Samuel J. Tilden

Candidate Biography:

Born: February 9, 1814 in New Lebanon, New York
Died: August 4, 1886 in Yonkers, New York

1855: Candidate for New York State Attorney General (Lost)
1872-1874: Assemblyman, New York State Legislature
1875-1876: Governor of New York

• Tilden won the 1876 Presidential Election, without a doubt. Although he lost California, nationally he won 4.28 million votes and 203 electoral votes (to the 4.03 million votes and 4.03 million votes received by Rutherford B. Hayes). But in what became the most disputed Presidential election of the 19th century, Republicans in three states managed to throw out enough ballots to shift the three states to Hayes, changing the Electoral College total to 185 to 184 in favor of Hayes. Hayes became the 19th President of the United States.