Charles Henry Vail (April 28, 1866 – June 16, 1924) was an AmericanUniversalistclergyman andChristian socialist political activist and writer. Vail is best remembered as the first National Organizer of theSocialist Party of America and as a candidate of that party forGovernor of New Jersey.
Charles Henry Vail was born inTully, New York on April 28, 1866.[1] He attended public school in Tully and learned the trade ofbarrelmaker upon completion, working with his father for several years in that field.[2] Vail also showed considerable aptitude in the field of music and so he went toNew York City to study under Dr. H.R. Palmer, a course which he completed in 1885.[2] Thereafter, he taught large classes in both vocal and instrumental music throughout New York City. In addition to group lessons, Vail conducted private lessons in voice,banjo,guitar,clarinet, andorgan.[2] In 1887 he moved toSyracuse, New York, where he continued to teach music for the next two years.[2]
Although raised as an orthodoxProtestant in theDisciple Church, Vail came to question some of its fundamental teachings and he turned toUniversalism, ironically spurred to this belief by an anti-Universalist book purchased by his parents to dissuade him from that belief system.[2]
Vail became an enthusiastic adherent of Universalism and came to consider the propagation of its message to be his life mission. Vail enrolled in theTheological School of St. Lawrence University atCanton, New York. He graduated in 1892 with aBachelor of Divinity degree, but remained through 1893 to take a graduate course.[2]
In August 1888, Vail married Mary C. Ellis ofOwasco, New York, but his wife fell ill and lived only a short time.[2] He was married a second time in July 1892 to Niva Bedell ofGeneva, New York, a classmate fromdivinity school and fellow graduate of the class of 1892.[2]
Vail's firstpastorate was inAlbany, New York, where he spent a year at All Souls Church. He then moved to the First Universalist Church ofJersey City, New Jersey, remaining in that post for the next seven years.[2]
Although raised as aRepublican, Vail's political opinions shifted fairly rapidly, turning tosocialism. In 1898 Vail and his second wife, Nina Bedell Vail, herself an ordained Universalist minister, were both designated deputy organizers of theBrotherhood of the Cooperative Commonwealth, an organization which was attempting to establish socialist colonies inWashington state.[3]
At the end of 1900, Vail resigned his pastorate and accepted a job as the National Organizer of theSocial Democratic Party of America, forerunner of theSocialist Party of America.[2] In this capacity, Vail toured the United States speaking on various socialist topics for seven of the first nine months of 1901, traveling over 14,000 miles and visiting 19 states.[2] He was accompanied by his wife Nina, who often shared the platform with him.[2]
On January 1, 1901, Vail was nominated by theSocial Democratic Party of New Jersey as its candidate forGovernor of New Jersey.[2] He stepped down from his position as pastor of the First Universalist Church in Jersey City to pursue this political office,[4] with the position filled by his wife Nina, amidst much publicity and comment on the novelty of a husband and wife team occupying a single pulpit.[5]
After resting for the month of September, Vail hit the campaign trail. In the immediate aftermath of the Augustassassination ofPresidentWilliam McKinley byLeon Czolgosz, ananarchist, Vail faced hostile crowds and suffered cancelled meetings by those who confused the doctrines of socialism and anarchism.[2] Vail refused to bow to intimidation and delivered 29 addresses during the course of the 1901 campaign.[2] By the end of the year, Vail had toured 25 states and delivered 241 public lectures.[2]
During the first decade of the 20th century, Vail served in a succession of Universalist pastorates, including positions atRichfield Springs andAlbion, New York.[6] He would later accept a position at the Church of Good Tidings inBrooklyn.[7]
Vail continued to preach until his final years, serving as half-time pastor of a congregation in the small town ofMerom, Indiana during the early 1920s.[8]
Charles H. Vail died at his home inAuburn, New York on June 16, 1924.[1]
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