Benjamin Wright Raymond (June 15, 1801April 6, 1883) was an American politician who twice served as

mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the Chief executive officer, chief executive of city Government of Chicago, government in Chicago, Illinois, the List of United States cities by population, third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsib ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

(1839–1840, 1842–1843) for the Whig Party.

Early life

Raymond was born in

Rome, New York Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States, located in the central part of the state. The population was 32,127 at the 2020 census. Rome is one of two principal cities in the Utica–Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area, which lie ...

to Benjamin and Hannah Raymond, taking his middle name from his mother's maiden name. Raymond was educated at St. Lawrence Academy in

Potsdam, New York Potsdam is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town population was 14,901 at the 2020 census. When the State University of New York at Potsdam and Clarkson University are in sess ...

as well as in

Montreal, Quebec Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, Canada. He returned to

East Bloomfield, New York East Bloomfield is a town in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 3,661 at the 2020 census. The Town of East Bloomfield is in the western part of the county, south of Rochester. History The area was originally the terr ...

and worked as a merchant before deciding to try his luck in real estate in Chicago in 1836 with the backing of his friend, Simon Newton Dexter. In 1835, he married Amelia Porter, the step-daughter of Judge Josiah Porter of East Bloomfield.

Political career

Raymond was twice elected mayor of Chicago. In

1839 Events January–March * January 2 – The first photograph of the Moon is taken, by French photographer Louis Daguerre. * January 6 – Night of the Big Wind: Ireland is struck by the most damaging cyclone in 300 years. * January 9 – ...

, he was elected the city's third mayor, defeating

James Curtiss James Curtiss (also Curtis; March 29, 1806 – November 2, 1859) was an American politician who twice served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1847–1848 and 1850–1851) for the Democratic Party. Early life Born on March 29, 1806, in Wethe ...

. He unsuccessfully sought reelection in

1840 Events January–March * January 3 – One of the predecessor papers of the ''Herald Sun'' of Melbourne, Australia, ''The Port Phillip Herald'', is founded. * January 10 – Uniform Penny Post is introduced in the United Kingdom. * Janu ...

, losing to

Alexander Loyd Alexander Loyd (also Alexander Lloyd) (August 19, 1805 – May 7, 1872) served one term as mayor of Chicago, Illinois from 1840 until 1841 for the Democratic Party. Early life and career Loyd was born in Orange County, New York. He arriv ...

. In

1842 Events January–March * January 6– 13 – First Anglo-Afghan War – Massacre of Elphinstone's army (Battle of Gandamak): British East India Company troops are destroyed by Afghan forces on the road from Kabul to Jalalabad, Afghan ...

, he was elected to a second term as Chicago's sixth mayor, defeating the incumbent,

Francis Cornwall Sherman Francis Cornwall Sherman (September 18, 1805November 7, 1870) served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois, for three terms (1841–1842, 1862–1865) as a member of the Democratic Party. Early life Sherman was born September 18, 1805, in Newtown, Co ...

. At the time, mayoral terms were one year. During his terms as mayor, Raymond ensured that State Street would be a wide thoroughfare. During his first year in office, he secured the site of

Fort Dearborn Fort Dearborn was a United States fort, first built in 1803 beside the Chicago River, in what is now Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed by U.S. troops under Captain John Whistler and named in honor of Henry Dearborn, then United States Secre ...

for the city of Chicago when it was sold by the federal government. From 1847 through 1848, Raymond served as alderman from the 3rd ward on the

Chicago Common Council The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the Law and government of Chicago, government of the Chicago, City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 Wards of the United States, wards to serve four-year t ...

Business career

In 1843, after finishing his second term as Mayor, Raymond and Dexter built the first woolen factory in Illinois, in

Elgin Elgin may refer to: Places Canada * Elgin County, Ontario * Elgin Settlement, a 19th-century community for freed slaves located in present-day North Buxton and South Buxton, Ontario * Elgin, a village in Rideau Lakes, Ontario * Elgin, Manit ...

. Raymond also served as the president of the Fox River Railroad, which connected Elgin to

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Lake Geneva is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located in Walworth County and situated on Geneva Lake, it was home to 8,277 people as of the 2020 census, up from 7,651 at the 2010 census. It is located southwest of Milwaukee and no ...

. In the 1850s, he was instrumental in securing the charter for

Lake Forest University Lake Forest College is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Lind University by a group of Presbyterian ministers, the college has been coeducational since 1876 and an undergraduate-focused liberal arts inst ...

and building the city of

Lake Forest, Illinois Lake Forest is a city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 19,367. The city is along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and t ...

. In 1864, approached by J.C. Adams of the

Waltham Watch Company The Waltham Watch Company, also known as the American Waltham Watch Co. and the American Watch Co., was a company that produced about 40 million watches, clocks, speedometers, compasses, time delay fuses, and other precision instruments in the Un ...

, Raymond agreed to put up the money to start a watch company in the Midwest. The men elected to build the company in Elgin, which donated of land to the entrepreneurs. The building was completed in 1866 and housed the

Elgin Watch Company The Elgin National Watch Company, commonly known as Elgin Watch Company, was a major US watch maker from 1864 to 1968. The company sold watches under the names Elgin, Lord Elgin, and Lady Elgin. For nearly 100 years, the company's manufacturing ...

. The first model the company made was named the B.W. Raymond. Raymond is buried in

Graceland Cemetery Graceland Cemetery is a large historic garden cemetery located in the north side community area of Uptown, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 1860, its main entrance is at the intersection of Clark Street and Irving Park R ...

, Chicago.

Footnotes

External links

1842 Inaugural Address
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raymond, Benjamin 1801 births 1883 deaths 19th-century mayors of places in Illinois Burials at Graceland Cemetery (Chicago) Mayors of Chicago Politicians from Rome, New York People from East Bloomfield, New York