Hendricks, Thomas A

Hendricks, Thomas A(ndrews)

(born Sept. 7, 1819, near Zanesville, Ohio, U.S.—died Nov. 25, 1885, Indianapolis, Ind.) U.S. politician. He practiced law in Indiana before serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (1851–55) and Senate (1863–69); he was later governor (1873–77). Though loyal to the Union, he opposed many aspects of the Union's military effort during the American Civil War; he also opposed the Reconstruction program imposed on the South after the war. He favoured leniency toward white supremacists in the South and opposed all legislation aimed at assisting freedmen. He was the Democratic Party nominee for vice president in 1876 (as the running mate of Samuel Tilden) and again in 1884, when he was elected with Grover Cleveland. He died shortly after taking office.