William Almon Wheeler

Politician, lawyer

• Born: June 30, 1819
• Birthplace: Malone, New York
• Died: June 4, 1887
• Place of death: Malone, New York

Education: University of Vermont

Significance: William Almon Wheeler was an American politician and lawyer. He was the nineteenth vice president of the United States under President Rutherford B. Hayes. Prior to his election, he served in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Wheeler ran his own law practice during his early career. He was known for his political candor and modesty, and he repeatedly refused to benefit from his position of authority. He died in New York in 1887.

Background

William Almon Wheeler was born on June 30, 1819, in Malone, New York. His father was an attorney and local postmaster but died when Wheeler was eight years old. To keep the family financially stable, his mother opened their home to boarders from the nearby Franklin Academy, which Wheeler attended. In his youth, he spent a lot of time working to save money for college. Wheeler was able to attend the University of Vermont in Burlington by obtaining a loan from a friend. While studying, he often ate only bread and water so he could continue to afford his education. Wheeler studied at the University of Vermont for two years before he was forced to drop out after developing an eye issue.

After returning to Malone, he made a living as a school teacher while he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1845. A member of the Whig Party, he was elected to several local political posts, including town clerk, school commissioner, and school inspector. He was named district attorney of Franklin County in 1846, a post he held until 1849. He served in the state assembly from 1850 to 1851, acting as the chair of the Ways and Means Committee. Wheeler then joined the newly established Republican Party and ran for a seat in the state senate. He joined New York's senate in 1858 and was elected its president pro tempore.

Wheeler was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1860 as a representative of New York's Sixteenth District. He served in this position in Washington from 1861 to 1863. He then chaired his state's constitutional convention. Alongside his work within the state legislature, Wheeler also had his own private law practice. After several years, he developed a throat condition that hindered his ability to argue cases in court. Wheeler decided to close his practice and take a job running a local bank. He also served on the board of trustees for several railroad companies. Wheeler continued to decline in health, however, and was forced to leave these positions in 1865.

Overview

Wheeler was again elected to the House of Representatives in 1868. He was named chair of the Committee on Pacific Railroads but later resigned as a matter of principle after refusing to accept stock offers from another Republican representative. The stocks were offered to multiple senators during this time to sway their political decisions regarding railroads. Wheeler's decision proved wise when multiple politicians were accused of accepting bribes from the Union Pacific Railroad Company. Wheeler was a morally righteous individual, further demonstrated by his refusal to accept Congress's approval of a pay raise for its legislators in 1873. The pay raise was retroactively applied to the last five years' worth of salaries. He rejected this salary increase and returned the difference to the US Treasury.

Wheeler was involved in investigating an election dispute in the state of Louisiana in 1874. The Republican Party of the Louisiana State Senate was divided over whom to support for the office of governor. Half the Republicans supported William Pitt Kellogg. The other half supported a Democratic candidate on a fusion ticket. The state election board declared the Democratic candidate the winner, but the state's Republicans dismissed the decision and created their own election board that declared the Republican candidate the winner. President Ulysses S. Grant recognized the Republican decision naming Kellogg governor, sparking a riot in the streets of New Orleans. More than fifty people died in the ensuing chaos. Wheeler traveled to Louisiana to hear the testimonies of the parties involved in the dispute and created a compromise that let Kellogg remain governor while giving several disputed seats to Democratic legislators. The deal also included a plan to undo federal Reconstruction efforts in Louisiana to promote better relations between the post–Civil War North and South.

In the election of 1876, Republicans chose Wheeler as their vice presidential nominee under presidential candidate Rutherford B. Hayes. Wheeler's stellar political reputation left him invulnerable to Democratic attempts to discredit his name. His past refusal of stock offers and salary increases further bolstered his reputation as a modest and principled politician. The election was one of the closest races in US history, but Hayes and Wheeler appeared to be the winners. The results were disputed by Democrats, leading to a compromise that awarded the win to Hayes and Wheeler as long as they only served one term, which they both agreed to.

Wheeler and Hayes became good friends during their term together, though Hayes rarely sought out Wheeler for political advice and did not include him in cabinet meetings. Wheeler spent most of his time presiding over Senate debates, which he found very boring. When his term ended in 1881, he returned to New York. He attempted to win a seat on the Senate but was unsuccessful. He retired from politics soon after due to his poor health. Wheeler died on June 4, 1887, in Malone.

Impact

Despite his political integrity, Wheeler was a quiet legislator who did not make much of a mark during his time in politics. Although he was considered as a potential presidential candidate on several occasions, his modest nature dismayed many of his fellow Republicans, and he never gained the support needed to propel his nomination. His term as vice president was largely forgotten with time, but Wheeler's politically straightforward career was historically noteworthy.

Personal Life

Wheeler married one of his former students, Mary King, in 1845. She died the year before he became vice president.

Bibliography

"Wheeler, William Almon, (1819–1887)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=w000341. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.

"William Almon Wheeler." SUNY Press, www.sunypress.edu/p-5794-william-almon-wheeler.aspx. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.

"William A. Wheeler: Biography, Facts & Quotes." Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/william-a-wheeler-biography-facts-quotes.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.

"William A. Wheeler (1877–1881)." Miller Center, millercenter.org/president/hayes/wheeler-1877-vicepresident. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.

"William A. Wheeler, 19th Vice President (1877–1881)." United States Senate, www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP‗William‗Wheeler.htm. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.