Lorenzo Stephen Coffin

Lorenzo Stephen Coffin, April 29, 1823 (Alton, NH) - January 17, 1915 (Fort Dodge, Iowa)

VP candidate for United Christian Party (1908)

Running mate with nominee: Daniel Braxton Turney (1848-1926)
Popular vote: 463 (0.0%)
Electoral vote: 0/483

The campaign:

The United Christian Party resurfaced in 1908 after we last saw them in 1900. They apparently skipped the 1904 election, either that or they ran stealth candidates.

1908 platform was short and to the point: "The platform of the united Christian party is based on the ten commandments and the golden rule and favors direct primary elections, the initiative, referendum, recall, uniform marriage and divorce laws, equal rights for men and women, government ownership of coal mines, oil wells and public utilities: the regulation of trusts and the election of the president and vice-president and senators of the United States by the direct vote of the people."

At age 85, Lorenzo S. Coffin is one of the oldest third party running mates. He was probably one of the last Civil War veterans to be on a third party ticket as well.

The UCP seems to have been on the ballot in at least two states with 400 votes in Illinois and 63 in Michigan.

Election history:
1906 - Governor of Iowa (Prohibition Party) - defeated

Other occupations: farmer, Union soldier (Iowa Infantry) during the Civil War, newspaper editor, grange activist, member of the Iowa Railroad Commission (1883-1888), instructor in Geauga Seminary

Buried: Willowledge Cemetery (Fort Dodge, Iowa)

Notes:
Attended Oberlin College
Moved to Iowa in 1854
Organized the Iowa Benevolent Association for ex-convicts and unwed mothers.
Started out as a Republican before joining the Prohibition Party.
During his time as an instructor in Geauga Seminary, James A. Garfield was one of his students.
His burial site is on the National Register of Historic Places.

David Herron Martin

David Herron Martin, Mar. 28, 1849 (Pittsburgh, Penn.) - 1933 (Pennsylvania?)

VP candidate for United Christian Party (1900)

Running mate with nominee: Jonah Fitz Randolph Leonard (1832-1905)
Popular vote: 518 (0.00%)            
Electoral vote: 0/447

The campaign:

The United Christian Party platform called for the US to be officially declared a "Christian nation," they opposed the legalization of divorce and alcohol, supported the initiative and referendum system, supported equal rights and wages for women, advocated the required daily reading of the Bible in public school, and supported the abolition of the Electoral College among other things. 

At their convention with 25 delegates, prohibitionists Silas Swallow and John Woolley were nominated, but both declined. After a few others declined, Leonard and Martin were tapped as the final replacements.

The Leonard/Martin ticket was apparently on the ballot in two states, where they had 352 votes in Illinois and 166 votes in Iowa, and no doubt probably scored a scattering of write-ins in other states.

Election history:
<1900> - Bellevue, Penn. City Council
19-- - US House of Representatives (Penn.) (Prohibition) - defeated
1908 - Pennsylvania State Legislature (Prohibition) - defeated

Other occupations: publisher of temperance material

Buried: English Lutheran Church Cemetery (Zelienople, Penn.)

Notes:
Attended school in Allegheny, Penn.
Was a Republican prior to his third party activism.
Since Leonard died on Jan. 15, 1905, Martin would have become President in the last couple months of the term.
Both parents were Irish immigrants.