James Britton Cranfill (September 12, 1858 – December 28, 1942) was an American religious figure and prohibitionist who served as the Prohibition Party's vice presidential nominee in 1892.

Life

James Britton Cranfill was born in Whitt, Texas on September 12, 1858, to Eaton Cranfill and Martha Galloway. He began to study medicine under his father in 1870 and received his medical certificate at age 21 in 1879. In 1890, he was ordained as a Baptist pastor and in 1892 he founded the Baptist Standard which he also served as editor of. On July 1, 1892, he narrowly defeated

Joshua Levering Joshua Levering (September 12, 1845 - October 6, 1935) was a prominent Baptist and a candidate for president of the United States in 1896. He was president of the trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, p ...

for the Prohibition Party's vice presidential nomination with 416 delegates to 332 delegates after a story circulated that Levering was a member of the coffee industry. General

John Bidwell John Bidwell (August 5, 1819 – April 4, 1900), known in Spanish as Don Juan Bidwell, was a Californian pioneer, politician, and soldier. Bidwell is known as the founder the city of Chico, California. Born in New York, he emigrated at the age of ...

was given the presidential nomination and the ticket received 270,813 votes for 2.24% of the popular vote which is the best performance of any Prohibition presidential ticket. At the Prohibition Party's 1896 convention he was elected as chairman of the resolutions committee to create the party's platform and supported the narrow gauger faction of the party and presidential nominee

. In 1908 he ran for the Prohibition Party's presidential nomination, but only received 28 delegates compared to

Eugene Chafin Eugene Wilder Chafin (November 1, 1852 – November 30, 1920) was an American politician and writer who served as the Prohibition Party's presidential candidate during the 1908 and 1912 presidential elections. He was active in local politics in ...

's 636 delegates. On December 28, 1942, he died in Dallas, Texas at age 84 after suffering a stroke on December 24.

References

1858 births 1942 deaths Writers from Texas Baptists from Texas Politicians from Dallas People from Parker County, Texas American temperance activists Texas Prohibitionists 20th-century American politicians Prohibition Party (United States) vice presidential nominees 1892 United States vice-presidential candidates {{Texas-politician-stub