After the 1876 Republican National Convention settled on Rutherford B. Hayes as the party 's presidential nominee after seven ballots , the delegates nominated Wheeler for vice president . Nominated by Congressman Luke P. Poland , Wheeler surged into an early lead over Frederick T. Frelinghuysen , Marshall Jewell , and Stewart L. Woodford to clinch the nomination on the first ballot . Wheeler was nominated because he was popular among his colleagues , having worked to avoid making enemies in Congress . In addition , as a resident of the populous Eastern state of New York , he provided geographical balance to the ticket , since Hayes was from the populous Midwest state of Ohio . The Republican ticket prevailed in the contentious 1876 presidential election , though they lost the popular vote . Though they had not known each other before the convention , Wheeler and Hayes got along amicably while in office . They chose not to seek second terms , and Wheeler returned to Malone , New York after the end of his term . He died in 1887 , and was buried at Morningside Cemetery in Malone
1876 Republican National Convention
1876 Republican National Convention
William A. Wheeler