Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett, April 11, 1794 (Dorchester, Mass.)– January 15, 1865 (Boston, Mass.)
VP candidate for Constitutional Union Party 1860
Running mate with nominee: John Bell (1796-1869)
Popular vote: 590,901 (12.61%)
Electoral vote: 39/303 (Ky., Tenn., Va.)
The campaign:
The short-lived Constitutional Union Party had a vague centrist platform on preserving the union but took no stand on the issue of slavery. Conservative Whigs and former members of the American (Know-Nothing) Party filled their ranks. Everett was a reluctant running mate and was not very active in the campaign.
The Party placed 4th in the popular vote but 3rd in the Electoral College winning Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. They were on the ballot in more states than the eventual victor, the Republicans. Bell/Everett placed in second in many states in the South, and came very close to winning Maryland and Missouri.
Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party nominee, placed 2nd in the popular but 4th in the electoral count, one of the rare times a mainstream political party trailed a third party.
Election history:
1825-1835 - US House of Representatives (Mass.) (National Republican/1834-1835, Whig)
1836-1840 - Governor of Massachusetts (Whig)
1839 - Governor of Massachusetts (Whig) - defeated
1853-1854 - US Senate (Whig)
Other occupations: professor at Harvard University, editor of the North American Review, United States Minister to the United Kingdom 1841-1845, President of Harvard University, United States Secretary of State 1852-1853,
Buried: Mount Auburn Cemetery (Cambridge, Mass.)
Notes:
His persistence in his student days earned him the nickname "Ever-at-it"
Ralph Waldo Emerson was one of his students.
Charles Francis Adams (another 3rd party VP nominee) was not only a student of Everett's but also
VP candidate for Constitutional Union Party 1860
Running mate with nominee: John Bell (1796-1869)
Popular vote: 590,901 (12.61%)
Electoral vote: 39/303 (Ky., Tenn., Va.)
The campaign:
The short-lived Constitutional Union Party had a vague centrist platform on preserving the union but took no stand on the issue of slavery. Conservative Whigs and former members of the American (Know-Nothing) Party filled their ranks. Everett was a reluctant running mate and was not very active in the campaign.
The Party placed 4th in the popular vote but 3rd in the Electoral College winning Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. They were on the ballot in more states than the eventual victor, the Republicans. Bell/Everett placed in second in many states in the South, and came very close to winning Maryland and Missouri.
Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party nominee, placed 2nd in the popular but 4th in the electoral count, one of the rare times a mainstream political party trailed a third party.
Election history:
1825-1835 - US House of Representatives (Mass.) (National Republican/1834-1835, Whig)
1836-1840 - Governor of Massachusetts (Whig)
1839 - Governor of Massachusetts (Whig) - defeated
1853-1854 - US Senate (Whig)
Other occupations: professor at Harvard University, editor of the North American Review, United States Minister to the United Kingdom 1841-1845, President of Harvard University, United States Secretary of State 1852-1853,
Buried: Mount Auburn Cemetery (Cambridge, Mass.)
Notes:
His persistence in his student days earned him the nickname "Ever-at-it"
Ralph Waldo Emerson was one of his students.
Charles Francis Adams (another 3rd party VP nominee) was not only a student of Everett's but also
eventually related by marriage
Promoted the work of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who he had met in Europe in the 1810s.
His son William served in the US House of Representatives (D-Mass., 1893-1895)
Lost his 1839 bid for re-election as Gov. of Mass. by one vote.
Daniel Webster was his mentor.
Began to suffer from ill-health in the late 1840s.
Was involved in the preservation efforts of George Washington's Mount Vernon home.
Supported Lincoln's re-election in 1864, serving as an elector from Mass.
Buried in the same cemetery as B.F. Skinner, I.F. Stone, Bucky Fuller, and many other historical
Promoted the work of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who he had met in Europe in the 1810s.
His son William served in the US House of Representatives (D-Mass., 1893-1895)
Lost his 1839 bid for re-election as Gov. of Mass. by one vote.
Daniel Webster was his mentor.
Began to suffer from ill-health in the late 1840s.
Was involved in the preservation efforts of George Washington's Mount Vernon home.
Supported Lincoln's re-election in 1864, serving as an elector from Mass.
Buried in the same cemetery as B.F. Skinner, I.F. Stone, Bucky Fuller, and many other historical
figures.
The beloved character actor Edward Everett Horton (1886-1970) was named after his father. Edward
The beloved character actor Edward Everett Horton (1886-1970) was named after his father. Edward
Everett Horton Sr. (1860-1915) was born in Maryland in May 11, 1860, two days after the
Bell/Everett ticket was nominated in Baltimore. It is reasonable to speculate the later actor was
indirectly named after Edward Everett the third party VP figure.
As a young man was interested in becoming a Unitarian minister to the point of even delivering sermons.
Had Everett been elected he would not have lived through his first term, having died a couple months
As a young man was interested in becoming a Unitarian minister to the point of even delivering sermons.
Had Everett been elected he would not have lived through his first term, having died a couple months
before the 1865 inauguration.
He delivered his own Gettysburg Address which was immediately followed by Lincoln at the same
He delivered his own Gettysburg Address which was immediately followed by Lincoln at the same
event.
