George Washington Carroll, April 1, 1855 (Mansfield, La.) - December 14, 1935 (Beaumont, Tex.)
VP candidate for Prohibition Party (1904)
Running mate with nominee: Silas Comfort Swallow (1839-1930)
Popular vote: 259,102 (1.92%)
Electoral vote: 0/476
The campaign:
The 1904 Prohibition Party platform was chiefly anti-alcohol, but they also made brief mentions in support of the initiative and referendum process, an "omnipartisan commission" to deal with tariffs, and direct election of US Senators.
The Prohibition Party officials behind the scenes were involved in some especially nasty charges and counter-charges involving misappropriation of funds and treachery to the cause. This backdrop of conflict within the Party didn't seem to slow down Silas "The Fighting Parson" Swallow, who ran a vigorous campaign.
You would think that a name like "Silas Comfort Swallow" would be a liability for a presidential candidate of the Prohibition Party, but in fact the Party had their third best polling in their long history. It was their best national result in the 20th century. They placed 4th after the Socialist Party of America.
On the ballot in all but five states, the Swallow/Carroll ticket had their strongest showing in Oregon (4.22%)
Election history:
1902 - Governor of Texas (Prohibition Party) - defeated
190? - Alderman, Beaumont, Tex.
Other occupations: lumber and oil business,
Buried: Magnolia Cemetery (Beaumont, Tex.)
Notes:
Some sources have April 11, 1855 as his birthdate.
Family moved to Beaumont, Tex. in 1868.
His oil strike turned Beaumont into a boom town, which also brought widespread alcohol abuse and
influenced Carroll to make political amends for a problem he knew he helped create.
Baptist.
Helped fund the YMCA building in Beaumont, where he died in a small room age 80.
Led raids on barrooms and gambling joints.
By 1923 he was no longer wealthy, having given away his fortune to civic causes.
