Edward Hoos

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26th Mayor of Jersey City
Edward Hoos
In office May 3, 1897 – December 31, 1901
Preceded by	Peter F. Wanser
Succeeded by	Mark M. Fagan

Born	August 31, 1850 Neuwied am Rhine, Germany
Died	October 24, 1912 Jersey City, New Jersey
Political party	Democrat
Spouse	Dora Wilkins & Marie Renz
Children	Dora, Arthur & Alfred
Residence	Jersey City, New Jersey

Edward Hoos was the 26th Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from May 3, 1897 to December 31, 1901.

Hoos was born in Neuwied am Rhine, Germany on August 31, 1850. He was an upholster and after immigrating to the United States, started a furniture business in Jersey City. His wife Dora Wilkins, of Hanover, Germany, died in 1890. In 1897, he was pushed by Democratic political boss, Robert Davis, to run for Mayor of Jersey City.

[edit] Biography

The mayorial election of 1897 was very controversial. The Republican controlled state legislature passed the McArthur Act which postponed Jersey City and Newark's elections from the Spring to November to make them coincide with the state elections. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that this was unconstitutional.^[1] The Republicans appealled the Supreme Court's descion to the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals. Since the descision was under appeal, the Republican's claimed that the elections planned for April 14 should not be held at that time until the court ruled on their appeal and if they were held then their results would not be valid until after the appeal was ruled on. The Democrats claimed they would be held and their results would be valid.^[2] Hoos won the election against Republican J. Herbert Potts, 15,264 votes to 12,018.^[3] however, Mayor Peter F. Wanser refused to vacate the mayor's office claiming the election was not valid until their appeal was heard in court. Hoos had to formally demand Wanser to leave the office on May 3, 1897.^[4] The New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals ruled in September in favor of Hoos.^[5]^[6]

Hoos won re-election over Republican Edward M. Watson by an even bigger margin of 7,000 votes on April 11, 1899.^[7] Hoos had served two terms (May 3, 1897 to December 31, 1901), but Boss Davis knew the voters wanted a change and dumped Hoos from the ticket in 1901 in favor of Edward L. Young, son of Edward F. C. Young (Davis' financial backing). It didn't matter to the voters who swept in Republican Mark M. Fagan as mayor.

Hoos died on October 24, 1912 and was buried in New York Bay Cemetery in Jersey City alongside his wife and three of his children.

[edit] References

^ "Will Have Spring Elections.; The Law Abolishing Them in Jersey City and Newark Declared Unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.", New York Times, 1897-04-02 [1].
^ "The Jersey City Election; Mandamus Proceedings Before the New Jersey Supreme Court.", New York Times, 1897-03-28 [2].
^ "Hudson County Election; Jersey City Situation Muddled -- Incumbents May Not Vacate -- Legality of Elections Still in Court.", New York Times, 1897-04-15 [3].
^ "Jersey City Mayorality; Hoos Formally Demanded Possession of the Office, and Wanser Protested Against the Action.", New York Times, 1897-05-04 [4].
^ "The Jersey City Election; Formal Decision To Be Made Against the Republican Mayor.", New York Times, 1897-06-02 [5].
^ "In Favor of Mayor Hoos; The New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals Sustains His Title to Office.", New York Times, 1897-09-21 [6].
^ "New Jersey Elections.", New York Times, 1899-04-12 [7].