Samuel Wardell Williams, February 7, 1851 (Mount Carmel, Ill.) – August 5, 1913 (Vicennes, Ind.)
VP candidate for People's Party (aka Populist Party) (1908)
Running mate with nominee: Thomas E. Watson (1856-1922)
Popular vote: 28,862 (0.19%)
Electoral vote: 0/483
The campaign:
The Populist platform was indeed radical in 1896, but this was 1908 in the "Progressive Era" and nearly every party had appropriated the People's Party ideas. This was the final national campaign for what was once one of the most powerhouse third parties in US history. It was also the final campaign for William Jennings Bryan.
1908 running mate Samuel Williams was one of the Populist voices in 1896 that warned it would be a mistake to totally endorse Bryan and he agitated for Watson to be the hybrid running mate in that election. Now Williams himself was the running mate.
Watson's growing racist and religious bigotry was not apparent in the People's Party literature. The articulate Judge Williams actually wrote some of their material.
The Watson/Williams ticket recorded votes in 16 states. They tallied 12.59% in Watson's home state of Georgia, 3.94% in Florida, 1.91% in Mississippi, and 1.50% in Alabama. After that it quickly dwindles down until you reach one single vote in Maine.
Election history:
1877 - Mayor of Vicennes, Ind. (Democratic) - defeated
1882-1886 - Indiana House of Representatives (Democratic)
1904 - People's Party nomination for US President - defeated
Other occupations: judge, attorney, Deputy County Clerk of Wasbash County (Ill.), bookkeeper, salesman, Prosecuting Attorney of Knox County, Ind. 1878-1880
Buried: Greenlawn Cemetery (Vicennes, Ind.)
Notes:
Died from appendicitis
Moved to Vicennes, Ind. in 1869-1870.
Episcopalian
Originally studied to be a Presbyterian minister
Apparently never married.
Once a loyal Democrat, he was driven to the People's Party as a result of his disapproval of President
Cleveland's first term.
