Wharton Barker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1846-05-01)May 1, 1846 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | April 9, 1921(1921-04-09) (aged 74) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Resting place | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Party | Republican |
| Other political affiliations | Populist Silver Republican |
| Spouse | Margaret Corlies |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Jacob Barker (grandfather) |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania |
| Awards | Order of Saint Stanislaus |
| Signature | .png) |
| Military service | |
| Years of service | 1861-1865 |
| Unit |  United States Army (Union Army) |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Wharton Barker (May 1, 1846 – April 9, 1921) was an American financier and publicist who held influence in the Republican presidential selection during the 1880s and was a rivalPopulist presidential candidate in1900.
Wharton Barker was born on May 1, 1846, to Abraham Barker and Sarah Wharton in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1867, he married Margaret Corlies and later had three children with her.
He graduated from theUniversity of Pennsylvania in 1866, but prior to this time had organized and commanded a company in theAmerican Civil War. As a member of the banking firm of Barker Bros. & Co., he was appointed in 1878 as special financial agent of theRussian government. During theRusso-Turkish War, he helped theRussian Empire obtain warships, and for it was given theOrder of Saint Stanislaus. He became an acquaintance of TsarAlexander II of Russia who helped him in the development of mining lands throughout Russia and Europe.[1] He also obtained valuable railroad, telegraph, and telephone concessions that were later withdrawn from China. As early as 1869, he founded thePenn Monthly, a weekly devoted to political, economic, and social questions, which in 1880-1900 was published under the nameThe American.
At the1880 Republican National Convention, he opposedUlysses S. Grant's attempt to gain a third term and helped RepresentativeJames A. Garfield win the Republican nomination. After winning the presidency, Garfield offered Barker the position ofSecretary of the Interior, but he declined. At the1888 convention, he supported former SenatorBenjamin Harrison. During the1896 presidential election he left the Republican Party and joined thePopulist Party due to his support of thefree silver movement and supportedWilliam Jennings Bryan.[2][3][4] During the 1900 presidential election Populists opposed to William Jennings Bryan met in Cincinnati, Ohio to nominate an independent ticket rather than fuse with Bryan and narrowly selected Barker with 370 delegates for him to 336 delegates forMilford W. Howard.[5] During the1912 presidential election the Republican Party was divided overWilliam Howard Taft andTheodore Roosevelt's presidential campaigns, but Barker opposed both of them and supported SenatorAlbert B. Cummins for the Republican nomination, but after Cummins lost the nomination Barker switched his support to Roosevelt and hisProgressive Party.[6][7]
In 1884, he was elected as a member of theAmerican Philosophical Society.[8]
On April 9, 1921, Barker died at age 74 in Philadelphia after suffering from an illness for one month.[9] He was interred atLaurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.[10]
Wharton Barker.
| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Populist PartyPresidential candidate 1900 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
