Thomas Aspinwall Davis

Thomas Aspinwall Davis (December 11, 1798 – November 22, 1845) was a silversmith and businessman who served as mayor of Boston for nine months in 1845.

Early life

Davis was born on December 11, 1798, in Brookline, Massachusetts, the son of Ebenezer Davis III and Lucy Aspinwall.^[4] Both the Davis and Aspinwall families were longtime residents of Brookline.^[5] Thomas' elder brother Increase Sumner Davis became a Congregational minister.^[6] Thomas grew up on Harrison Place (now Kent Street), and began work in a jeweler's shop in Boston at age 14.^[7]

Business career

By 1820, he was in partnership with Thomas N. Morong. He had his own business 1825–34, and was a partner of Julius Palmer and Josiah Bachelder from 1838.^[8] The firm was successful, after his death known as Palmer, Bachelder & Co.^[9][10] By 1843 he had acquired, by inheritance and purchase, farmland around his father's house, which he subdivided to create The Lindens, a prestigious suburban residential development designed by Alexander Wadsworth and John F. Edwards.^[7] Davis' own house was at the head of Linden Park, until it was moved to 29 Linden Place in 1906.^[7] In 1985 it was added to the List of Registered Historic Places in Brookline.

1844 election

At the time Davis ran for mayor a majority was required to be elected, if no candidate received a majority of the vote a new election was held. A candidate did not have to have run in the previous election, and previous candidates did not necessarily run in subsequent elections. On the first election held on December 9, 1844 in addition to Davis, the candidates were Josiah Quincy, Jr and Adam W. Thaxter, Jr. In the December 9, 1844 election, Quincy received 4,457 votes,^[11] Davis 4,017^[11] and Thaxter 2,115,^[11] with a scattering of 232 votes going to others.^[11] Because none of the candidates had received a majority of the 10,821 votes cast^[11] no one was elected mayor. In each of the six elections held between December 23, 1844,^[11] and February 12, 1845 there were at lest three major candidates in contention for the mayoralty, as a result no one candidate received a majority of the vote.^[3][11]

In the eighth and final election held on February 21, 1845^[3] there were only two candidates, Davis and William Parker, in that election Davis received 4,865 votes, Parker received 4,366 and there was a scattering of 322 votes, Davis defeated Parker by 499 votes and receiving a majority of the 9,553 votes cast.^[3]

Mayoralty and death in office

There had been seven inconclusive elections for mayor of Boston since December 9, 1844, before Davis' victory on February 21, 1845.^[12] It was Davis' third attempt at the ballot, representing the Native American Party, which had split from the Whigs the previous year. One source lists his opponents as Whig Josiah Quincy, Jr, and Democrat Adam W. Thaxter, Jr;^[13] another says Davis received 4,865 votes, ahead of William Parker with 3,341, and others.^[14] He was sworn in on February 27. His term of office was uneventful.^[13] He tendered his resignation on October 6 owing to ill health,^[14] and he died on November 22, 1845.^[4][14][15] One source says his resignation was not accepted, and thus he died in office.^[13] John Pierce delivered an address at his funeral in Central Church on November 25.

In records published by the city of Boston list Davis' term is cited as ending on November 22, 1845.^[2]

Personal life

He married Sarah Jackson, the niece of abolitionist Francis Jackson, on November 11, 1824 in Newton, Massachusetts.^[8]

See also

• Timeline of Boston, 1840s

References