Charles W. Fairbanks

Charles Warren 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
Born	May 11, 1852(1852-05-11) 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 a Senator from Indiana and the 26th Vice President of the United States.

Born in a log cabin near Unionville Center, 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.

Early career

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. 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.

Prior to the 1888 Republican Convention, federal judge Walter Q. Gresham sought Fairbanks's 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.

He 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 to not 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 under 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.

After Politics and Death

Fairbanks' grave in Crown Hill Cemetery Indianapolis, Indiana.

Fairbanks once again resumed the practice of law in Indianapolis, but his health started to fail in the year prior to his death. He was interred in Crown Hill Cemetery.

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

Ohio Historical Marker in Unionville Center commemorating Fairbanks' birthplace.

On Friday, May 15, 2009, an Ohio historical marker was dedicated in Unionville Center, commemorating Fairbanks' birthplace.^[2]

References

See also

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

External links

• The life and speeches of Hon. Charles Warren Fairbanks : Republican candidate for vice-president
• Charles W. Fairbanks at Find a Grave

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v • d • e United States Senators from Indiana Class 1 Noble • Hanna • Tipton • White • Bright • Wright • Turpie • T. Hendricks • Pratt • McDonald • Harrison • Turpie • Beveridge • Kern • New • Ralston • Robinson • Minton • Willis • Jenner • Hartke • Lugar Class 3 Taylor • W. Hendricks • Smith • Hannegan • Whitcomb • Cathcart • Pettit • Fitch • Lane • Morton • Voorhees • Fairbanks • Hemenway • Shively • Taggart • Watson • Van Nuys • Jackson • Jenner • Capehart • Bayh II • Quayle • Coats • Bayh III

v • d • e Cabinet of President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) Vice President None (1901-1905) • Charles W. Fairbanks (1905-1909) Secretary of State John M. Hay (1901-1905) • Elihu Root (1905-1909) • Robert Bacon (1909) Secretary of the Treasury Lyman J. Gage (1901-1902) • Leslie M. Shaw (1902-1907) • George B. Cortelyou (1907-1909) Secretary of War Elihu Root (1901-1904) • William H. Taft (1904-1908) • Luke E. Wright (1908-1909) Attorney General Philander C. Knox (1901-1904) • William H. Moody (1904-1906) • Charles J. Bonaparte (1906-1909) Postmaster General Charles E. Smith (1901-1902) • Henry C. Payne (1902-1904) • Robert J. Wynne (1904-1905) • George B. Cortelyou (1905-1907) • George von L. Meyer (1907-1909) Secretary of the Navy John D. Long (1901-1902) • William H. Moody (1902-1904) • Paul Morton (1904-1905) • Charles J. Bonaparte (1905-1906) • Victor H. Metcalf (1906-1908) • Truman H. Newberry (1908-1909) Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock (1901-1907) • James R. Garfield (1907-1909) Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson (1901-1909) Secretary of Commerce and Labor George B. Cortelyou (1903-1904) • Victor H. Metcalf (1904-1906) • Oscar S. Straus (1906-1909)