Charles W. Fairbanks

Charles W. Fairbanks
26th Vice President of the United States
In office March 4, 1905 – March 4, 1909
President	Theodore Roosevelt
Preceded by	Theodore Roosevelt
Succeeded by	James S. Sherman
United States Senator from Indiana
In office March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1905
Preceded by	Daniel W. Voorhees
Succeeded by	James A. Hemenway
Personal details
Born	Charles Warren Fairbanks May 11, 1852 Unionville Center, Ohio
Died	June 4, 1918 (aged 66) Indianapolis, Indiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Cornelia Cole Fairbanks
Alma mater	Ohio Wesleyan University
Signature

Charles Warren Fairbanks (May 11, 1852 – June 4, 1918) was an American politician who served as a Senator from Indiana from 1897 to 1905 and the 26th Vice President of the United States from 1905 to 1909.

Early life

Born in a log cabin near Delaware, Ohio, Fairbanks's ancestry traced back to Puritan followers of Oliver Cromwell, with Jonathan Fayerbankes the first family member to reach America in 1632. The son of a wagon-maker, Fairbanks in his youth saw his family's home used as a hiding place for runaway slaves. After attending country schools and working on a farm, Fairbanks attended Ohio Wesleyan University, where he graduated in 1872. While there, Fairbanks was co-editor of the school newspaper with Cornelia Cole, whom he married after both graduated from the school.^[1]

Fairbanks, Alaska is named after Charles W. Fairbanks.^[2]

Early career

Charles W. Fairbanks as Vice President of the United States

Fairbanks' first position was as an agent of the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, reporting on political rallies for Horace Greeley during the 1872 presidential election.^[3] Fairbanks then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he briefly attended law school before his admittance to the Ohio bar in 1874. He then moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, the same year.

During his early years in Indiana, Fairbanks was paid $5,000 a year as manager for the bankrupt Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western Railroad. With the assistance of his uncle, Charles W. Smith, whose connections had helped him obtain the position, Fairbanks was able to become a railroad financier, and served as counsel for millionaire Jay Gould.

Fairbanks in his office

Prior to the 1888 Republican National Convention, federal judge Walter Q. Gresham sought Fairbanks' help in seeking the nomination for U.S. President. While the bid was ultimately unsuccessful, Fairbanks began to take an even greater interest in politics, falling short in a campaign for the United States Senate in 1893.

He was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1896, after having delivered the keynote address during the convention that nominated William McKinley for President.

Senator

During his eight years in the U.S. Senate, Fairbanks served as a key adviser to McKinley during the Spanish–American War and was also the Chairman of the Committee on Immigration and the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. In 1898, Fairbanks was appointed a member of the United States and British Joint High Commission which met in Quebec City for the adjustment of Canadian questions, including the boundary dispute about Alaska.

Vice President

Fairbanks and Theodore Roosevelt.

Fairbanks was elected Vice President of the United States in 1904 on the Republican ticket with Theodore Roosevelt and served all four years. Fairbanks sought the Republican nomination for President but Roosevelt (who chose not to seek reelection) supported William Howard Taft as his potential successor in 1908, sending Fairbanks back to the practice of law. In 1912, Fairbanks supported Taft's re-election against Roosevelt's Bull Moose candidacy.

Hughes' running mate

In 1916, Fairbanks was in charge of establishing the platform for the Republican party. In 1916, he sought the Republican presidential nomination, and although he failed in that bid, he did win the nomination for vice president as the running-mate of Charles Evans Hughes on June 10. Five months later, Hughes and Fairbanks lost a close election to the Democratic incumbents Woodrow Wilson and Thomas Marshall. Fairbanks is the most recent former Vice President to seek reelection for a non-consecutive term (with Adlai Stevenson I before him). Fairbanks once again resumed the practice of law in Indianapolis, but his health started to fail.

Death

He died of nephritis in his home on June 4, 1918.^[4] He was interred in Crown Hill Cemetery.

Fairbanks' grave in Crown Hill Cemetery Indianapolis, Indiana.

Legacy

The city of Fairbanks, Alaska, and the Fairbanks North Star Borough it lies within; the Fairbanks School District in Union County, Ohio; Fairbanks, Minnesota; Fairbanks, Oregon; and Fairbanks Township, Michigan, are named after him.

On Friday, May 15, 2009, an Ohio historical marker was dedicated in Unionville Center, commemorating Fairbanks' birthplace.^[5]

See also

• United States presidential election, 1904
• United States presidential election, 1916

References

1. Harvey, Official Proceedings of the Republican National Convention, 1904, pp 23 - 32, Original from Harvard University, Digitized Oct 26, 2007
2. http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/charles_fairbanks.pdf
3. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-AobAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zkgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3755%2C5354
4. "Indiana Statesman Succumbs to Intestinal Nephritis After Long Illness at His Home. His Political Career Began After He Was a Successful Railroad Attorney. Adept in Platform Making. Reporter for The Associated Press. Attorney for Jay Gould. Beginning of His Political Career. Roosevelt's Running Mate.". New York Times. June 5, 1918. Retrieved 2010-03-06. Charles Warren Fairbanks, former Vice President of the United States and former United States Senator for Indiana, died at his home at 8:55 o'clock tonight.
5. Patrick Dundr, Fairbanks historical marker, Marysville Journal-Tribune, May 16, 2009

External links

• The life and speeches of Hon. Charles Warren Fairbanks : Republican candidate for vice-president
• "Charles W. Fairbanks". Find a Grave. Retrieved August 28, 2010.