Daniel M. Fox | |
|---|---|
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| 71st Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| In office January 1, 1869 – January 1, 1872 | |
| Preceded by | Morton McMichael |
| Succeeded by | William S. Stokley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1819-06-16)June 16, 1819 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 20, 1890(1890-03-20) (aged 70) Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Resting place | West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania |
| Party | Democratic |
Daniel M. Fox (June 16, 1819 – March 20, 1890) was an American politician who served as aDemocraticMayor of Philadelphia from 1869 to 1872.
Fox was born June 16, 1819, inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania, to John and Margaret Fox. He was raised and educated inNorthern Liberties Township. He worked as a store salesman and then inconveyancing, where he worked under a practitioner for five years before going into business for himself.[1]
At twenty-one, he was elected a school director in Northern Liberties, including service as president of the board, and also represented the district in the board of health and was elected a director ofGirard College by thePhiladelphia City Council. He represented Philadelphia's 12th Ward in the Select Council for three years until 1861.[1]
Fox ran unsuccessfully for mayor as the nominee of theDemocratic Party in1862 and1865, losing toRepublicansAlexander Henry andMorton McMichael, respectively. He wonthe mayoral election of 1868 againstHector Tyndale by a close margin, a matter that was resolved by the courts after the results were contested.[2]
When he became mayor, he fired almost all of the city police officers since most were appointees of Republican politicians.[3] During his tenure, improvements were made to sanitary conditions in the city and thePhiladelphia Fire Department was established, a move that proved controversial with the displacedvolunteer fire houses, a number of which displayedeffigies of the mayor.[1][4]
He opposed blacks riding in Philadelphia passenger railway cars,[5] and in 1870, Federal troops were called in to prevent Fox from using police officers to prevent blacks from accessing polling locations.[6] However, he did offer a reward of $1,000 for the suspected killers ofOctavius Catto, but they were never captured.[7]
After his term as mayor, Fox served as president of the Philadelphia Conveyancers' Association. He died on March 20, 1890, inAtlantic City, New Jersey,[8] and was interred atWest Laurel Hill Cemetery inBala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.[9]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Mayor of Philadelphia 1869–1872 | Succeeded by |
Mayors ofPhiladelphia (chronologically) | ||
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| Colonial era (1691–1776) |
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| Pre-Act of Consolidation (1789–1854) | ||
| Post-Consolidation (since 1854) | ||