Samuel J. Tilden (February 9, 1814 - August 4, 1886)

Samuel Jones Tilden was born at New Lebanon, New York, on February 9, 1814. In 1834 he entered Yale University but soon withdrew on account of ill health and later studied at the University of the City of New York. He was admitted to the bar in 1841. In spite of his activity at the bar, Tilden maintained an interest in politics, serving in the State Assembly in 1846 and in the state constitutional conventions of 1846 and 1867. In 1848, largely on account of his personal attachment to Martin Van Buren, he participated in the revolt of the "Barnburner" or free-soil faction of the New York Democrats and in 1855 was the candidate of the "softshell", or anti-slavery, faction for Attorney General of New York. During the Civil War, although he opposed several of the war measures of President Abraham Lincoln's administration, he gave the Union cause his heartiest support. In 1876 the Democrats nominated him for the Presidency; the Republicans nominating Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio. The result was the disputed election of 1876, when two sets of returns were sent to Washington from the States of Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Oregon. As the Federal Constitution contained no provision for settling a dispute of this kind the two houses of Congress agreed to the appointment of an extra-constitutional body, the "Electoral Commission", which decided all the contests in favor of the Republican candidates. Tilden counseled his followers to abide quietly by the result. The remainder of his life was spent in retirement at his country home, Greystone, near Yonkers, New York, where he died on the August 4, 1886. Of his fortune (estimated at $5 million) approximately $4 million was bequeathed for the establishment and maintenance of "a free public library and reading-room in the City of New York"; but, as the will was successfully contested by relatives, only about $2 million of the bequest was applied to its original purpose; in 1895 the Tilden Trust was combined with the Astor and Lenox libraries to form the New York Public Library.