John Baker Hinkson (October 2, 1840 - May 22, 1901) was an American lawyer, businessman and politician from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

who served as a Democratic

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 ...

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

from 1893 to 1896.

Early life and education

Hinkson was born in

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. ...

to Joseph H. and Lydia Ann (Edwards) Hinkson. Hinkson graduated from

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 18 ...

Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in and the county seat of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River and the Delawa ...

with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1860 and a Master of Arts in 1863. He was elected as a member of the

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

academic honor society. Hinkson studied law with the Honorable John M. Broomall and was admitted to the

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...

of Delaware County in August, 1863.

Career

Hinkson had a private law practice in Chester, Pennsylvania. Hinkson served on the

Chester City Council Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West and Chester. It is ...

in 1876 and defeated Major Joseph R.T. Coates to serve as mayor of Chester from 1893 to 1896. He ran for

Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four-year terms, stagger ...

but was defeated by Thomas Valentine Cooper. Hinkson was a member of the Board of Trustees of the

Pennsylvania Military College Widener University is a private university in Chester, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in 1821, the university was known as the Pennsylvania Military College until 1972. Widener enrolls approximately 3,500 undergraduate students across s ...

and served as Secretary and Treasurer until his death. Hinkson was a director of the Delaware County Trust, Safe Deposit and Title Insurance Company and of the Esrey Manufacturing Company.

Personal life

In 1864, Hinkson married Kate W. Caldwell and together they had five children. Hinkson and his wife were members of the Third Presbyterian Church of Chester where Hinkson served as an elder and trustee. Hinkson is interred at the

Chester Rural Cemetery Chester Rural Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery founded in March 1863 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Some of the first burials were American Civil War, Civil War soldiers, both Union Army, Union and Confederate States Army, Confederate, who died at ...

in Chester, Pennsylvania. John B Hinkson grave

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Hinkson, John B. 1840 births 1901 deaths 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century mayors of places in Pennsylvania Burials at Chester Rural Cemetery Lafayette College alumni Mayors of Chester, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania city council members Pennsylvania Democrats Pennsylvania lawyers

Early life and education

Career

Personal life

See also

References