Benjamin Seaver (April 12, 1795 – February 14, 1856) was an American politician, serving as the thirteenth
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
from January 5, 1852 to January 2, 1854.
[CCC Boston, 1822-1908, pp. 241-244.]
Early life
Seaver was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts
In 1812 Seaver became an apprentice at the auction and commission store of Whitwell & Bond.
In 1816 Seaver became a partner in the firm which was renamed Whitwell, Bond & Co.
In 1818, Seaver purchased 5
shares
In financial markets, a share (sometimes referred to as stock or equity) is a unit of equity ownership in the capital stock of a corporation. It can refer to units of mutual funds, limited partnerships, and real estate investment trusts. Sha ...
of the
Suffolk Bank, a
clearinghouse bank on
State Street in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
.
Seaver married Sarah Johnson.
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.
Massachusetts legislature
From 1846 to 1848 Seaver served as a member of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into ...
and in 1850 and 1851 he was elected to the
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the st ...
.
See also
*
Timeline of Boston, 1840s-1850s
*
1852 Boston mayoral election
*
1853–54 Boston mayoral election
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seaver, Benjamin
Mayors of Boston
Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts Whigs
Presidents of the Boston Common Council
Massachusetts state senators
1856 deaths
1795 births
19th-century mayors of places in Massachusetts
19th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court