Hendricks County, Indiana - Chapter 16: Political History and Official Roster, 1914

Chapter 16: Political History and Official Roster

The year 1824 is the first 3'ear in Hendricks count}' in which poHtics entered, and thirt\'-seven votes were cast for President, as follows : Jackson, 6; J. O. Adams, i; Clay, 30. At that time there were no party alliances; personal popularity, ability and influence were the main factors determining the failure or success of a candidate. Jackson carried the county in the campaigns of 1828 and 1832, the first time by a majority of forty over John Quincy Adams and the second time by one hundred and nine over Henry Clay. In the year 1836 the Whigs were victorious. Martin Van Buren was the Democratic candidate for President and William Henry Harrison, the Whig. There were one thousand one hundred and twenty-one votes cast in Hendricks county that year, and of this number the Whigs received seven hundred and thirty-one, a majority of three hundred and forty-two.

The campaign of i860, just prior to the opening of the Civil war, was a hot one in this county. Abraham Lincoln was the nominee of the Republican party, Stephen A. Douglas of the Northern Democrats, John C. Breckenridge of the Southern Democrats, and John Bell of the Constitutional Union party. The campaign was an exciting one and, as history records, Lincoln was the victor, although he received only two-fifths of the popular vote in the United States. The split in the Democratic party made this result possible. A heavy vote was polled in this count^^ Lincoln receiving two thousand fifty votes; Douglas, one thousand eighty-three; Breckinridge, two hundred forty-four, and Bell, forty-one. Eight of the townships voted for Lincoln; Eel River, Middle and Union townships gave their pluralities to Douglas.

In the presidential election of 1864 George B. McClellan, the first commander of the Army of the Potomac, was placed in the field against Lincoln. McClellan received in Hendricks county but eight hundred thirty-two votes, against two thousand six hundred and twenty-two for Lincoln. Much excite- ment and bitter feeling existed in Hendricks county during this election. Many threats were made by ardent supporters of the war and it was deemed necessary for the polls to be guarded to prevent violence against some voters supposed to belong to a treasonable order. Two townships, Brown and Union, gave a majority for McClellan.

In an uninterrupted series the elections proceeded every four years until 1912 with the Republicans in the lead. The campaign of 1Q12 and the split in the Republican rank.'^ is fresh in the mind of the reader. In this year Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic nominee, received the plurality of votes cast in Hendricks county.

Following is a summary giving the vote in the different Presidential -elections from 1828, also a roster of the count}- officials from the date of the -organization of the county:

Presidential Elections

In the election of 1828 the Democratic ticket, Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun, received 204 votes in Hendricks county, and John Ouincy Adams and Richard Rush, Whigs, received 164.

In 1840 the county gave a substantial majority to William Henry Harrison over Martin A'an Buren, the vote being: Harrison, 1,189; ^^^n Buren, 651.

In 1844: Henry Clay and Theodore Frelinghuysen. Whigs. 1,262; James K. Polk and George M. Dallas, Democrats. 844; James G. Birney and Thomas Morris, Liberty, 26.

In 1848: Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore, Whigs, 1,158; Lewis Cass and William O. Butler, Democrats, 775 ; Martin Van Buren and Charles A. Adams, Liberty, 173.

In 1852: Winfield Scott and William A. Graham, Whigs, 1,252; Franklin Pierce and William R. King, Democrats, 980; John P. Hale and George W. Julian, Free Democrats, 156.

In 1856: John C. Fremont and William L. Dayton, Republicans, 1,680; James Buchanan and John C. Breckenridge, Democrats, 1,378; Millard Fillmore and Andrew J. Donelson, Americans, '/2.

I06 Hendricks County, Indiana

In i860: Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin, Republicans, 2,050; Stephen A. Douglas and Herschel V. Johnson, Northern Democrats, 1,083; John C. Breckenridge and Joseph Lane, Southern Democrats, 244; John Bell and Edward Everett, Constitutional Union, 41.

In 1872: U. S. Grant and Henry Wilson, Republicans, 2,834; Horace Greeley and B. Gratz Brown, Democrats, 1,626; Charles O'Conor and John Q. Adams, Straight-out Democrats, 4.

In 1876; Rutherford B. Hayes and William A. Wheeler, Republicans, 3,014; Samuel J. Tilden and Thomas A. Hendricks, Democrats, 1,912; Peter Cooper and Samuel F. Carey, Greenback, 231.

In 1880: James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur, Republicans, 3,196; Winfield S. Hancock and William H. English, Democrats, 1,994; James B. Weaver and B. J. Chambers, Greenback, 218; Neal Dow and H. A. Thompson, Prohibitionists, 4.

In 1888 Benjamin Harrison and Levi P. Morton, Republicans, received 1,211 majority over the Democratic candidates, Grover Cleveland and Allen

In 1892: Benjamin Harrison and Whitelaw Reid, Republicans, 3,020; Grover Cleveland and Adlai E. Stevenson, Democrats, 2,028; John Bidwell and J. B. Cranfill, Prohibitionists, 215.

In 1896: William Jennings Bryan and Arthur Sewall, Democrats, 2,365; William McKinley and Garret A. Hobart, Republicans, 3,409; Joshua Levering and Hale Johnson, Prohibitionists, 33 ; John M. Palmer and Simon B. Buckner, National Democrats, 18; Rev. Charles E. Bentley and James H. Southgate, National, 46; Charles H. Matchett and Matthew Maguire, Social Labor, i.

In 1900: William J. Bryan and Adlai E. Stevenson, Democrats, 2,359; William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, Republicans, 3,426; John G Woolley and Henry B. Metcalf, Prohibitionists, 154; Eugene V. Debs and Job Harriman, Social Democrats, i.

In 1904 : Theodore Roosevelt and Charles W. Fairbanks, Republicans, 3.434; Alton B. Parker and Henry G. Davis, Democrats, 2,174; Silas C. Swallow and George W. Carroll, Prohibitionists, 215; Thomas E. Watson and Thomas H. Tibbies, Peoples, 18; Eugene V. Debs and Benjamin Hanford, Socialists, 5; Charles H. Corrigan and William W. Cox, Social Labor, 2.

In 1912: Woodrow Wilson and Thomas R. Marshall, Democrats, '2<ZZT\ William H. Taft and James S. Sherman, 1,439; Theodore Roosevelt and Hiram W. Johnson, Progressives, 1,495; Eugene W. Chafin and Aaron S. Watkins, Prohibitionists, 142.