Thomas A. Hendricks

Thomas A. Hendricks was an American politician who served as the 21st vice president of the United States for a brief period in 1885 under President Grover Cleveland. A prominent figure in the Democratic Party, his career included service as a U.S. representative, a U.S. senator, and the 16th Governor of Indiana. Known as a Bourbon Democrat and a skilled orator, he was a staunch defender of states' rights and a consistent opponent of Reconstruction policies following the American Civil War.

Early life and education

Thomas Andrews Hendricks was born in 1819 in Muskingum County, Ohio, to a family with roots in Pennsylvania. His father, John Hendricks, moved the family to Madison, Indiana, in 1820, where he operated a successful farm and served as deputy surveyor of the United States General Land Office. The young Hendricks attended local schools before graduating from Hanover College in 1841. He subsequently studied law in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in the office of his uncle, Judge Thomas Andrews, and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1843. He began his legal practice in Shelbyville, partnering with future Indiana Supreme Court justice Oscar B. Hord.

Political career

Hendricks entered politics as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives in 1848. His effectiveness led to his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1850, representing Indiana's 6th congressional district. In Washington, D.C., he aligned with the pro-slavery wing of the Democratic Party and supported the Kansas–Nebraska Act. President Franklin Pierce appointed him commissioner of the United States General Land Office in 1855, a position he held until 1859. He was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Indiana in 1860, losing to Henry Smith Lane. During the American Civil War, he was a Copperhead who opposed the policies of President Abraham Lincoln and the Republican-dominated Congress. Elected to the United States Senate in 1862, he vehemently opposed the Thirteenth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, and Reconstruction Acts. After leaving the Senate, he was elected Governor of Indiana in 1872, serving one term where he clashed with the Indiana General Assembly over fiscal policy. He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 1876 on the ticket with Samuel J. Tilden, a contest ultimately decided by the Electoral Commission in favor of Rutherford B. Hayes and William A. Wheeler.

Vice presidency (1885)

In 1884, the Democratic National Convention selected Hendricks as the running mate for presidential nominee Grover Cleveland. The ticket defeated the Republican candidates, James G. Blaine and John A. Logan, in a contentious election. Hendricks was sworn in as vice president on March 4, 1885, in a ceremony presided over by Chief Justice Morrison Waite. His tenure was marked by inactivity, as the office held little formal power, and President Grover Cleveland did not involve him in cabinet deliberations. His only significant official act was presiding over a brief special session of the Senate in March. He spent much of his short term in office at his home in Indianapolis, giving occasional speeches on Democratic principles.

Death and legacy

On November 25, 1885, after returning to Indianapolis from a trip to Milwaukee, Hendricks died suddenly at his home. The cause was attributed to a heart attack or stroke. His state funeral in Indianapolis was attended by President Grover Cleveland, members of the Cabinet, and numerous political dignitaries. He was interred at Crown Hill Cemetery. His death created the first vice-presidential vacancy under the U.S. Constitution since the death of Elbridge Gerry in 1814, and the office remained empty until the inauguration of Levi P. Morton in 1889. Hendricks is remembered as a symbol of the Bourbon Democratic resurgence in the late 19th century. His likeness was featured on the $5 silver certificate in 1886, and a statue of him resides in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the United States Capitol, representing the state of Indiana.

Personal life

In 1845, Hendricks married Eliza C. Morgan, the daughter of a prominent Indianapolis businessman. The couple had no children but were known for their hospitality at their home in Indianapolis. Hendricks was a devout member of the Episcopal Church and maintained a close-knit family life with his nieces and nephews. His nephew, Thomas A. Hendricks Jr., later served as a judge on the Indiana. He was a. He was a. Hendricks, of Appeals. He was aces