Harvey Doolittle Colvin

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Harvey Doolittle Colvin
Harvey Doolittle Colvin
In office
1873 – 1875
Preceded by Joseph Medill, (Lester L. Bond)
Succeeded by (Thomas Hoyne), Monroe Heath
Born December 18, 1815
Died April 16, 1892
Chicago, Illinois
Political party People's Party
Residence Chicago, Illinois

Harvey Doolittle Colvin (born: December 18, 1815; died: April 16, 1892; buried in Rosehill Cemetery) served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1873-1875) for the People's Party.

Immediately prior to serving as Chicago's mayor, Colvin served as the city's treasurer. He ran against acting mayor Lester L. Bond and won with 60% of the vote. One month after taking office as mayor, Colvin was met with a mass demonstration at City Hall when more than 12,000 unemployed workers marched for jobs and relief. The crowd dispersed after being promised the city would provide relief when an alderman offered to buy them food throughout the winter if the city would reimburse him.

Colvin's administration repealed a Sunday ban on liquor sales which his predecessor, Joseph Medill and Bond supported. In 1874, Colvin's administration was rocked by allegations of patronage and a scandal in the city treasurer's office.

When the city council called for elections following the adoption of the Cities and Villages Act of 1872 in 1875, they left the office of mayor off the list of offices for the election. Despite this, Thomas Hoyne ran for the office and was elected. Colvin, however, refused the vacate the office and retained the title and position of mayor despite Hoyne's inauguration, partly due to the support of the city Comptroller. In 1876, a state judge ordered a special election be held later in the year. Monroe Heath, the Republican candidate beat his two rivals, James McGrath (Democrat) and Mark Kimball (People's Party).

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