Samuel Jones Tilden

Tilden, Samuel Jones (1814–86), U.S. lawyer and politician. An early leader of the Barnburners faction of the New York Democratic Party and of the Free Soil Party, he proved that there was corruption among New York City politicians led by William (“Boss”) Tweed. He was governor of New York (1875–76). Even though he won more popular votes, Tilden lost the hotly contested 1876 presidential election to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes by one electoral vote.