John Wentworth | |
|---|---|
.jpeg) Illustrated portrait of Wentworth | |
| 19th & 21st Mayor of Chicago | |
| In office March 22, 1860[1] – May 6, 1861[2] | |
| Preceded by | John Charles Haines |
| Succeeded by | Julian Sidney Rumsey |
| In office March 10, 1857[3] – March 2, 1858[4] | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Dyer |
| Succeeded by | John Charles Haines |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois | |
| In office March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867 | |
| Preceded by | Isaac N. Arnold |
| Succeeded by | Norman B. Judd |
| Constituency | 1st |
| In office March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | |
| Preceded by | Willis Allen |
| Succeeded by | James Hutchinson Woodworth |
| Constituency | 2nd |
| In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1851 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Richard S. Molony |
| Constituency | 4th |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1815-03-05)March 5, 1815 Sandwich, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Died | October 16, 1888(1888-10-16) (aged 73) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (1843–1855) Republican (1857) |
| Spouse | Roxanna Marie Loomis |
| Residence(s) | Chicago, Illinois |
John Wentworth (March 5, 1815 – October 16, 1888), was the editor of theChicago Democrat, publisher of an extensiveWentworth family genealogy, a two-term mayor of Chicago, and a six-term member of theUnited States House of Representatives (serving tenured in that body both before and after his service as mayor).
After growing up in New Hampshire, he joined the migration west and moved to the developing city of Chicago in 1836, where he made his adult life. Wentworth was affiliated with theDemocratic Party until 1855; then he changed to theRepublican Party. After retiring from politics, he wrote a three-volume genealogy of the Wentworth family in the United States.[5]
A 1994 survey of experts on Chicago politics assessed Wentworth as one of the ten best mayors in the city's history (up to that time).[a]
John Wentworth was born inSandwich, New Hampshire. He was educated at theNew Hampton Literary Institute[7] and at the academy ofDudley Leavitt.[8] Known as "Long John" he was 6 foot 6 inches in height.[9] He graduated fromDartmouth College in 1836.
Later that year, Wentworth joined a migration west and moved to Chicago, arriving in the city on October 25, 1836.[10] He became managing editor of Chicago's first newspaper, theChicago Democrat, eventually becoming its owner and publisher.[10] He owned the paper for 25 years.[9]
Wentworth was admitted to thebar in 1841.[10]
He started alaw practice and entered politics. He was a business partner of Illinois financierJacob Bunn, and the two men were two of the incorporators of the Chicago Secure Depository Company.
In 1844, he married Roxanna Marie Loomis.
In later years, his nephewMoses J. Wentworth handled his business affairs, and would eventually manage his estate as well.
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Wentworth served two separate one-year terms as mayor of Chicago (1857–1858 and 1860–1861) as well as three separate stints in theUnited States House of Representatives totaling six terms (1843–1851; 1853–1855; 1865–1867). The first five of his congressional terms were as aDemocrat, while the final was as aRepublican. His first mayoral term was as a Republican, while his second was as a Democrat.
Wentworth started his political involvement as aJacksonian democrat, and promoted these views in theChicago Democrat.[10] After he supported the1837 mayoral candidacy ofWilliam Ogden, including throwing the newspaper behind Ogden's candidacy, he was appointed by Odgen to serve in the post of city printer.[10]
Wentworth, having become active in Democratic politics, was electedin 1842 to representIllinois's 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He took office in March 1843. He was re-elected in1844,1846, and1848.
Wentworth returned to the U.S. House of Representatives in March 1853, having been electedin 1852 to representIllinois's 2nd congressional district. He did not run for re-election1854, and left office in March 1855.
According to city historians inSandwich, Illinois, Wentworth was one of the key individuals who was responsible for the city getting a railroad stop. The town, which at the time, was called "Newark Station", was given the station, and in turn, the town gave Wentworth the honor of naming the town, which he subsequently named after his hometown, Sandwich, New Hampshire. It is also to note that the boundary line dispute with Wisconsin would have cut through present-day Sandwich, as it straddles the northern border with neighboring LaSalle County, which would have been the State Line had Wentworth not been successful in moving the line north
Wentworth returned to Chicago and affiliated with theRepublican Party. Running as a Republican, he electedthe mayor of Chicagoin 1857. He served two terms, 1857–1858 and 1860–1861 (being elected to his second term in the1860 Chicago mayoral election). In his second term, he again affiliated with the Democratic Party.
As mayor Wentworth instituted the use ofchain gangs of prisoners in the city as laborers.[citation needed]
In July 1857, while serving as mayor of Chicago, Wentworth was charged with assaulting an attorney named Charles Cameron, who was attempting to communicate with his incarcerated client. Cameron testified that Wentworth "seized him by the coat collar and shirt bosom" and forcibly removed him from the prison, alleging that he had resisted officers. Wentworth, after requesting the case be delayed twice, refused to appear in court. The Judge found in favor of Cameron and charged Wentworth amounts of $25 "and costs" of $200.[11]
In his effort to clean up the city'smorals, he hired spies to determine who was frequenting Chicago's brothels. In 1857, Wentworth led a raid on "the Sands," Chicago'sred-light district, which resulted in the burning of the area.[12]
In1862, many of the city's Republicans had hoped to nominate him as the Republican nominee for mayor, butCharles N. Holden successfully defeated these efforts and secured the nomination for himself.[13]
A 1994 survey of experts on Chicago politics saw Wentworth ranked as one of the ten best mayors in the city's history (up to that time).[6]
In 1864, Wentworth ran for Congress as a Republican, and was elected for his last term (serving March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867) representingIllinois's 1st congressional district.[14] While he was in the House, there was a controversial vote to settle a boundary issue betweenWisconsin and Illinois, with Wisconsin claiming land as far as the tip ofLake Michigan. Wentworth was promised that if he voted to give the land including Chicago to Wisconsin, he would be appointed to the US Senate. Wentworth declined the offer.[15]
From 1860 until 1863, Wentworth served on the Chicago Board of Education. Wentworth again served on theChicago Board of Education from 1867 until 1871.[16] Per some sources, he wasboard president in 1869,[16] while other sources name S.A. Briggs as having held the office that year instead.[17]
After retiring from Congress, beginning in 1868 Wentworth lived at his country estate at 5441 South Harlem Avenue in Chicago. He owned about 5,000 acres (20 km2) of land in what is today part of the Chicago neighborhood ofGarfield Ridge and suburbanSummit.
When an author left a manuscript of a history of Chicago with Wentworth for his suggestions, he reportedly removed what did not refer to him and returned the manuscript to its author with the note, "Here is your expurgated and correct history of Chicago."[18]
Wentworth researched and wroteThe Wentworth Genealogy – English and American twice, which he published privately. The first two-volume edition, also known as the "private edition", published in 1871, was followed by a second, corrected, edition in 1878, which was published in three volumes, for a total of 2241 pages. The total reported cost for both editions was $40,000.[19] The first[20] of the 1878 volumes chronicles the ancestry of ElderWilliam Wentworth, the first of this family in New England, and his first five generations of New World descendants. The second[21] and third[22] volumes discuss the "Elder's" many descendants and others of the name.[23] John was a fourth great-grandson of William.[24]
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Wentworth died at his estate in 1888, aged 73. He was buried inRosehill Cemetery in Chicago.
At his request, his tombstone was a sixty-foot tallgraniteobelisk that was imported from New Hampshire on two railroad cars.[10] It was, at the time, the tallest tombstone in the west.[10]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by District created | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois's 4th congressional district 1843–1851 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois's 2nd congressional district 1853–1855 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromIllinois's 1st congressional district 1865–1867 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
