William Taliaferro Thompson was graduated from Davidson College in 1905 and Union Theological Seminary in 1909. After serving as an Army YMCA director, he became a professor of Religion at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He served on the Board of Trustees for King College, Davidson College and Union Seminary. In addition, he was a member of the executive committee of Foreign Missions, the executive committee of Religious Education of the Presbyterian Church of the USA and was moderator of the General Assembly. He died in Richmond in 1964.