John Wentworth
16th Mayor of Chicago
Party:
Republican
Elected:
1st term:
March 3, 1857
Defeated Benjamin F. Carver (Democrat)
2nd term:
March 6, 1860
Defeated Walter S. Gurnee (Democrat)
Inaugurations:
1st Term: March 10, 1857: Inaugural Address
2nd Term: March 22, 1860: Inaugural Address
Terms of office:
1st term: 1857-1858
2nd term: 1860-1861
Birth:
March 5, 1815
Sandwich, NH
Personal:
Grandfather was member of Continental Congress from New Hampshire
Graduated from Dartmouth College
Was editor and manager of The Chicago Democrat
Studied law at Harvard University, practiced in Chicago
Served 5 terms as a Democrat in Congress before serving as mayor; served one term as Republican in Congress after serving as mayor
Nicknamed “Long John” he was 6’6” tall and weighed 300 lbs.
1844 - Married Roxanna Marie Loomis in Troy, NY; together they had 5 children
Death:
October 16, 1888
Chicago, IL
Gravesite:
Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago
Sources:
Andreas, A. T. History of Chicago: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time. Chicago: A.T. Andreas, 1884-86.
Dodge, Andrew R. and Betty K. Koed, editors. Biographical directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005 : the Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States, from the First through the One Hundred Eighth Congresses, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 2005, inclusive. Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O., 2005.
Grossman, James R., Ann Durkin Keating, and Janice L. Reiff, editors. Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004.