John Raines John Raines John Raines (May 6, 1840, Geneva, Ontario County, New York – December 16, 1909, Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He authored the 1896 Raines Law, which prohibited liquor sales on Sundays, except in hotels, which had the unintended consequence of fostering prostitution. He was born on May 6, 1840 in Geneva, Ontario County, New York, the son of Rev. John Raines (1818–1877) and Mary (Remington) Raines (1815–1889). He was educated at Canandaigua Academy and Albany Law School, from where he graduated in 1861. Admitted to the bar upon graduation,
1900 New York state election 971 votes were cast for the only candidate. Odell was chosen to succeed the incumbent Theodore Roosevelt who had been nominated earlier that year for U.S. Vice President. All other incumbent state officers were re-nominated by acclamation. Comptroller Morgan died on the day the nominations were made. On September 13, the Republican State Committee met at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and substituted Erastus C. Knight on the ticket. The Democratic state convention met on September 11 and 12 at Saratoga, New York. Patrick H. McCarren was Temporary Chairman until the choice of George Raines as Permanent Chairman. John B. Stanchfield,