Samuel Fenton Cary served as the replacement for Rutherford B. Hayes representing the 2nd District for the last part of the 40th Congress. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 18, 1814, and attended the local public schools. In 1835, Fenton graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and then from Cincinnati Law School in 1837. The next year he passed the bar and began practicing law in Cincinnati.

He was elected as judge of the Ohio State Supreme Court but declined the job and instead continued practicing law until 1845. Then he gave up his law practice to become a farmer and to focus on public service. He worked to promote many political reforms, particularly regarding issues involving the temperance movement. He became a well-known prohibitionist author and lecturer. Cary further championed abolitionist issues and expanded his writings and lectures to include anti-slavery matters as well. During this time period, Cary married Lida Stillwell. They had two children.

Cary served as paymaster general for the State of Ohio under two different governors. In 1864 he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, supporting Abraham Lincoln. In 1865 he was a district collector of internal revenue.

After Hayes resigned his seat in Congress in 1867 to become governor of Ohio, Cary won election as an Independent Republican to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. He served in Congress from November 21, 1867, to March 3, 1869. During that time, he was chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor. He also was the only Republican in Congress to vote against the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson. He did not win re-election in 1868.

In 1875, Cary ran another unsuccessful political race, this time for lieutenant governor of Ohio. He lost to Thomas Young, who would later become another Representative for Ohio's 2nd District in 1878. In 1876, the Independent Party, commonly known as the Greenback Party, nominated Cary as its Vice Presidential candidate, running with presidential nominee Peter Cooper. The Greenback ticket lost to Hayes and running mate William Wheeler. Cary retired from politics and spent the last rest of his life as a writer and continuing to support prohibitionist causes.

He died September 29, 1900, at his family homestead in College Hill, Cincinnati, and was buried in Spring Gove Cemetery.

Sources:
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Infoplease and Wikipedia

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