Benjamin Seaver

Benjamin Seaver
13th Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts
In office January 5, 1852[1] – January 2, 1854[2]
Preceded by	John P. Bigelow
Succeeded by	Jerome V. C. Smith
President of the Common Council of Boston, Massachusetts[3]
In office July 1, 1847[4] – January 7, 1850[5]
Preceded by	George Stillman Hillard[4]
Succeeded by	Francis Brinley[5]
Member of the Common Council of Boston, Massachusetts Ward 5[6]
In office July 6, 1845[7] – January 3, 1848[8]
Member of the Common Council of Boston, Massachusetts Ward 4[6]
In office January 3, 1848[8] – January 7, 1850[5]
Personal details
Born	April 12, 1795[9] Roxbury, Massachusetts
Died	February 14, 1856(1856-02-14) (aged 60)[10]
Spouse(s)	Sarah Johnson[9]
Children	Benjamin Francis (1820-1868), Henry Gardner (1822-1838), Mary Elizabeth (1825-?), Charles Milton (1829-?).[10]
Alma mater	Roxbury Grammar School[11]
Occupation	Auctioneer[11]

Benjamin Seaver (April 12, 1795 – February 14, 1856) was an American politician, serving as the thirteenth mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from January 5, 1852 to January 2, 1854.^[12]

Early life

Seaver was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts^[13] In 1812 Seaver became an apprentice at the auction and commission store of whitwell & Bond.^[13] In 1816 Seaver became a partner in the firm which was renames Whitwell, Bond & Co.^[13]

Seaver married Sarah Johnson.^[9]

Political career

City of Boston Common Council

Seaver was first elected to represent Boston's Ward 5 as a member of the Common Council in 1845. He was reelected to the Common Council from Ward 5 in 1846 and 1847. In 1848 Seaver moved to Ward 4 and was subsequently elected as a councilor from the new ward in 1848 and 1849.

In July 1847 Seaver was elected as President of the Common Council and he held that position for the two and a half years that he remained on the City of Boston Common Council.^[9]

Massachusetts legislature

From 1846 to 1848 Seaver served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and in 1850 and 1851 he was elected to the Massachusetts Senate.^[10]

References

1. ↑ A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 242  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
2. ↑ A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 244  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
3. ↑ A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, pp. 237–240  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 237  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 240  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, pp. 235–240  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
7. ↑ A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 235  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, p. 238  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Waters, Henry Fritz-Gilbert Waters (1872), The New England Historical and Genealogical Register and Antiquarian Journal, Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, p. 321 
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Waters, Henry Fritz-Gilbert Waters (1872), The New England Historical and Genealogical Register and Antiquarian Journal, Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, p. 322 
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Mayors of Boston: An Illustrated Epitome of who the Mayors Have Been and What they Have Done, Boston, MA: State Street Trust Company, 1914, p. 23 
12. ↑ A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown 1847-1873 and of The Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822 also of Various Other Town and Municipal officers, Boston, MA: City of Boston Printing Department, 1909, pp. 241–244  Unknown parameter |unused_data= ignored (help)
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume XXVI, Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1872, p. 321