William Carter Payne

William Carter Payne, December, 1869 (Warrenton, Va.) - ?

VP candidate for National Negro Liberty Party (aka National Liberty Party aka Liberty Party aka Civil Liberty Party) (1904)

Running mate with nominee: George Edwin Taylor (1857-1925)
Popular vote: ? (0%)             
Electoral vote: 0/476

The campaign:

The historic first African American ticket of Taylor-Payne had a rocky beginning and an unfortunate electoral result, but can be counted as one of the most prophetic parties of the era.

The Party's original vice-presidential nominee who served as a deputy sheriff in Memphis, was killed in the line of duty. This was followed by the first presidential nominee (William Thomas Scott) being arrested and jailed on several charges. A rough start for a new party and for replacement nominees Taylor and Payne.

The Party's platform included calls for DC home rule, universal suffrage, government control of transportation to guarantee equal access for all citizens, anti-lynching laws, additional black regiments in the military, and Federal protection of civil rights.

An interesting side story here. A competing African American group called the National Negro Lincoln Party was repudiated by their own vice-presidential nominee Judge John Jones, who rejected his candidacy and endorsed the Republican ticket in no uncertain terms.

The Taylor-Payne ticket failed to be placed on any ballots but a considerable write-in campaign was waged. The number of votes they received had not been recorded.

Election history: ?

Other occupations: teacher, cabin steward aboard USS Dixie during Spanish-American War, author, cook

Buried: ?

Notes:
Lived in Warrenton, Va. in 1904
Served in the Army in 1887 and later the Navy.
Author of Cruise of the U.S.S. Dixie; or, On board with the Maryland boys in the Spanish-American
  war. A narrative (1899) and the proceeds from the sale of the book were to go to establishing an
  industrial school in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Attended Wayland Seminary in Washington, DC.
Was considered an Independent Republican.
Also called Capt. Payne.

 

Charles C. Foote

 Charles C. Foote, March 30, 1811 (Olean, NY) – May 3, 1891 (Detroit, Mich.)

VP candidate for National Liberty Party 1848

Running mate with nominee: Gerrit Smith (1797-1874)
Popular vote: 2,545 (0.56% of the vote in NY)            
Electoral vote: 0/290

The campaign:
In 1848 the Liberty Party nominated Sen. John Hale but he withdrew in order to endorse the growing Free Soil Party with Martin Van Buren at the head of the ticket. Most of the Liberty Party followed him. There were a few, however, who felt the Free Soilers were too compromised and the remaining Liberty Party purists reorganized into the National Liberty Party nominating Gerrit Smith and Charles C. Foote.

In spite of the "National" in the name, the Party was chiefly a regional movement in upstate New York, the only state where they appeared on the ballot. The platform was very religious in tone and called for active measures against alcohol, gambling, and prostitution. They also opposed tariffs and the US-Mexican War.    

Election history:
1882- Governor of Michigan (American Party) - defeated

Other occupations: Presbyterian minister, abolitionist, prohibitionist, fundraising agent of the Refugee Home Society

Buried: White Lake Cemetery (White Lake, Mich.)

Notes:
Graduate of Oberlin College.
Studied medicine for two years at Fairfield Medical College, NY
Ran for Governor of Michigan at the age of 71 promoting a blending of Church and State and
 prohibition among other things. He placed 5th with 343 votes (0.11%)
Active with the Underground Railroad in Michigan, helping escaped slaves migrate to Ontario.
Was involved with the Prohibition Party.