman of Committee on Finance, Ways and Means, and a member of a number of other committees during the 26th Session. Representative Thompson has always been a Republican and an active factor in his district. During the present session he is the chairman of the Apportionment committee, and also a member of the Constitutional Amendments committee and the Committee on Privileges and Elections and Judiciary.

      Representative Thompson was married in April, 1885, to Miss Flora B. Busselle, and has three daughters.

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W. P. THORP.

      William P. Thorp, Representative from the Fourth District, composed of Garfield, Loup, Blame, Thomas, Hooker, Grant, Wheeler and Greeley counties, was born in Clay county, Missouri, November 24, 1855. His early days were spent working on the farm and in attendance at the country school, where he received the rudiments of his education, which he greatly augmented by private study at home. In the spring of 1877 he moved to Atchison county, Missouri, and eight years later became a resident of Cheyenne county, Kansas, where he took up a government homestead and resided until the fall of 1890. He then removed to Loup county, Nebraska, where he purchased land and commenced farming and stock raising. Later he opened a real estate office at Burwell, which he still continues and has done much towards bringing settlers into the district which he represents. For seven years Mr. Thorp served as a commissioner of Loup county, the only office he ever held until elected to the Legislature in 1902, when he was elected by the Fusionists. Mr. Thorp was married March 15, 1881, to Miss Mary A. Taylor, of Atchison county, Missouri. To this union four children were born, two of whom are living. Mr. Thorp represents one of the largest territories represented in the House.

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J. J. TOOLEY.

     John S. Tooley, Representative from the Fifty-sixth District, composed of Custer and Logan counties, is one of the Populist members of the House. He was born in Indiana, September 2, 1863. He received his education in the public schools of Indiana and for a few years followed school teaching. He located in Nebraska in 1886 and resumed teaching, and subsequently took a special course of study in the Fremont Normal School. For four years he was county superintendent of schools in Custer county. In the fall of 1902 he was elected to his present office by Democrats and People's independent party. Mr. Tooley is a member of the Masonic order. He was married in 1889 to Miss Nettie Wood, and has a family of three children, one son and two daughters. His home is at Broken Bow, Nebraska.

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