Isaac Vincent

Isaac Harvey Vincent was born in what is now Matagorda County, Texas, in 1830 or November–December 1842. His family moved to Alabama after his mother's death and he grew up in Autauga and Chambers counties. He was captain of Company I in the 47th Alabama Infantry during the American Civil War and was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness. He married Frances Richards, the daughter of newspaper editor and probate judge Evan Richards,{{Cite web |title=Alabama State Treasurer Isaac Harvey Vincent |work=Alabama Department of Archives and History |url=https://alabamamoments.alabama.gov/conoff/vincent.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912034626/https://alabamamoments.alabama.gov/conoff/vincent.html |archive-date=September 12, 2024}}{{Cite news |date=March 16, 1888 |title=Vincent's Condition |page=3 |work=Prattville Progress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-prattville-progress/155198886/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913103419/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-prattville-progress/155198886/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=April 6, 1888 |title=Capt. I H Vincent |page=1 |work=LaFayette Sun |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lafayette-sun/155198938/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913103817/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lafayette-sun/155198938/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} and had two children with her.{{Cite news |date=May 24, 1893 |title=Vincent Pardoned |page=5 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news/155198556/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913101315/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news/155198556/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Vincent was a delegate to the 1867 Conservative convention representing Chambers County.{{Cite news |date=September 10, 1867 |title=Conservative State Convention |page=4 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-advertiser/155310080/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915013404/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-advertiser/155310080/ |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was elected treasurer of Chambers County in 1871.{{Cite news |date=November 12, 1867 |title=Elected County Treasurer |page=3 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155310217/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915013617/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155310217/ |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} He worked as a private secretary for Governor George S. Houston from 1876 to 1878.{{Cite news |date=February 1, 1883 |title=The Defaulter |page=1 |work=Eufaula Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-eufaula-daily-times/155250380/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914030637/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-eufaula-daily-times/155250380/ |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Vincent sought the Democratic nomination for state auditor in 1876, but withdrew after the third ballot and Willis Brewer was nominated instead.{{Cite news |date=June 6, 1876 |title=Proceedings of the Democratic and Conservative State Convention |page=5 |work=The Northwest Alabamian and The Fayette Banner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-northwest-alabamian-and-the-fayette/155310829/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915014750/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-northwest-alabamian-and-the-fayette/155310829/ |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} He won the Democratic nomination for Alabama State Treasurer with unanimous support on the fifth ballot and won in the 1878 election. He was elected to two more terms.{{Cite news |date=May 31, 1878 |title=State Treasurer |page=2 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155311936/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915021048/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155311936/ |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} He defeated Isaac M. Jackson, J.M. Renfro, and G.H. Gibson after seven ballots at the Democratic convention in 1882.{{Cite news |date=June 9, 1882 |title=Nominations for Treasurer |page=1 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155313227/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915022900/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155313227/ |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was known by the nickname "Honest Ike".{{Cite news |date=August 7, 2019 |title=Alabama treasurer 'Honest Ike' stole $200,000 and fled the state in 1883 |work=AL.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-advertiser/155198843/https://www.al.com/news/2019/08/alabama-treasurer-honest-ike-stole-200000-and-fled-the-state-in-1883.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918012440/https://www.al.com/news/2019/08/alabama-treasurer-honest-ike-stole-200000-and-fled-the-state-in-1883.html |archive-date=September 18, 2024}}

In January 1883, Vincent's clerk told him that a surprise audit was planned for the treasury. On January 29, Vincent emptied his office safe and fled and a $5,000 ({{Inflation|US|5,000|1883|fmt=eq}}) reward was offered for his arrest.{{Cite news |date=February 6, 1883 |title=$5,000 Reward |page=2 |work=Tri-Weekly Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tri-weekly-herald/155197327/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913082858/https://www.newspapers.com/article/tri-weekly-herald/155197327/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} A committee investigating the treasury's management stated that there was an unexplained deficit of $217,687 in accounts ({{Inflation|US|217,687|1883|fmt=eq}}).{{Cite news |date=February 8, 1883 |title=Precise Figures of the Deficit |page=1 |work=Birmingham Iron Age |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-iron-age/155250888/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914031738/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-iron-age/155250888/ |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} Over $40,000 alone was missing from the county school system fund for each year of Vincent's tenure. He eluded arrest until being captured by deputy sheriff Eldridge C. Ray, who received the $5,000 reward, in Big Sandy, Texas, on March 13, 1887. He stated that his escape route went from Alabama to Cincinnati to St. Louis and ended in Mexico where he and his family lived, that he was suffering from a lung disease for the past two years and that he had planned to seek treatment in New York.{{Cite news |date=March 16, 1887 |title=Alabama's Defaulting Treasurer Captured |page=1 |work=Topeka Daily Capital |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-topeka-daily-capital/155197527/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913085047/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-topeka-daily-capital/155197527/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=March 17, 1887 |title=Vincent's Capture |page=1 |work=Winfield Daily Courier |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-topeka-daily-capital/155197527/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913085335/https://www.newspapers.com/article/winfield-daily-courier/155197556/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=March 16, 1887 |title=The Wanderer |page=1 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155198204/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913094749/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155198204/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Vincent was extradited to Alabama on March 16, where he was indicted on 39 charges of embezzlement. He was sentenced to fifteen years in prison on three counts while the remaining charges were nolle prosequi.{{Cite news |date=November 15, 1887 |title=End of the Vincent Case |page=1 |work=The Anthony Republican |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican/155197782/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913091402/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-republican/155197782/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=August 10, 1993 |title=Hunt not only politician to face ethics conviction |page=3B |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/130620779/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912034215/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/130620779/ |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} For punishment, he performed hard labor at the state coal mines in Pratt.{{Cite news |date=December 15, 1887 |title=Vincent Going |page=11 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-advertiser/155198374/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913100100/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-advertiser/155198374/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} Only a small amount of the stolen money was ultimately recovered. The office of the examiner of public accounts was created on February 16, 1885, in response to Vincent's crimes.{{Cite news |date=February 16, 1943 |title=This Date In Alabama History |page=11 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news/155316807/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919074321/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news/155316807/ |archive-date=September 19, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In 1889, having completed less than two years of his sentence, Vincent petitioned the state legislature to put a pardon for him onto the ballot as a referendum.{{Cite news |date=November 27, 1889 |title=Wants a Pardon from the People |page=2 |work=Daily Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-gazette/155197865/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913091947/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-gazette/155197865/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} He was pardoned by Governor Thomas G. Jones on May 23, 1893,{{Cite news |date=May 24, 1893 |title=Vincent Pardoned |page=4 |work=Daily Mountain Eagle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news/155198556/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913101457/https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mountain-eagle/155198588/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} after a petition was signed by 25,000 people and 108 legislators.{{Cite news |date=May 26, 1893 |title=Ike Vincent Pardoned |page=3 |work=Selma Times-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-selma-times/155316038/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915032240/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-selma-times/155316038/ |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} Vincent later became a life insurance agent and edited the Monthly Union, a newspaper affiliated with the People's Party.{{Cite news |date=June 17, 1893 |title=Isaac H. Vincent |page=3 |work=Birmingham Post-Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald/155198687/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913102120/https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-post-herald/155198687/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=April 19, 1894 |title=Vincent Advised |page=3 |work=The Standard Gauge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-standard-gauge/155198699/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913102250/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-standard-gauge/155198699/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} Vincent died in Palo Pinto, Texas, on March 12, 1898, and was buried in LaFayette, Alabama.{{Cite news |date=March 17, 1898 |title=Remains of Isaac H. Vincent Buried Here Yesterday |page=3 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155198829/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913103028/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser/155198829/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=March 18, 1898 |title=Ex-Treasurer Vincent |page=5 |work=Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-advertiser/155198843/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913103140/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-advertiser/155198843/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}

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Category:1842 births

Category:1898 deaths

Category:Alabama Democrats

Category:Alabama politicians convicted of crimes

Category:19th-century Alabama politicians

Category:People from Matagorda County, Texas

Category:People from Autauga County, Alabama

Category:People from Chambers County, Alabama

Category:People of Alabama in the American Civil War

Category:Recipients of gubernatorial pardons in Alabama

Category:State treasurers of Alabama