Thomas A. Hendricks, 21st Vice President of the USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Andrews_Hendricks

Thomas Andrews Hendricks (September 7, 1819 – November 25, 1885) was an American politician who served as a Representative and a Senator from Indiana, the 16th Governor of Indiana (1873-1877), and the 21st Vice President of the United States (1885). The first Democratic governor to be elected in the Northern United States following the American Civil War, and having defended the Democratic position in the Senate during the war, Hendricks quickly grew in popularity among the national party. After two previous failed attempts to win election to the governor's office, his term was marked by the Panic of 1873, which consumed most of his energies. He was opposed by a strong Republican majority in the Indiana General Assembly, and was unable to enact any significant legislation. Hendricks was the unsuccessful candidate for Vice President on the Democratic ticket with Samuel Tilden in the controversial presidential election of 1876. Despite his poor health, he accepted his party's second nomination to run for Vice President in the election of 1884 as Grover Cleveland's running mate, and served in that office until his death only eight months later.

Born in Muskingum County, Ohio, Hendricks moved to Madison, in Jefferson County, Indiana, with his parents in 1820; the family settled in Shelby County, Indiana, in 1822. After graduating from Hanover College, class of 1841, Hendricks studied law in Shelbyville, Indiana, and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1843. Hendricks was a member of the Indiana General Assembly (1848–1850) and a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1851. He represented Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives (1851–55) and the U.S. Senate (1863–69).[3] After Hendricks lost his re-election bid to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1854, President Franklin Pierce appointed him commissioner of the General Land Office (1855–59).[4][5][6] Hendricks resigned as land office commissioner in 1859, returned to Indianapolis, set up a private law practice, and ran for Indiana governor. In 1872, on his third attempt to become governor, Hendricks defeated General Thomas M. Brown and became the first Democratic governor to be elected in a northern state following the American Civil War. His term as governor of Indiana was marked by the economic Panic of 1873. He was opposed by a strong Republican majority in the Indiana General Assembly and was unable to enact any significant legislation.

Having defended the Democratic position in the Senate during the war, Hendricks grew in popularity within the national Democratic Party. He was the unsuccessful candidate for vice president on the Democratic ticket with Samuel Tilden in the controversial presidential election of 1876.[1] Despite his poor health, Hendricks accepted his party's nomination for vice president in the election of 1884 as Grover Cleveland's running mate. Hendricks served as vice president from March 4, 1885, until his death in Indianapolis, eight months later. He is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.