Popular among both Democrats and Republicans, an economic conservative and a charismatic speaker Thomas Andrews Hendricks, the 21st Vice President of the United States was born on September 7th, 1819 in Muskingum County, Ohio. At the age on only one, Hendricks parents moved the family closer to Indiana to live nearby several of his father’s relatives. In 1841, Hendricks started his collegiate career attending Hanover College in Indiana and later went on to Chambersburg to study law.
Political Career
Elected in 1848, Hendricks started his political career in the State house of representatives in Indiana. Moreover, Hendricks served as the representative for Indiana to a constitutional convention and then took his career national when he won a seat in the Thirty-second and Thirty-Third Congresses as a Democrat. That said, Hendricks would be defeated in his effort for a third term in 1854.
Following his short stint in Congress, Hendricks next ran an unsuccessful campaign to be the Democratic candidate for Governor of Indiana in 1860. Notwithstanding the succession of disappointments, Hendricks relocated to Indianapolis in 1860 and returned to practicing law. However, his ambitions in politics did not fade, in 1863, Hendricks was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate and served until 1869.
Vice Presidency & Death
With his eyes on advancing himself nationally once more, Hendricks attempted to become Vice President in 1876. This first attempt at becoming part of the executive branch failed as the Democratic ticket led by Samuel Tilden fell apart at the hands of Congress. However, Hendricks would be elected Vice President of the United States in 1884 on the Democratic ticket with Grover Cleveland. That said, Cleveland and Hendricks often did not see eye to eye with Hendricks being a fan of more government intervention in the economy and Cleveland being staunchly in support of laissez-faire economics. Aside from their varying outlooks on the economy, however, Hendricks and Cleveland maintained a functional relationship. Nevertheless, Hendricks tenure as Vice President did not last long, Hendricks served from March 4, 1885, until his sudden death in Indianapolis on November 25th, 1885. On the day of his passing, Hendricks complained of feeling ill prompting him to go to bed where we would never wake up. After Hendricks death, the position of Vice President would not be filled for nearly three years as no clear mode of succession had been outlined by Congress.
