Thomas Raines

Life

He was born on August 13, 1842, in Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York, the son of Rev. John Raines (1818–1877) and Mary (Remington) Raines (1815–1889). He was educated in Canandaigua and began his career as a store clerk in Lyons. At age 21, he became active in finance as one of the organizers of a new bank in Geneva. In 1867, he settled in Rochester and became Cashier of the "Farmers' and Mechanics' National Bank."

He was New York State Treasurer from 1872 to 1875. He was elected at the New York state election, 1871 on the Republican ticket, became a Liberal Republican in 1872, and was re-elected at the New York state election, 1873 on the Democratic ticket.

In May 1874, he suffered a nervous breakdown. He was described in contemporary news accounts as a "raving lunatic", being "stark mad", and suffering from "religious frenzy". He was declared incapacitated, and sent to the Utica State Asylum for treatment. On June 1, 1874, Abraham Lansing was appointed by Governor John Adams Dix as Acting Treasurer, pending Raines's recovery or a decision by the State Legislature which would convene only next January. After recovering his mental health, Raines was reinstated to the Treasury by Governor Dix on August 19, 1874.

Afterwards Raines studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1879, and practiced law in Rochester. In 1883, he was appointed as a special county judge of Monroe County. In 1911, he was President of the Monroe County Bar Association.

Raines died on August 12, 1924, in Rochester, New York; and was buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery there.

Congressman John Raines (1840–1909) and State Senator George Raines (1846–1908) were his brothers.

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