Benjamin Seaver
American politician
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Benjamin Seaver (April 12, 1795 – February 14, 1856) was an American politician, serving as the thirteenth mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from January 5, 1852 to January 2, 1854.[12]
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Benjamin Seaver | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mayor of Boston | |
| In office January 5, 1852[1] – January 2, 1854[2] | |
| Preceded by | John P. Bigelow |
| Succeeded by | Jerome V. C. Smith |
| President of the Boston Common Council[3] | |
| In office July 1, 1847[4] – January 7, 1850[5] | |
| Preceded by | George Stillman Hillard[4] |
| Succeeded by | Francis Brinley[5] |
| Member of the Boston Common Council[6] | |
| In office January 3, 1848[7] – January 7, 1850[5] | |
| Constituency | Ward 4 |
| In office July 6, 1845[8] – January 3, 1848[7] | |
| Constituency | Ward 5 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 12, 1795[9] |
| Died | February 14, 1856 (aged 60)[10] |
| Party | Whig |
| Spouse | Sarah Johnson[9] |
| Children | Benjamin Francis (1820-1868), Henry Gardner (1822-1838), Mary Elizabeth (1825-?), Charles Milton (1829-?).[10] |
| Alma mater | Roxbury Grammar School[11] |
| Occupation | Auctioneer[11] |
Early life
Seaver was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts[13] In 1812 Seaver became an apprentice at the auction and commission store of Whitwell & Bond.[13] In 1816 Seaver became a partner in the firm which was renamed Whitwell, Bond & Co.[13] In 1818, Seaver purchased 5 shares of the Suffolk Bank, a clearinghouse bank on State Street in Boston.[14]
Seaver married Sarah Johnson.[9]
Political career
City of Boston Common Council
Seaver was first elected to represent Boston's Ward 5 as a member of the Boston Common Council in 1845. He was reelected to the Common Council from Ward 5 in 1846 and 1847. In 1848 Seaver moved to Ward 4 and was subsequently elected as a councilor from the new ward in 1848 and 1849.
In July 1847 Seaver was elected as the president of the Common Council and held that position for the two and a half years that he remained on the City of Boston Common Council.[9]
Massachusetts legislature
From 1846 to 1848 Seaver served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and in 1850 and 1851 he was elected to the Massachusetts Senate.[10]