William Townsend Thompson (May 23, 1860 – June 20, 1939) was an American lawyer who served as Nebraska Attorney General and Solicitor of the United States Treasury.

After being orphaned at age 11 he was raised first by a family friend, and later by an older, married sister in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

At age 19 he began attending Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, teaching school to pay his tuition, and also studying law.

[3] In 1905 he moved to Lincoln and from 1905 to 1907 Thompson served as Nebraska's Deputy Attorney General.

He served until 1913,[5] when he resigned and returned to Lincoln,[6] and the position was filled by Felix A. Reeve as acting solicitor of the treasury.