William Harrison Thompson Wakefield, December 13, 1834 (Vandalia, Ill.) - July 26, 1913 (Denver, Colo.)
VP candidate for United Labor Party (1888)
Running mate with nominee: Robert H. Cowdrey (1852-1924)
Popular vote: 1020 (0.01%)
Electoral vote: 0/401
The campaign:
Inspired by Henry George, this Georgist group advocated the single-tax policy along with being anti-monopoly, promoting shorter working hours, stopping child labor, and encouraging more public ownership of land. Mr. George himself had been excommunicated from the Party for having expressed a willingness to work within the Democratic Party.
An attempt to align with the Union Labor Party fell through as both of the "Labor" parties debated the acceptance of Socialists in their ranks. Friedrich Engels had criticized the United Labor Party as a feeble attempt to address the problems of wage-slavery.
There is a possibility Wakefield withdrew from the ticket, feeling it was a blind set up by the Republicans. His name apparently remained on the ballots if that is so.
On Election Day over half the United Labor Party's 1020 votes came from New York. This was their only appearance in a national election.
Election history:
1884 - Kansas State Auditor (Greenback Labor Party) - defeated
Other occupations: printer, Union soldier (US Civil War), newspaper editor
Buried: Oak Hill Cemetery (Lawrence, Kan.)
Notes:
Attended school in Plattville, Wis.
Republican 1860-1868, Liberal Republican 1872, Greenback 1876-1884, Democrat 1889
Wounded three times in the Civil War, and held prisoner for 8 months. Attained rank of Lt. Col.
Agnostic
Later joined the Populist Party.
Was known as "Thompson"
Some sources give 1886 as the year of his race for Kansas State Auditor.
