Benjamin Hanford (1861–1910) was an American politician during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He made two unsuccessful runs for the post of Vice President of the United States, as Eugene Debs' running mate as a candidate of the Social Democratic Party, in 1904 and 1908.[1][2]
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Benjamin Hanford was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of George Byington Hanford and Susan Elizabeth (Martin) Hanford. Susan died in Benjamin's infancy, and his father married Frances Jane Thompson, who influenced Benjamin by helping him develop a taste for literature. He later married Alice M. Burnhand. While working in Marshalltown, Iowa, for the newspaper the Republic, Hanford learned the trade of printing.[3][4] Hanford later moved to Chicago, Illinois, and became a member of the Chicago Typographical Union.
During his political career, Hanford was a three-time Social Democratic Party candidate for governor of the state of New York. Hanford ran unsuccessfully in 1898, 1900, 1902. During this time, he was also the Socialist Democratic party candidate for mayor of New York City in 1901, although he was unsuccessful.[5] Hanford was later the running mate to Eugene Debs during the 1904 and 1908 United States presidential elections. During his middle and later life, Hanford was known to take about three months out of each year to tour the United States and make political addresses. When not on the political trail, Hanford was known for using his printing background to further aid the Socialist cause; leaflets and pamphlets produced by Hanford's printing press were said to have been distributed in the millions.[4] In 1909, Hanford produced a book titled Fight for Your Life!: Recording Some Activities of a Labor Agitator.[4]